Another Broken Rocker Arm Stud

Joel,

No offense taken as to talking trash about Am. Speed. I really wanted to ask them myself why they use 3/8 studs if they know there's a problem with them. They have been too good to me...didn't want to embarrass Gayle. 

I got the new rockers and studs today. The studs appear to be about 3/16 longer than the old ones. I also got the specs on everything else so the mechanic can check it all as he makes the change.

Thanks for your input Joel. Time and high RPMs will soon tell.

When I built my 383  had my machinist drill and pin the rocker studs to  keep from moving  as the stock ones are just pressed in. Might help if they haven`t done that already.

When I built my 383  had my machinist drill and pin the rocker studs to  keep from moving  as the stock ones are just pressed in. Might help if they haven`t done that already.

Thanks for the ARP # there Jack. Unfortunately Jegs didn't have those listed when I placed my order, so I ended up with Crane. They cost double what the others ones they had listed cost, so I figured they might be better. Sometimes you're just paying for the name though.

I did notice we are talking about a solid lifter car.  Who set's the gap on the lifters, and do they set them stone cold? Sitting overnight? 

Careful  lifter gap monitoring may be in order.  A valve that streches can change a gap pretty quickly.  It may be a fluke, but was it the same stud that keeps breaking?  Maybe adjust those gaps more often and see if that one valve is streching faster/disproportinate to the others.

Jack,

We're talking about an engine built by American Speed with less than 2000 miles on it. The engine was built, put on the dyno, torn back down and checked for any problems.

It was a different stud that broke. First was #7, last was #4.