have a couple lifters not going all the way flush with the bore. is this normal on install? cant get lock nut onto rocker so i assume this is not right. block completely machined and cleaned, is there a trick to getting them in?

the cam has lobes.. so not all of the lifters are gonna be flush when installed

i understand that part and figured those were on the extreme "up" ramp . so do i just wait until i start adjusting all the valves by turning the crank to worry about putting those rockers on? i just want to be sure they are suppose to be like that and not forcing them down with pushrods.

You can do that. The rocker should still fit on and you should be able to get at least a couple of threads started on the lock nut but you can wait to turn them the rest of the way down when you are doing your valve adjustment procedure.

No offense but if thats what happened & why you posted you may want to call a buddy, I call myself experienced because of the many mistakes Ive made, just dont want to see another, cam wiped out thread!(Im the King of those)

sounds like something is wrong to me. nuts should go on all of them no matter where the lobe is. what size is the engine?

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1981 Camaro Coupe
402 auto.

engine is 350 over .040. 268 cam, fuelie heads. standar length pushrods, aluminum roller rockers, lifters came with cam. locks are poly locks. haven't forced it or turned crank yet to adjust. just put lifters in, pushrods in, and rockers on mostly to keep all together in a messy garage. just noticed 3 are not all the way in, but still in bore. one is the highest and dont want to risk ruining threads on stud because i can barely get the lock on. it is my number 8 intake i believe.

pictures can say 1000 words

thats a good idea, i am off tomorrow i will snap one. i dont think anything is wrong, i just dont want to jam something i shouldnt or ruin a part that cost me money.

are you rotating the engine by hand? and even then they arent going down?

no not yet, need to get oil pan on, and prime with extra lubrication. dont want to force them in, will try to get a pic tonight or tomorrow, only the upper half is out of the bore, sort of right at the dividing line, which i think is how they are supposed to be on the up side. i know i feel the top of the cam there, havent measured from it to the bore base and compared with lifter height. i am making this more complicated that it is, but all my extra cash and free time are going into this thing and i am losing patience and want it done.

Hit em with a large hammer, that should do it. Just kidding don't do that.

Is your lift so large that you can't get the rocker to sit low enough to thread the nut onto the stud? Is your pushrod length compatable with your cam? I'm just brainstorming,...Todd.

Hey! I don't suppose there's any possibility that the pushrods on those prominent rockers have not fully seated into the cup of the lifters and are riding on the lifter edges? Again, brainstorming with what little brain I have left after all these years!! Todd.

the lift is just .477 and .480 its not a radical cam, a 268xe. pushrod length is stock. still can't find a moment to take a pic but will soon, am off tomorrow, oil pump should be here and lower half is done, i can prime it a little and turn it.

you should be able to turn it any time. the oil pump will not try to pump untill the distributor is stabbed.

as long as you added oil to the bearings when assembling you aren't hurting anything by turning the rotating assembly by hand. Heck even with out oil it shouldn't hurt it cause of how slow you are turning it.