Guess that's why there's that old saying... high performance comes with a high cost...

Ya run 'em hard - things break or go wonky.

People unfamiliar with drag racing always ask "why do they tear apart the engine after every run"....

BTW --- working with a .005 feeler gauge would be a total pain. Might as well just pull a hair out of your head and use that. :rofl:

I was out at a buddies shop - they were doing break in dyno on a big block... a real nice motor... loading her up at about 3000 rpms and all hell breaks loose. It ate the distributor gear. Never seen that - or ever talked to anyone that did (other than bronze gear wear)... Sh*t happens!

How very true Greg.
Good luck Todd.:thumbsup:

It's always better to error on the side of caution. I've got to much money invested in this engine to take any chances. In hind sight, I should've lashed the valves a couple times since I installed the engine. Especially after the EL Toro beating. A hydraulic cam would be much less maintenence but I like spinning this baby to 6800. :thumbsup: Right now I need to decide if I'm going to send the lifters out to Isky and have them upgraded from the Red Zone's with needle bearings, to the EZ Rolls. I'll probably use up the life in these, and have them rebuilt down the road. When Jason built the engine, he had good luck with these and had heard of one bad experience with the EZ Rolls. He hasn't heard anything negative since. I'm going to send him some photos and go from there.

Sucks Todd, I'm sure you'll get it to where you want it to be.

Right now I'm heavily leaning towards the engine block and heads finding their sweet spot together after many heat cycles and the parts getting broken in together. I was contacted by a guy on Chevelles.com and he said it's not unusual for an aluminum block engine to take multiple heat cycles to set in it's ways. I just don't see any other possibilities at this point.

You traitor. :willy:

Seriously tho, how often should one be checking valve lash for a solid roller deal?

It really depends on the car and mileage but I'd say every few months. You'll know once you check them. If they are tight after 500 miles then go to a 750, etc. If one valve is overly loose it's an indicator of a problem and can save you a catastrophic failure. I'll be keeping a closer eye on mine. Jason reviewed the photos and it's going back together this week. I have a race next Sunday so I'll be out in the garage a few nights this week. :thumbsup:

My brother has an OutLaw 10.5 car, conventional headed (1995 Bowties) and a Donavan block, twin 94's. We have been as quick as 4.32 and as fast as 177.6 We pull the covers and check lash anytime we make a hit, no matter how far we go into the run. saying that, I know that it is somewhat of a different situation as yours but you said that if you checked them at 500 miles and they were good, go to 750 for the next check, I would hesitate to use this approach, it will not hurt to check them after every race at the least. Please don't think I'm trying to get into your hen house, preventive maintainence and constant babysitting will go a long ways, erroring on the side of caution is not a bad thing in this area. Shawn

I agree it's better to be safe than sorry. You are talking about apples and oranges though. An outlaw 10.5 car is going to have some wicked open and closing ramps compared to my cam. Like me, he'll have to figure it out with time. Better to error on the side of caution until you figure out a reasonable timeframe. After a road race I think it's advisable.

Yeah, you're right, apples and oranges in a way, but it is still fruit. i.e. aluminum block and heads with high expansion rates, critcal valve lash. It is something that we watch constantly, these things cost way too much not too keep a close eye on. You also have a stud gridle, where He has shaft rockers, so yours are more of a pain to adjust, not that His are any fun! Shawn