Harland Sharp DIY

[KNG SNKE]

Harland Sharp 1.7 Roller Rockers Gen 2 DIY

Hopefully I won't miss anything but it was pretty straight forward (Damn Vacation)

Dodge Viper Roller Rockers Install
Harland Sharp 1. 7 Rockers

This write up applies to installing Harland Sharp 1.7 rockers only. Other rockers have different requirements.

Items Needed
Full Set of Harland Sharp Roller Rockers soaking in oil 24 hours prior
Full Set of Chromoly Pushrods
Pushrod Measuring Tool
Torque Wrench
1/2 Drive Socket Wrench
3/8 Drive Socket Wrench
1/2 Drive 1/2 socket
8 inch 1/2 drive extension
6 inch 3/8 drive extension
The Allen head sockets for the rockers themselves, I believe they are 1/8 and 3/8 but don't quote me
Deep well 11mm socket 3/8 (don't quote this one either, its for the locking nut on the rocker)
Head flashlight
Engine start tool


I am starting this write up with the assumption you have removed your intake and valve covers. There are plenty of write ups that describe how to do it. The stock intake has 3 twist bolts and a plug that needs to be unplugged. OEM tubes come right off. Valve covers have T bolts in them.



Admire my engine

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[KNG SNKE]

Your engine and our starting point.

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First step. Remove intake and valve covers. Here is a photo of the valve covers removed.

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Step 2. Pull your spark plugs out and lay your wires to the side.

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Step 3. Attach your engine start tool. On the driver's side right below the header the start sits. There are 2 posts on the starter. Attach a clip from the starter tool to each post.
The Tool

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The posts

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The following is how to measure pushrods. It's easier to read the paragraph then look at my photos later to get an idea what I mean.
From this point if your button is illuminated give it a push. You should see the engine cycle over. Now the newer Harland Sharps are designed to use oem 7.5 length pushrods but it never hurts to check. This is where you need a pushrod tool. It looks like a pushrod except it can be made longer. What you will do is keep turning the engine over till you see cylinder number 1 (drivers side front most) at top dead center. The way you can verify this is take a straw and put it in the spark plug hole. Once the straw is pushed out as far as it can go and both valves are closed you are at TDC. You will then remove 1 oem rocker set and pushrods above cylinder 1. Place your pushrod tool in the hole where you removed your oem pushrod, make sure to hit the center cup of the lifter. Set 1 set of rockers to 0 lash. This means on the cup end of the rocker, screw it all the way into the rocker, then 1/2 turn out. Install the rocker on top of the pushrod and bolt the rocker down. Now you need to rocker the rocker back and forth. If there is any play between the pushrod and the rocker you need to make the pushrod bigger until you can no longer rock the rocker. Remove everything after this step and you will be done.

Long paragraph right? According to Harland Sharps instructions this portion is not necessary if you are stock heads and cam and you will use stock length pushrods. You will need to get upgraded pushrods though because the roller rockers will put more stress on them.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Arrow Racing has great prices on their pushrods. Comparison of stock to Arrow Racing pushrods

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Now if you are certain you know your pushrod length you can proceed. Starting from scratch. You no longer need the straw in the spark plug. Just set cylinder 1 to where both valve are closed so when you tighten the rocker you're not compressing the spring. Remove cylinder 1's oem rocker and pushrods.
Remove the bolt holding the oem rocker

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Remove the rocker assembly

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If you look above the mounting point of the oem rocker you will see your oem pushrod sitting there. Remove it.

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No rocker or pushrod in the holes

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CAREFULLY slide your new pushrods into the hole where you removed your stock ones. This is the part where the headlight comes in handy. Make sure you get that pushrod on the center cup of the lifter in the hole.

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Remove a rocker from the oil vat

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Loosen the locking nut on the adjuster and screw the adjuster completely into the rocker.

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Assemble the rest of your rocker. Each set of rockers will be pinned together. They will have 2 allen bolts and 2 stands to mount the rocker on as seen below. The stands go on the rocker like this.

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[KNG SNKE]

Carefully place your rocker into place. You don't have to worry about lining up the pushrod yet but it helps to go ahead and try to put it in the rockers cup. Things to note. You have to keep your finger around the entire rocker or the stand will fall off and you will drop it, not fun.

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Once your rocker is in place, give it a couple turns to make sure it's not going to come off. Don't tighten yet. Once your rocker is screwed down, lift the rocker on the allen head bolt and align your pushrods with the cup on the rocker.

