THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT
One of the most overlooked areas within the valvetrain for a performance engine is pushrod length. Veteran enthusiasts may scoff at this because, back in the day, you dropped in a set of stock pushrods, set the lash on that solid cam, and went out and made noise. But the performance world has evolved: Power numbers are escalating, engine speed continues to climb, and spring rates are growing, which all adds to valvetrain stress. One way to make life better for the valvetrain is to idealize its operating geometry, and it’s easier than you’d think.
If you were to watch a rocker arm from the side as it traversed through a complete lift cycle, the tip of
