<VV> Dry valve spring and rocker?

[NicolCS at aol.com]

<snip>
Need some quick help here. i have and engine with a dry  valve(as in not 
oiling) spring and rocker on #5. I have never seen this  before on an engine. 
Any suggestions on what may cause this situation or  what to look for?
John <unsnip>

 
Well everyone has chimed in on the reversed pushrod possiblility, here  are a 
couple of other ideas. Is the lifter correctly preloaded or is it  clicking?  
AFAIR, the lifter has to be installed and working correctly for  the it to 
send enough oil up the pushrod. Also, the lifters have to be rotating  
correctly.  If the bottom of the lifter is worn flat, they don't rotate as  well as a 
new one.  Sometimes the surface fails during break-in.   Check for the 
straightness of the pushrod too. (Roll it on a very flat  surface).  If it's even 
slightly bent, it won't rotate and the oiler hole  will never shoot oil through 
the hole in the rocker to lubricate the ball  seat. Rocker arms and balls also 
suffer infant mortality during  break-in.  There has to be enough assembly lube 
to get through the break-in  cycle and get engine oil up there.  If they gall 
during break-in, all  the oil in the world (well there probably is enough 
somewhere) won't make them  "un-gall". Remember, today's lifters aren't exactly 
correct for Corvairs and  they don't send nearly as much oil up to the rocker 
area as the original lifters  did so everything has to be "right".
Craig Nicol