Update pics

[SmithKid]

Quote: "Again, we need a whip-cracking emoji."

There's lotsa free whip-cracking stuff on the interweb. Like this?
There's even some animated w/sound.

[Luva65wagon]

Still looking, but there is this now:

[SmithKid]

Like!

[BadBird]

Okay, so now I have no reason to not get the whip cracking. Carol just showed me old pictures showing I started my car in 2007. Wow. 10 whole years of this. My goodness, time is flying.
Just went to a memorial service for a very good friend from my golf league. His father also plays in the league and is close to my age. He wasn't even 50 years old. So, moral to this story is, God only gives us a specific number of days. I better get cracking. larry

[BadBird]

Still haven't finished the 9" rear end installation. Sitting at home with a sore throat, fever, headaches and feeling like crap.
Friends asked me to post some pics of my car on facebook. Here is what I posted. Larry

[Gitanesteel]

Still haven't finished the 9" rear end installation. Sitting at home with a sore throat, fever, headaches and feeling like crap.
Friends asked me to post some pics of my car on facebook. Here is what I posted. Larry

Nice photos. Get better - the crud hit me this past week also. Definitely prefer that it didn't

[BadBird]

As I mentioned in the All Ford Show post, I couldn't make it because something let loose in my engine. Heard a good loud pop, then started stuttering a little. Made enough noise when running that I had it towed 3 miles home.
I figured it was a roller rocker or push rod issue and was right. Pulled the right valve cover off and found a broken stud in the head. The nut had backed off at least an 1/8" before it broke. Put a few nicks in the rocker. Took a couple of pics.
I cannot get the broken end of the stud out of the tightening nut, so may have to get a new stud and nut.
I think this will be the only problem , the pushrod is still straight and don't think the valve could do any damage to the piston. So, my plan for right now is to reinstall a new stud, reset the lifters and see what happens.
If anyone has some comments or thoughts on anything else that could have happened please let me know. Hope I get it correct before next weekends Maltby show. Larry

[Jeff W]

Do you remember the brand of the studs? Were they ARP or did they come with your roller kit? If they were no names I may consider replacing all.

[Luva65wagon]

I'll second Jeff's comment. Seem very odd to pull the top off of a good-brand stud. I'd get a set of ARP studs, especially if you're still going to race it.

[BadBird]

The studs came pre-installed on the AFR 185 heads. I don't think it was a stud problem as much as it was operator error. The nut on that stud had backed off almost 1/4". I think the rocker just got caught rocking back and forth and snapped the stud. It made a loud pop for sure.
These heads are known as some of the best for racing so not too worried about the studs. Just worry about me getting them tight when they are adjusted. These lifters have always made quite a bit of noise and I have checked them twice before. Just left one a little loose I think. More to come I am sure. Larry

[BadBird]

I went to AFR's website and found an interesting footnote about their AFR 185's. So, I am going to replace all the studs and will have to replace all the roller rockers to 7/16 also. Poopers. Larry
Footnotes

1. AFR Small Block Ford
   
   • We strongly recommend using 7/16" rocker studs with today's fast cam rates and RPM capabilities as 3/8" Rocker Studs can occasionally break.

[Luva65wagon]

You would think they'd just use the 7/16 studs and be done with it. So all new studs and new rockers both.

You mentioned they were noisy all along, which has been stressing me out with my Ranchero motor. I readjusted the valves because I thought they were not set right after my rocker/guide plate/push-rod issue a while back. They we set right, but it seems noisy roller rockers is a thing. Chased it down of YouTube and Google and so many have this issue. Nobody says, or seems to know, what is clacking exactly. But now I'm obsessed with leaning why!

[BadBird]

After talking to a Ford racing engine builder I am going to stick with 3/8 studs and have ARP new ones ordered. The builder states he uses 3/8 studs and gets over 7000RPM and never broke one. He also said the studs that used to come with the AFR 185 heads were not good and tend to break. Well, we will see.
I got another stud and installed it. Tomorrow I will start the car up, hope there isn't any weird noises. If everything sounds okay I will drive it until I get the new studs installed. If there are issues after the run, More to come. Larry

[BillP 98201]

Hope everything goes well Larry

[BadBird]

Thought you all might be interested in this correspondence between myself and Air Flow Research. If this works out the way the representative tells me, I will be more than happy. Larry


To AFR tech and sales representative.......Several years ago, I bought a set of your AFR 185 heads for my 302/347 SBF. I would guess it has been at least 8 years. The car now has about 2500 miles and is used mainly as a show car. But just last week, I broke a head stud while going a low speeds. I researched your website which says to replace the studs with 7/16. BUT. I read a bunch of information on several sites that says the studs were originally not the greatest of quality. IS that true or did you use ARP studs that long ago. I don't want to go through the cost of changing all my studs and rockers if I can get by with just replacing my studs with ARP 3/8 studs. Thanks a bunch. Larry Smith
Here is the answer I got back.


If your heads are 8+ years old it wont be an ARP stud, we didn’t switch until middle of 2014. Send me your address and I’ll get some replacement ARP 3/8 out to you at no charge.


Thank you for choosing AFR,

Jerami Patrick
AFR Sales & Technical Support
661-257-8124 ext. 111