[cfoods]

So I’m installing my piper stage 3 cams and when I go to measure the clearance I have 0 on my intake side and on my exhaust is what the intake side should be. What do I do? New buckets?

 

[cive]

Yep, only way.

Well, the only way I would trust. You could grind the valve tip.


Here are (maybe) all the sizes. For a 2015. Not sure what year you have.

Search Results | TascaParts.com

www.tascaparts.com

 

[cfoods]

Yep, only way.

Well, the only way I would trust. You could grind the valve tip.


Here are (maybe) all the sizes. For a 2015. Not sure what year you have.

Search Results | TascaParts.com

www.tascaparts.com

Thanks. I have a 2014 and how would i know what size mine are already?

 

[cive]

under the tappet there will be a number. For example, 282, which means 3.282mm.

If your intake is all 0 lash you might be able to use an exhaust bucket on the intake to get measurements since the exhaust side isn't as tall.

 

[cfoods]

under the tappet there will be a number. For example, 282, which means 3.282mm.

If your intake is all 0 lash you might be able to use an exhaust bucket on the intake to get measurements since the exhaust side isn't as tall.

I just went through all of them with a caliper and the numbers don’t seem to have any meaning at all but I could be wrong. I can give you a pic and all of mine are 27.xx mm

 

[cive]

Yeah post a pic.


The 3.xxmm is from the part the valve tip touches down in the Becket to where the cam lobe touches on the opposite side. The part that touches the side wall of the valve spring pocket doesnt matter.

 

[cfoods]

Okay update

Yeah post a pic.


The 3.xxmm is from the part the valve tip touches down in the Becket to where the cam lobe touches on the opposite side. The part that touches the side wall of the valve spring pocket doesnt matter.

Just made a YouTube video and it’s uploading now I will post the link once it uploads. I don’t know how to add photos onto here I guess.

 

[cfoods]

Okay update

Just made a YouTube video and it’s uploading now I will post the link once it uploads. I don’t know how to add photos onto here I guess.

 

[TurboGT]

So you're measuring overall length which isn't necessary. You need to use a micrometer (not a digital caliper) and measure up inside the bucket. There will be a tit hanging down inside the bucket that contacts the top of the valve. You need to be measuring the thickness between the top of the bucket where the cam contacts to that tit. That's your varying thickness.

 

[cive]

I made his video for you. Sorry for the sniffling, I'm sick.

I hope this helps.

 

[cfoods]

I made his video for you. Sorry for the sniffling, I'm sick.

I hope this helps.

dude great video thank you. Explained it perfectly.

 

[cive]

dude great video thank you. Explained it perfectly.

No Problem.

Did you also get stiffer springs with that larger cam?

 

[cfoods]

No Problem.

Did you also get stiffer springs with that larger cam?

Yes I did. Dual valve springs from piper

 

[cive]

Yes I did. Dual valve springs from piper

Nice! Can't wait to hear it!

 

[cfoods]

Nice! Can't wait to hear it!

I cant wait either! just went through all of my buckets and got the perfect clearance for all of them and now im going to order new ones for all 16 and get them right in the money spot. For $100 its worth it to me. But now that im thinking about this the whole reason why i took my head off and everything was because i was running around 33% less compression on cylinder 4, run leak downs cant really hear it coming from anywhere but the last time someone took my head off my car was when i had my motor rebuild by some dumb donkey could he have not checked the clearances on my camshaft followers and that could be a reason for the lower compression in the cylinder? my pistons are completely fine and my oil wasn't shiny at all and piston walls had no indication of scratching only the cross threading good stuff. also got my head pressure tested, it was good, and had 5 thousands removed from the deck.

 

[cfoods]

I cant wait either! just went through all of my buckets and got the perfect clearance for all of them and now im going to order new ones for all 16 and get them right in the money spot. For $100 its worth it to me. But now that im thinking about this the whole reason why i took my head off and everything was because i was running around 33% less compression on cylinder 4, run leak downs cant really hear it coming from anywhere but the last time someone took my head off my car was when i had my motor rebuild by some dumb donkey could he have not checked the clearances on my camshaft followers and that could be a reason for the lower compression in the cylinder? my pistons are completely fine and my oil wasn't shiny at all and piston walls had no indication of scratching only the cross threading good stuff. also got my head pressure tested, it was good, and had 5 thousands removed from the deck.

