cottonisle

I have a 1997 Mustang with the 3.8L engine in it. I just blew my head gasket out and replaced it myself. I am not the great of a mechanic but I am also know what I am doing. But anyway, I replaced everything and followed the torque specs, but when I went to install my rocker arms and push rods, I got all but one torqued quite right. I would get the Top Dead Center and get it torqued, then rotated the next and so on. Got all of the rocker arms torqued and then wanted to double check myself. All but one kept their torque. I tried getting that one again, and then rotated the engine over again and it loosened up again. I am now assuming that the hydraulic lifter is damaged in some way. I don't know if it lost its prime or not. I was hoping to find someone that knows what I can do to fix it. Thanks.

rtg143

How many times have you had to retorque it. They should just be tightened and the length is what determines the clearances.
Did you ighten rocker arm seat retaining bolts to 5 Nm (44 lb-in) when the lobe was up and then tighten rocker arm seat bolts to 30-40 Nm (23-29 lb-ft)? That's all that should be done as long as the valves weren't done. If you have clearance when all that was done it could be the lifters just lost their prime and when you start it they'll pump up. If you never had lifter noise before the head gaskets, I doubt you'll have a lifter bad unless you got it VERY hot. Then it could have damaged the pistons too. Were the heads resurfaced? That would give a little less clearance depending on the amount removed.