Lash caps

[Pineapple]

I was doing an 18Lbs valve spring install on my predator 212. When I took off the rocker there was no lash cap on the exhaust valve. I've tried to look for it and even drained the oil to find it, but no luck. Its ran just fine, I don't know if it fell out during the installation, but I have new lash caps on the way. Any advice, I have the non-hemi bought in December of 2020.

 

[pearl111]

I could be wrong but I believe that, that side does not have a lash cap.
Someone else made chime in later to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that side never had a last cap.

 

[madprofessor]

Hemi version has lash caps on both sides like all of mine, non-hemi version only has a lash cap on one side. Can't recall which side, don't take any T, D, or H's word for it, check spec sheet for your non-hemi version to be sure which side.
EDIT: Just noticed your S. FL. label, I'm N.E. Fl. (Jacksonville). No snow time off for us, need to fix em and ride em.
BTW: Why 18 lb. springs? My performance guy set me up with 22 lb. springs for a motor expected to turn 7200 rpm.

 

[Pineapple]

I could be wrong but I believe that, that side does not have a lash cap.
Someone else made chime in later to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that side never had a last cap.

#45 is the lash cap

 

[Pineapple]

Hemi version has lash caps on both sides like all of mine, non-hemi version only has a lash cap on one side. Can't recall which side, don't take any T, D, or H's word for it, check spec sheet for your non-hemi version to be sure which side.
EDIT: Just noticed your S. FL. label, I'm N.E. Fl. (Jacksonville). No snow time off for us, need to fix em and ride em.
BTW: Why 18 lb. springs? My performance guy set me up with 22 lb. springs for a motor expected to turn 7200 rpm.

It has a lash cap on the exhaust side, and I'm running stock cam with a stage one kit from GPS.
Haha yes, I love Florida weather!

 

[madprofessor]

It has a lash cap on the exhaust side,

I believe you that there's a lash cap on the exhaust valve, but go all OCD with me for a second............... Who decided that's where the single lash cap goes? Check the legend on the parts exploded diagram for the names of the diagram part #'s. Make sure that lash cap #45 that goes on valve #41 is for an exhaust valve, and not for an intake valve. The valve without a lash cap is #42, make sure what valve it is also, intake or exhaust.
You can get it backwards, adjust your valve lash according to accepted norms (most say .003"), and make it run. If the lash cap's on the wrong valve though, it'll never run as strong as when the lash cap's on the correct valve and the lash gets set that way.

 

[panchothedog]

The lash cap goes on the exhaust valve only. If you take note of #46 that is a valve seal used on the intake side only. I just finished building 2 non hemi predators this week. Also for your information I have two other very modified
non hemis, on one I am running champion rockers and use lash caps on both valves, and on the other engine I am using Gage roller rockers ( expensive )
and don't use ash caps at all. Both engines have been together for 1&1/2
years and are working fine.

 

[Pineapple]

I believe you that there's a lash cap on the exhaust valve, but go all OCD with me for a second............... Who decided that's where the single lash cap goes? Check the legend on the parts exploded diagram for the names of the diagram part #'s. Make sure that lash cap #45 that goes on valve #41 is for an exhaust valve, and not for an intake valve. The valve without a lash cap is #42, make sure what valve it is also, intake or exhaust.
You can get it backwards, adjust your valve lash according to accepted norms (most say .003"), and make it run. If the lash cap's on the wrong valve though, it'll never run as strong as when the lash cap's on the correct valve and the lash gets set that way.

You know what's funny, I was speaking to a predator customer service rep. He was making fun of the names HF calls the parts of the engine, he said Lash caps are called valve rotators, and spark arrestor is called ash collector lmao. On a side note, what should I do to get the lash cap out? Should I take the side cover off to find it, or should I take out the pushrods and tilt the engine over in hopes that it will fall out if it didn't fall into the crankcase?

 

[Denny]

Side cover and pushrods both. Just make sure you get it out.

 

[Pineapple]

Side cover and pushrods both. Just make sure you get it out

Time to buy some gaskets

 

[madprofessor]

Lost a lash cap on my hemi 212, searched all inside the case, under the valve cover, dragged through it all with a magnet, etc., no luck. Couldn't tell anything looking down the pushrod passages with a flashlight, and my telescoping pocket magnet was too big to fit down the passages.
Bought a smaller telescoping magnet from auto parts house, stuck it down a pushrod passage, and it came out 2 seconds later with the lost lash cap stuck to it.
There's a lifter guide plate at the bottom of the passages on a hemi, maybe non-hemi too, and with the lifters in place a lash cap can't fall all the way into the case, gets caught. Check that before you go draining the oil, pulling the sidecover, buying gaskets for it, etc. Cap not likely to have gotten past the guide plate.

 

[Pineapple]

Well I just did the same thing, no luck on finding the lash cap. So I took off the head in hopes to find it and no dice. Maybe the newer non hemi’s don’t have lash caps. I honestly don’t know what to do at this point.

 

[madprofessor]

Just wanted to satisfy my OCD mind that the non-hemi #45 lash cap (Rotator, Valve) is definitely on the #41 (Valve, Exhaust) per the numbered parts list, it definitely is.
Predator 212 Non-Hemi Manual (eccarburetors.com)

Well I just did the same thing, no luck on finding the lash cap.

Same thing? Do you mean probing around in the bottom of the pushrod passages WITHOUT the lifters in place keeping you from reaching a magnet all the way around in there at the very bottom of the passages?
That's how I came up with my missing lash cap. Sidecover was already off, cam pulled back, lifters dropped out. A drop of oil is all it takes to make a little lash cap stick to the walls in there, not fall out when the head comes off and gets inverted.
No matter what, I do not believe in the ability of an engine part to escape unless it falls into a cylinder, and then gets spit back out into the exhaust piping. I've personally seen a ball bearing that had fallen into a V8 cylinder through an intake valve, pitted the piston at least a hundred times, squirted back into the intake manifold and came down in a different cylinder. It still didn't escape. Pitted the piston a half dozen times and imbedded in it.
Find the missing parts, or they may find something you can't miss.

 

[Pineapple]

Update: I never found it, I ended up putting that engine on the shelf to save for a later build. I looked at a bunch of disassembly videos and it appears that the newer non-hemi's don't have lash caps anymore. I could be wrong but oh well

 

[jmaack]

mine had one iirc

 

[Karttekk]

It's always a good idea to take pictures before and during a disassembly project. Saves aggravation when going back together.