Adjustable pushrods aren't some magic tuning device, but they're necessary if you're doing anything beyond stock valve train geometry.
You install them when you've changed lifters, added a different cam, or built an engine where the factory pushrod length doesn't line up right with your rockers. The Ss Adjustable Pushrods Instructions are straightforward once you actually understand what you're measuring for. A lot of people skip that part and just thread the adjuster until something feels okay, then wonder why their valve train sounds sloppy at thirty thousand rpm. Here's the actual process. Start with the engine at room temperature and installed in the block, or at least on a stand with the heads bolted on with all the timing cover stuff intact. You need the valvetrain in its real operating configuration because that's what determines pushrod length. The pushrod runs from the lifter nose to the rocker stud, so whatever else changes in that path matters. Remove one pushrod at a time from the engine. Take it to a caliper and measure the overall length. Write that number down next to the corresponding cylinder number. This is your baseline. Some people try to eyeball this or guess based on head bolt pattern, which is how you end up with pushrods that are two thousandths too long and cause excessive roller tip wear within five hundred miles.
Once you have all eight lengths, you can order or set up the adjustable pushrods. If you're using S&S style pushrods, they have a threaded tube with a locking collar system. You set each one to match your measured length, then tighten the locknut against the lower adjuster body while holding the upper portion stationary. A proper torque on that locknut matters more than most people realize. You want it snug enough that it won't back off under vibration, but overtightening will distort the threads and introduce play anyway. I once had a customer bring in a 427 small block with a set of aftermarket pushrods that were supposed to be pre-set by the shop that built the engine. Every single one was off by three to four thousandths of an inch, and the engine had been running rough and burning oil. The problem turned out to be that someone had measured the pushrods with the cylinder heads off the block, which changes the geometry enough to throw off the lifter contact point. When I reinstalled the heads and remeasured with everything torqued down, the correct lengths were noticeably different from what was installed. Replaced all eight pushrods and the valvetrain noise disappeared immediately. The oil burning was separate, but at least we weren't fighting bad geometry anymore. After installation, you need to check your rocker arm sweep and contact pattern on the valve stem tip. This is non-negotiable. Use a mix of white grease or mark-out fluid on the valve tip and rotate the engine by hand through a full cycle. The contact patch should be centered on the valve stem tip, not pushed toward the intake or exhaust side. If it's toward one edge, your pushrod length is still wrong, or your rocker arm ratio is off from spec.
There's a common misconception that adjustable pushrods let you dial in valve lash. They don't. Valve lash is set by the lifters, not the pushrods. The pushrod length just needs to match the valvetrain geometry so that there's zero preload at operating temperature. If you're using adjustable pushrods to compensate for bad lifter preload, you're masking the real problem. Check your lifter preload first with a properly calibrated valve spring compressor and a dial indicator, then set the pushrods to match. One thing that catches people out: if you're running a roller cam with a hydraulic lifter setup, the pushrod length you measure cold won't necessarily be the same as what you'd want at operating temperature. Hydraulic lifters bleed down when the engine is off, so the lifter plunger sits at a different position than it does when pressurized. Most people account for this by making the pushrods about half a thousandth shorter than the cold measurement suggests, but that's engine-dependent. If you're unsure, run the engine to temperature and check your valve train geometry while it's warm, then adjust accordingly. The pushrods themselves should be inspected before installation. Look for any scoring on the outer tube, especially near the ends where the adjuster bodies sit. A worn or scored pushrod tube will allow the adjuster to bind, which means your length setting can shift under load. That's why you occasionally see valvetrain issues come back after a few thousand miles even though everything was set correctly initially. If your pushrods are already marked or damaged, replace them. Nothing saves a bad pushrod by adjusting around it.
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If you're running solid lifters instead of hydraulics, the whole process gets more involved because you'll be adjusting valve lash separately. In that case, set the pushrods to a known reference length first, then use the solid lifter adjustment screws to dial in your lash. Don't try to use the pushrod adjusters as a substitute for proper lash adjustment. That'll get you into trouble fast. The whole installation and adjustment process for a typical V8 usually takes about forty-five minutes to an hour if you know what you're doing. The first time through, probably two hours. Budget extra time if you're dealing with an engine that has hard-to-reach pushrods, like some Ford Y-block setups or certain Chevy Gen V LT engines where the front pass side pushrod is obstructed by the timing cover bolts.
