Rocker arm install

[redbird555]

I'm replacing the head gaskets on my 02 z and I was following the ls1howto guide on installing rocker arms but it states I have to put the #1 cylinder at tdc and tighten each specific rocker arm at a time. It also says I should have noted when the valves were completely closed on one cylinder when I was taking it apart. However in the heads and cam swap how to it mentions nothing of this. It only says to reinstall the pushrods and rockers and to torque down. Which is it? Im going with the same stock valvetrain that was in the car if it matters.

[Too Fast]

If you have the heads off, there is no specific order to change the rockers. All valves are closed already. Just put the new rockers on and put your heads back on like you normally would.

[redbird555]

thanks thats what i thought

[Hi-Po]

[HASTINGSRJ]

22 ft lbs for the rockers too....

[redbird555]

yep thanks a lot guys. My car never over heated as long as I had it but i had some bubbles in the cooling system didnt really notice any oil though, but i decided to do the heads. Now idk if the girl who had the car before overheated it but the block and heads were clean underneath and there was no evidence of coolant getting into the piston by the looks of the gaskets heads or block. I know the old pos toyotas and hondas had severe head warping probs if they overheated just a hair. I ran a straight edge over both head from several different angles and didnt notice the slightest dip or rise on the head surface so I think im ok??

[Too Fast]

Yep sounds like you're ok. You are just replacing the head gaskets and the rocker arms?

[redbird555]

yep for right now im a broke college kid lol. although seeing that cam down in the block is damn tempting lol. Btw i noticed today that my car has the ps cooler could this have been somehow leaking in the metal sleeve causing the air bubbles? However i didnt have coolant in the rad. It just puzzles me how the cars performance wasnt affected and the head gasket didnt seem to have any coolant bypass on them

[ls1fan74]

OT do you have to remove the heads to swap the rocker arms?

[Too Fast]

yep for right now im a broke college kid lol. although seeing that cam down in the block is damn tempting lol. Btw i noticed today that my car has the ps cooler could this have been somehow leaking in the metal sleeve causing the air bubbles? However i didnt have coolant in the rad. It just puzzles me how the cars performance wasnt affected and the head gasket didnt seem to have any coolant bypass on them

If your PS cooler was leaking, you would have seen PS fluid in your coolant. I've not yet heard of this cooler leaking. It is possible you were not having any head gasket issue after all. Especially if you had no other symptoms like losing coolant or overheating.

OT do you have to remove the heads to swap the rocker arms?

No, you can change the rockers with just the valve covers removed. No special tools needed.

[ls1fan74]

No, you can change the rockers with just the valve covers removed. No special tools needed.

Is there better ones I can get, and put in myself? Like just upgrading the top end, rockers springs pushrods etc

[redbird555]

a nice set of yella terra with a little higher ratio would be good. However if you plan on doing a cam swap they wont work.

[Too Fast]

Yeah you can get a higher ratio set of rockers for a little more lift. And, for M6 cars, it is a good idea to upgrade the pushrods so if/when you miss a shift or downshift into 3rd instead of 5th, you have more insurance against bent pushrods. I still have my stock pushrods with 81k on them.

[redbird555]

Well I got my engine put all back together and it seems to run fine. However I had a small white wire that i noticed is broken on the drivers rear side by the fire wall. Also my asr light is on along with my ses light and my oil pressure is pegged at 80 so ses is probably connected to those two but any ides what that wire does or whats up with asr?

[redbird555]

the wire could actually be a tan color. I removed the air system while it was apart and i simply took the check valve off by the intake and plugged it. I left the pump in so i shouldnt get the ses light from that ALso plugged the little module on the intake. oh this is probably related to the asr but while in gear only the car will suddenly rev up but not in park or neutral.wtf??

[garygnu65]

you want the lifters to be on the base circle of the cam for the rockers you are installing for that cylinder. that way you get the correct torque value .and use good sealer on the threads.

[redbird555]

well I got everything for the most part sorted out turned out that the asr and ses light were because of a bad connection on the map sensor and the oil sensor wire had also broken when putting the intake back on after this my ses light went off and my air pump worked however...I removed my air pump plumbing from the back of the engine in order to make work easier and remove a little clutter. However I didnt want the ses light on. So i left the pump on and just connected the suction end of the pump to the pushing end. At this point everything still worked, shortly after this I didnt hear the pump anymore and the ses light comes on. Threw code 0410 which was the air pump. I plugged the hole on the vac line where the check valve was and completely took out the big valve thing with the hoses. The car is an 02 so i had a small electrical piece on the intake that i plugged up. However my air pump wont come on at all now...Is this because of something that was disconnected??

[ls1fan74]

Yeah you can get a higher ratio set of rockers for a little more lift. And, for M6 cars, it is a good idea to upgrade the pushrods so if/when you miss a shift or downshift into 3rd instead of 5th, you have more insurance against bent pushrods. I still have my stock pushrods with 81k on them.

I do have an M6. (gto, not the BMW haha) Those are fairly straightforward to replace as well, right? Just compress the valve springs, take the rockers off and pull the pushrod out, then drop in the new ones?

[Hi-Po]

I do have an M6. (gto, not the BMW haha) Those are fairly straightforward to replace as well, right? Just compress the valve springs, take the rockers off and pull the pushrod out, then drop in the new ones?

Yes, spend the money on a good valve spring compressor. Speed Inc

[ls1fan74]

Yes, spend the money on a good valve spring compressor. Speed Inc

I was on their site, how do I know how long of a pushrod to get?