Lifters got loose pushrods came off while boating

[karayj]

89 Merc 3.7
So after redoing my top end place in the head gasket I finally got the boat running nicely. After about an hour and a half I noticed a ticking noise a little sputtering and then the engine died. On a hunch when I got home after seeing it run really rough I said let me take the valve cover off and sure enough to the pushrods we’re out now I torque these things according to specifications 20 pounds which to me is awful light. I wanted to do at least40 but the manual cars for 20 so I’m confused because 20 is not very tight am I allowed to just tighten these as much as I can without stripping the bolt let’s say 60 pounds.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... What motor,..?? 'n what vintage is it,..??

 

[karayj]

89 Merc 3.7

 

[nola mike]

Did you mess with the pushrods or anything else in the head? The valve lash is adjusted by using different length pushrods, not by messing with the rocker nuts...

 

[karayj]

I lined up all the push rods they all seemed to be the same lengths? there was nothing indicating in the manual to make sure you remember what rods go in the intake or exhaust because of lengths . If I am wrong is the a diagram i can use. The boat ran so well for 2 hours . CAN someone else confirm this ? I also read that the 470 is adjust by push rod length I DONT have a 470.. I have a 224 cid 2BBL CARB 1989 merc 3.7 alpha 1 437B100BS
Engine serial number 0C520320

 

[GA_Boater]

I lined up all the push rods they all seemed to be the same lengths? there was nothing indicating in the manual to make sure you remember what rods go in the intake or exhaust because of lengths . If I am wrong is the a diagram i can use. The boat ran so well for 2 hours . CAN someone else confirm this ? I also read that the 470 is adjust by push rod length I DONT have a 470.. I have a 224 cid 2BBL CARB 1989 merc 3.7 alpha 1 437B100BS
Engine serial number 0C520320

Back in May, you had a 470 you were replacing the head gasket on. All of a sudden you don't have a 470.

Any motor torn down requiring push rod removal needs to have the push rods kept in order to reinstall. It's because the wear patterns on the push rod have to match the lifters and rocker arms.

Mercury thinks you have a 470.;

 

[karayj]

I can confirm I have a 1989 Regal Medallion So any suggestions on what I should do now that they are all mixed up ? Should I take them all out and and line them up and make sure they are all the same length ?
By the way in May I did now know too much about the engine sorry I said 470 by accident. My valve spring are not color coded so that tell me my engine IS not the type that has different length push rods what should I do? Is my engine the type you torque at 28 lbs and that is it? Do I make sure the valves are all closed when torquing ?

 

[GA_Boater]

The boat doesn't matter, only the engine. Using your model number and serial numbers, I'm dropping two things for your 470 as verified by model and serial number ;

1. The valve adjustment procedure and push rod IDs, including rocker arm torque from Boat.info - http://boatinfo.no/lib/mercruiser/manuals/mercruiser8.html#/78
2. The 4 different length color coded push rods used in your 470;

​

 

[nola mike]

3.7 = 470. I don't remember the exact procedure, but you need to compress the springs and measure pushrod/rocker clearance.

 

[GA_Boater]

3.7 = 470. I don't remember the exact procedure, but you need to compress the springs and measure pushrod/rocker clearance.

Not the springs - The lifter has to be collapsed and the clearance measured. That's the procedure in the 470 Boatinfo link in post #8.

 

[karayj]

Well my next question on my engine i have to 1st torque the bolts then go back and check the clearance aka valve lash??
There is no adjustment to do that? this is so confusing torque 1st than check the clearance and purchase push rods shorter or longer to correct the gap? WTF that is insane.........Since I had no idea to place the push rods in a order should I purchase 2 longer rods for intake 3-4 that came loose after torqueing all the rockers . I cannot find the tool for compress the valve spring

 

[Bt Doctur]

after you torque to 20 ft/lbs with both valves closed

 

[nola mike]

Not the springs - The lifter has to be collapsed and the clearance measured. That's the procedure in the 470 Boatinfo link in post #8.

Yeah, thanks. I remember collapsing a few things to change out that stuck valve!

 

[nola mike]

cannot find the tool for compress the valve spring

As GA_Boater1 said, it's the lifters that need collapsing. I used a pry bar and I think a hose clamp or something to lever back on the rocker.

 

[karayj]

Thanks Nola !!!! great Idea BT docker thanks also I will turn the crank until I see the valve springs fully decompressed then torque.....then measure the gap

 

[Scott Danforth]

the different push rod lengths are required if you surface the block or the head or do a valve job. its because the head and valve geometry are the same as the ford FE motor that the head came from and the push rod length is what determines lash

the two choices, follow the process in the factory manual or a ford 427/460 manual, or convert the head to adjustable rockers (commonly done on ford and mopar motors and requires a bit of machining and a bunch of new bits)

 

[karayj]

New update i went back into the engine and follow the instructions to properly tighten all the bolts and now when you start the boat it cranks for about half a second and fires right up much better sounding .

I'm just surprised that those two bolts loosened up I mean if the pushrods were a little short then maybe you would hear a ticking noise but it seems as if the bolts weren't tight enough and they just loosened up on their own. Now I know some of you may say well did you forget to tighten them but I remember specifically hand tightening every single Bolt and then torquing and counting all 8 and then double checking it. I'm wondering if I have a Bolt loosening problem


Will that make sense And I wonder how many people have overlooked that i did have the head milled the bit. My idea is since it's the intake pushrods of cylinder three and four I'm going to focus on that only. One idea is that maybe those two hydraulic lifters are collapsing and need to be replaced so I may just replace all of them.

After i went in yesterday and corrected the torque and look at the rockers and push rods and determine the be OK things seem better. Now when I start up the boat it starts up immediately!
I think I'm gonna take it out for another run this weekend and see if anything gets loosened up I have the tools that I can actually do the repair on the boat to temporarily get me in I’m not too worried about damage because I’m not flying around the Lake I'm just simply idling around taking it very very light. I'm finally starting to understand these engines pretty ridiculous if you ask me.
If the two intakes do loosen up on me again my plan is to buy the next size longer pushrods for the intakes on cylinder three and four and hopefully that resolves the problem. Another idea I'm having is too the engine's until I see the valve fully opened and tighten it at 35 pounds of torque instead of 28.

 

[karayj]

Can someone recommend a fram oil filter ... How would I look up what I need ?

 

[GA_Boater]

Since you now say you followed the instructions, did you follow the instructions before the push rods fell off? The two loose rocker arm nuts were probably torqued while the valves were open instead of closed and the valve springs were fighting the torque wrench.

Don't over tighten the rocker arm nuts, you stand the chance of burning valves because tight valve lash burns valves. If they loosen again, buy some new nuts because they aren't holding. You don't need longer push rods or new lifters.

 

[karayj]

I found the filter Fram PH30 >>>>
I had a friend "ford mechanic recommend the same thing now I have to find the bolts some where...Thanks !!!