Hello, I need some help. I milled .40 off the block and .50 off the head to raise the compression to about 9-1. My issue is that the stock pushrods are to long. I am having Smith Bros. in Oregon make me some shorter one but not sure what length. I also read a post on someone saying they milled .100 and were still able to use the stock rods??

The read was professionally rebuilt with harden valve seats.

Are the stock rods 9" .975?

If I get rods .100 shorter will that solve my issue??

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Darren

Doc had a post about doing this that I can't find at the moment, so I'll try and summarize.

You can make a measuring rod. Take a pushrod and cut it part way (towards the top). Then cut the top part an extra 1/8" shorter or so. The inside of the rod will thread for a 1/4" screw. Get some 1/4" allthread and cut off an inch or so. Lube up the threads. Screw it into the bottom piece of the rod. Tack it to the rod. Then screw the top part of the rod on the screw.

You've now made a measuring rod of sorts. Install the rod as you normally would, but have it screwed down on the all thread so its artifically short (remember you cut it 1/8" shorter then it would be above?). Set the rocker screw to where you want it, perhaps where the threads just start to appear below the rocker. Now while holding the bottom part of the rod, unthread the top part of the rod (while hoding the bottom part) to make the rod longer, taking up any slack between rocker and valve. Send this measuring rod to Smith Bros and tell them to make you a dozen. You can tack the top part of the rod to the all thread or epoxy so the measurement won't change.

Found this post. Not the one I was thinking of but illustrates what we're trying to do. Same idea... just cut more of the rod away, uses longer stud and locknuts to hold everything in place.