Few questions about head/valves/rods & tappets

[Bduhigg86]

Hey guys,

Have a few questions about my truck. This site is awesome by the way. Very helpful for us backyard mechanics. I own a 2nd gen 24 valve with a VP. Since buying the truck last year I've restored the truck cosmeticly and mechanically. 

 

I've come to the point in my project, where I'd like to do some top end modifications. Namely removing the head and rebuilding it. The main question I have ( any other information would be greatly appreciated ) is.. what is the procedure for removing push rods?

 

My concern is that I understand that at the bottom side of the pushrods, there are tappets. I'm picturing in my mind, once I pull up on the pushrod to remove it from the engine, does the tappets stay where it needs to? Or now that the rod is not there to hold it in place, will it fall into the motors bottom end? Or are they secured so that all 12 rods can be removed, new ones installed, and the tappets will remain where they were?

 

Any advice you guys have on this project I'm about to undertake would be awesome.

 

Thanks 

Brandon

[Me78569]

1st question I have is, do you have a true need to pull the head?   it is VERY hard to beat the OEM gasket install.   If there is nothing wrong currently I would leave the head on and just do studs 1 at a time.  

 

I just pulled the rods out from the top of hte head and dropped new ones in.  Just make they are seat full, you will feel it.  

[TFaoro]

The tappets rest on the cam and are guided by the block. So when you pull the pushrods it might lift the tappet up, but it'll fall right back down onto the cam where it normally rests. 

I'm with @Me78569 on this one though. If nothing is wrong with the head, leave it on. 

[Bduhigg86]

Ok thanks guys. Honestly, I probably am getting ahead of myself as far as rebuilding a head that probably has nothing wrong with it. At the very least I will definitely be doing some arp head studs. My thought process about all this was.. Im hearing a knock (I'm hoping it's the flex plate) Truck has a little over 250k on it. No extended crank time, no loss of power(I don't think) no smoke. Good oil pressure. I did a valve adjustment on it as well. I was able to confirm, thankfully before I burned up my VP, that my in tank lift pump was giving me less then 2psi at idle and God only knows how low at WOT. So as of now, the tank is down and I bought an air dog with the bulkhead fitting kit. After I get the lift pump done, and am happy with psi to VP, I guess the next step would be to crack the fuel lines one by one? Would you guys happen to know if low supply pressure to the VP would cause excessive engine noise? I know I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm just trying to be proactive lol.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Bduhigg86

[Me78569]

low psi is typically not noticed noise wise.    I would use a stick against your ear to try and pinpoint the source of the noise.  

 

What type of noise is always helpful.  Is it rythmic? metal on metal?   tappy or klunky etc.