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After your pushrods are sitting in the cup, tighten down the main rocker allen bolt and torque to 35ft/lbs.

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Now that your rocker is bolted down its time to set the lash. You should have some play between the rocker and the pushrod if you move the rocker. From this point turn the adjuster nut until it contacts the pushrod and you have no play. Once you have the adjuster set to have no play (0 lash) you can set your preload. The HS instructions call for an addition 1 1/2 turns. As recommended by Greg Good I only added 1 more full turn. Once your preload is set torque the LOCKING NUT to 18ft/lbs

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Repeat the previous steps for all 10 cylinders. Once you are done go all the way back around and recheck torque.

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Another thing you should do is go to every single pushrod and place your finger next to the pushrod and the cup on the roller rocker. This is to verify your pushrods are seated nicely. Once you have checked the seating use your starter tool and turn your engine over a couple times to see if there are any problems. DON'T turn your engine over too much, oil WILL squirt out of the pushrods (found that out).

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Once you have all the rockers in place, torqued, pushrods sitting right go ahead and reinstall your valve covers, intake and spark plugs.

One thing I did do different is I waited to reinstall my spark plugs. Harland Sharp says to start your car when you're done for 20 seconds then turn off and expect a ton of valve train noise. This is to pump up your lifters and fill your pushrods with oil. Since I found out the starter tool had enough juice to get the oil flowing I left the spark plugs out and turned my engine over for roughly a minute. I never had the initial loud noise that was to be expected. I also had soaked my rockers much longer than 24 hours, not by choice.
If for some reason you start your engine a second time and it's still loud a recommendation from the Wizard is to rev the motor to 2500 rpm and turn the key off. This keeps oil pressure up and removes air in the pushrods. I did do this as well but only as a precaution. Once you do this do not turn your key right back on, you will backfire bad.

Keep in mind this write up is for the newer Harland Sharp 1.7 rockers for a Gen 2. T&D and other brands are slightly different in their install. I have not driven my car on these rockers yet but I have run it for over 30 minutes with revving and it sounds much deeper. (Rhode Island is a Cold Hell). I can't wait to get it on the road.

Special thanks
Chuck Tator for providing lots of support
Arrow Racing for the great price on pushrods
Harland Sharp for the great military price on roller rockers
Plumcrazy for motivation "If I can do it you can do it"


If I missed anything on this writeup please let me know since I am trying to recall the steps a month later.

 

[plumcrazy]

looks complete to me

 

[KNG SNKE]

If anyone needs more specific info on any step of installing these, big brakes, roe supercharger, headers, stereo etc feel free to shoot a pm with your number.

 

[KenH]

So it looks like you adjusted lash by setting every rocker to the same physical setup based on turns of the adjuster cup. Typically you would set the lash by tightening the cup until drag can be felt on the pushrod while you are turning it (that defines zero lash, not turns on the adjuster cup nut) and then adjusting down 1 turn (or whatever) after that point. Did Chuck tell you not to bother doing that?

 

[KNG SNKE]

The instructions from HS said to set all the rockers to zero lash by screwing the pushrod cup completely into the rocker then do 1/2 turn out. This is for stock heads, cam and pushrod length. Typically you would set 0 lash for every pushrod in the manor you said but this version of the rockers is designed for stock top end.

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[KenH]

Those directions are a little different than the ones I had about a year ago with my H&S and which are the ones still shown up on the H&S website. The main difference is that the directions you got state that the initial cup preset off the engine is setting the 'zero lash' where-as they did not state that before.

This part of the adjusment procedure is still the same though, and I would read that as still setting zero lash per cylinder once the rocker is installed and then adjusting down 1 1/2 turns, but I dunno for sure. Set the adjusters to zero lash, plus 1&1/2 turns.

 

[Tagoo]

Typically you would set the lash by tightening the cup until drag can be felt on the pushrod while you are turning it (that defines zero lash, not turns on the adjuster cup nut) and then adjusting down 1 turn (or whatever) after that point.

KenH, Your process is how Greg Good told me to adjust the rockers (once you are certain that you are on the base circle of the cam). Of course, my custom cam has a different base circle than stock and my heads were milled slightly. Still, even on a stock head and cam, I would check each rocker individually. I wouldn't trust that the tolerances between lifter, pushrod, adjuster cup, and rocker are perfect from one valve to the next. Maybe I'm paranoid, though.

