As derek said, those appear to be the non-adjustable rocker arms that were common with the later model big blocks. Is this a Gen V or Gen VI engine? If it's a Gen VI, it should have the mag roller cam and GM roller lifters. There generally was little if any need to adjust these, unless something was going bad in the valvetrain. I would run it with the valve cover off, and get a stethoscope to see if you can isolate the sound to one particular rocker arm. Then you can go from there. It is not that uncommon to be able to spin the pushrod and maybe even feel a little bit of play in the rockers once the lifters bleed down a little bit.

Man of war, weird you and I are pretty much the same hull, engine and now problem. I enjoyed your thread on speedwake. How is the bottom of your hull holding up where the inter lifting strikes were shortened?

Dose anyone have a list of parts and part numbers to replace/upgrade our rockers that dosent require cam, lifter swap and perfer not to replace the valve covers?.Something thing we could just pull the valve covers, and replace in a afternoon?

I'm meeting up with my engine builder tomorrow and I will get more info about this engine. I never did any upgrades to the engine other than the 5'' big guns exhaust, so I think it's ok to upgrade the rockers.
There's a quick fix for these NON ADJUSTABLE ROCKERS... It is ADJUSTABLE PUSHRODS.http://www.compcams.com/Products/CC-...rods%27-5.aspx
I just might consider doing that instead seeing as I may sell the boat in fall for something newer.

Hey 92nsx, The MAN-OF-WAR is still holding up.
I went from 58 MPH to 70 MPH by removing the inner strikes & hooks.I need to give the Bravo 24
pitch prop a second chance I dont think I trimmed it corectly when I was prop testing I'm sure I could have gotten 71mph.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...m/IMG_0362.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...m/IMG_0360.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...m/IMG_0399.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...m/IMG_0398.jpg

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http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...m/BAJA1213.jpg

:eek::eek:NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Those are for checking and measuring the pushrod length. They are not meant to be run in an engine.

You can get a set of ARP rocker studs and new rocker arms for $200-300 and they'll fit under your valve covers.
You may have grind off the oil drip tabs on the underside of the valve covers.

I finally got the engine builder to come to my place and take a look/listen to the engine. He did confirm it's a rocker and wants me to bring the boat over to his shop on Saturday so he could run through the rockers in order to accurately pinpoint which are the rockers that are knocking.
I was shocked when he said he could fix the problem not by replacing the rockers but by grinding and using washers.
I've known this engine builder for many years and has built me a few engines in the past so I assume he knows what he's doing.

GRING THE PIVOT ?

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...838385_HDR.jpg

WASHER IN THERE ?

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q..._114813994.jpg

Don't do that. That's a waste of time and money. If that truly is your issue, but the studs and a set of rocker arms

1. If something wore/moved to the point that the rockets are loose, they are the least of your worries
2. Trying to band-aid one problem by modifying something else is begging for catastrophic destruction

Bar the motor over by hand, when one valve on a cylinder is fully open, grab the rocker on the other and see if it's loose, it should not rattle. When you find the one(s) that are loose, check the pushrod for straightness and check the rocker to see if it's bent, make sure the pivot bolt isn't pulling out of the head. If all that is good you need to check the cam lobe for wear and the lifter.

You never built an Olds v8 before adj rockers became affordable millions of years ago huh.

I used to use Crower Adjustable pushrods back then all the time.

Pain in the ballz I thought.

so...I agree in the sense of don' use adj pushrods since you don't have to. If you just have to because you want to do it this way, as mentioned, make sure you aren' using the one's made ojust measure pushrod length needed.

buy the 50 buck set of arp rocker studs. buy this 80 buck set of rockers, balls and nuts,...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elgin-RK504-...fe3924&vxp=mtr 130 for adjustable rockers oem style will fit under your valve covers. that grind and shim job is ...half-ass at best. and he will charge you more than 130 to butcher your top end!!