I should say apparently, honestly never ran a compression test myself. The mechanic that my family takes our cars to said that but he said my valve cover gasket was leaking and that wasnt true so i dont know. But the reason i took my car there in the first place was because i think my clutch took a **** so thats next after i get my car back together. I have one of those stage 2 clutches and ive been reading on here how bad those are. But if you know why a clutch would go to the floor only after i do like a 5-6k pull that would be great. but i was driving around town after that issue popped up and it finally wouldn't let me shift out of first one time. But then they switched the brake fluid (i already did that once before i took it to them) and that seems to fix the problem for a little bit.

 

[TurboGT]

You got a lot going on. Lol.

When the engine was last "rebuilt", bucket size wouldn't change unless the car got a valve job. If they did grind the valves and not the top of the stem. That would definitely close up your cam-to-bucket clearance and cause issues. But that's one of many places the wind could go.


I know you have a built bottom end, but that doesn't make it immune to other typical mechanical failures like broken rings, etc. Also if your engine was built with soft pistons (the ones that handle 1000hp, forgive me for not having the alloy number off hand), those pistons do wear out rather quickly and can lose compression if you're expecting to daily drive them.

As far as the clutch and staying engaged, a friction disk failure can cause this (pieces coming apart and getting lodged between the friction disk and pressure plate/flywheel) or a hydraulic failure, whether that's master or slave.

Either way the course of action here should have been an entire teardown, but it sounds like you only removed the head with the engine in the car, right?

 

[cive]

I should say apparently, honestly never ran a compression test myself. The mechanic that my family takes our cars to said that but he said my valve cover gasket was leaking and that wasnt true so i dont know. But the reason i took my car there in the first place was because i think my clutch took a **** so thats next after i get my car back together. I have one of those stage 2 clutches and ive been reading on here how bad those are. But if you know why a clutch would go to the floor only after i do like a 5-6k pull that would be great. but i was driving around town after that issue popped up and it finally wouldn't let me shift out of first one time. But then they switched the brake fluid (i already did that once before i took it to them) and that seems to fix the problem for a little bit.

On top of what TurboGT said. Yeah, you don't need to change buckets unless you change cams or grind the valves or seats. Ford doesn't even have it in the maintenance schedule, at least that I can find. So even routine wear should not change it it enough to matter. But a tight valve would cause compression loss. It would also be very noticeable on a leak down test. If you couldn't find the source of the leak a smoke machine would help a lot. If smoke came out of the dipstick tube, rings, if it came out of the intake, intake valves, if it came out of the exhaust, exhaust valve. Personally, I would check the clearance if I were rebuilding with the same parts just because I like to know for sure.

With regards to your clutch. A pedal dropping to the floor is usually some type of fluid loss or fluid bypass. I've seen the bleeder seal rip and it will seal, but it will only leak under high pressure and its hard to see the fluid because it atomizes it when this happens. But other than that, a leaking slave will be seen with leaks from the bellhousing, or leaks from the lines or the master will be seen. Internal bypass in the master is more difficult. The best way to test this is to take the line off the slave and dead head the clutch line then pressure check it. You can also hold the clutch pedal with the car on at operational temp, the wheels up in the air and hold the clutch and wait to see if it bleeds down to the point that the wheels start moving.

Good luck!

 

[Cobranut]

If someone can tell me where to upload .xls files, I can share a spreadsheet which helps calculate needed bucket sizes for the Duratec engines. It even gives you the Ford p/n's for any needed tappets.

I also found a great source for tappets, in Dubai of all places.
Burjauto.com

You'll need to cross-reference to Mazda part numbers, but they are genuine Mazda parts.
Even with shipping the prices were reasonable, and more importantly, they had all sizes I needed in stock.
The entire set of 16 was under $120 shipped to the US. Cheap insurance for my pricey Kent Cams.

 

[Cobranut]

On top of what TurboGT said. Yeah, you don't need to change buckets unless you change cams or grind the valves or seats. Ford doesn't even have it in the maintenance schedule, at least that I can find. So even routine wear should not change it it enough to matter.

Good luck!

Back when I had around 270,000 miles on my 2004 2.3, I had a leaky cam cover.
While I had it off I checked the clearance. ALL valves but one were within factory spec, with one exhaust valve .001" under. I'm not concerned about that at this point, especially since clearance increases at operating temp.
Ford specs these engines to have a lifespan of 150,000 miles. I'm over 320,000 miles now with no signs of it giving up yet. I'm impressed, and actually curious just how long this thing will last.