 

[KNG SNKE]

I will say with the cup set to 0 lash per the procedures I have seemed fine. When I bolted the rocker down and had the 1/2 turn on the adjuster the pushrod sat in the cup with no space and some drag when spinning it. The only portion of the procedures I changed was the 1 and 1/2 turn preload. Greg Good said only go with 1 turn preload so I went with that. I emailed him this thread so hopefully he will go through and let me know if I need to change the settings. I have not driven the car with these yet due to storage but it has been run and revved and of was quiet.

Ken, did you need different size pushrods for yours? Tator said it was weird that mine needed stock length pushrods but the instructions said they were made for stock length 7.5.

 

[evomind]

what does this mod do exactly?
i think it opens the valve up longer or something at high rpms?
anyway, what would you notice after doing this mod?
thanks

 

[KNG SNKE]

Correct, it allows more air in and out of the motor. Really helps the boosted folks but it also helps NA Vipers as well. I t does open the valves longer at all rpms. Also it reduces friction in the heads of the motor creating even more hp

 

[evomind]

Correct, it allows more air in and out of the motor. Really helps the boosted folks but it also helps NA Vipers as well. I t does open the valves longer at all rpms. Also it reduces friction in the heads of the motor creating even more hp

i know on a dyno you would see some hp gains, abt how much on a N/A car, assuming all standard bolt ons? (headers, exhaust, intake...)
would you notice a diff seat of the pants?
thanks again kng snake

 

[KNG SNKE]

Someone more educated will chime in. I don't think you will feel any seat of the pants since you will gain 20whp or so NA. For boosted cars gains are from 30 to 50 whp if my memory serves me well.

 

[KenH]

I will say with the cup set to 0 lash per the procedures I have seemed fine. When I bolted the rocker down and had the 1/2 turn on the adjuster the pushrod sat in the cup with no space and some drag when spinning it. The only portion of the procedures I changed was the 1 and 1/2 turn preload. Greg Good said only go with 1 turn preload so I went with that. I emailed him this thread so hopefully he will go through and let me know if I need to change the settings. I have not driven the car with these yet due to storage but it has been run and revved and of was quiet.

Ken, did you need different size pushrods for yours? Tator said it was weird that mine needed stock length pushrods but the instructions said they were made for stock length 7.5.

I used 7.5" long pushrods which I measured for. If you were basically getting a little drag on the pushrods with that preset you might be fine. I just don't know how much variability there is between cylinders.

As for the performance gain, I also changed my springs to lighter beehive springs at the same time (which wouldn't affect HP much) and added 70mm TBs. Though I didn't put it back on the dyno, I could really feel a difference and I had to add more fuel with my VEC which was a good sign of making more power. My seat of the pants felt like at least 30HP with the combo. It also increased the lope of the engine a bit. The 1.7 ratio basically takes the stock .541" lift cam up to .575" lift and will increase the duration at least slightly.

 

[KenH]

BTW..... Nice looking engine

 

[KNG SNKE]

Though I haven't driven it yet the engine definitely had a lot more lope to it. Sean Roe said to add +2 to all rpm fuel to balance out the additional opening of the valves. I was going to change my springs but Greg said don't bother, it is unnecessary unless I plan on building the motor etc. I don't know that I will be able to tell a seat of the pants feeling since it will have been months since I last drove the car till next time I'm driving it. Will feel fast all over again.


Thanks for the compliment, its quite close to yours. I just realized today that I only had cell phone pics of the motor with the JMB style intake on it so I need to take some actual photos of that.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Instruction updated per Greg Good. He is going to take a look at the thread as well when he has a minute. When I bolted my rocker down with the 1/2 a turn I didn't have any play between the rocker and pushrod so I think I am good. Worst case scenario I might be 1/4 to 1/2 a turn tight but HS calls for preload to be 1 1/2 turn. I'm sure it will be fine but I'll wait to hear from the gurus.

 

[JohnnyViper]

i think i will be doing this upgrade soon......i have gears sitting in my garage for well over a year and I think I will do both at the same time, should feel a difference in my seat with both upgrades together

 

[MadMax98]

I know this thread is 10 years old, but regardless I want to Express my appreciation for you writing it! I read your write up a couple times before installing my new HS rockers and it went really smoothly thanks to you. I appreciate that you went so in depth and it's still relevant info 10 years later!
Thank you,
Max