604

Any one happen to know of a brand (if any) of roller rocker arms that will fit under the stock SBC valve covers?? I would really like to go to roller rockers on my project engine, but I really want to keep the stock valve covers. Thanks for any input!!

jb78L-82

I have had comp cams 1.5 roller rockers on my L-82 since the early 90's but they are roller tipped steel rockers, not the roller bearing pivot ones, under the aluminum L-82 valve covers.

Ironcross

there's a good possibility that if you double gasket a thick pair of Felpros you could get away with that setup....but you really dont need the aggravation as they are not worth the cost because for almost nothing gained from their use ... there not worth the trouble....and they can be trouble.....

straub18045

i use harland sharp 1.6 ratio, but with stock gm center bolt valve covers, some 'modification' was done for clearancing but all works perfecto

604

Cool!
They should fit under my perimeter bolt valve covers then. As they are taller than the center bolt ones.
Thanks!

Avette4me

They're really not much trouble.

1.5's



Low valve covers.

604

I agree that they are not any trouble. Just was not sure if they would fit or not.

I have had 3 low 12sec Mustangs, and one low 11's Charger. I had roller rockers in all 4 and never had a problem.

jb78L-82

For whatever it is worth, corvette fever did an article years ago about switching rockers on an early C4 (an 85 or 86) from stcok stamped steel rockers to 1.5 roller tipped comp cams rockers, changing nothing else, and the HP gain was 20 HP. Just telling you waht the article said so please no flames. I also saw the same results in one of the Hot Rod magazines on a GM V6 (late 90's) with roller tipped rockers (no other change), not the real roller rockers, about 10 years ago with a 10-12HP gain. Is that realistic, I don't know but on the other hand, I doubt that you would see no gain!

c69vete

Just in case you end up needing a little more room, these 1/4 in thick spacers when used with standard 3/16 in valve cover gaskets will gain you 7/16 in total inside additional clearance and keep all stock components.

604

Good to know! Thanks!

lars

The problem is often not the roller rockers themselves, but the height of the poly-lock adjusting nuts. Seen here, you can see how tall the complete rocker/nut assembly sticks up:


I wanted to use the stock valve covers, so I used a pair of Stef’s Valve Cover Spacers under the stock valve covers to get me plenty of space for the valvetrain:


Lars

Solid LT1

I figured out how much thread I needed for the poly locks, then cut down the polylock nuts in a lathe. I also ground the set screws flat in a valve surfacing machine using the stem tip grinder, having flat ground lock nuts makes for a more secure poly lock. Doing this method, I gained about 3/8" of clearance and it allowed me to put them under a set of LT-1 valve covers (you might also notice that I machined the valve cover gasket mating surfaces flat in a mill so my gaskets no longer split and fail, this lost about 1/8" of heigth.) It's quite a bit of work if your paying someone for their time, but, in my case my time isn't worth anything

TopGunn

That's pretty interesting. I'd love to get rid of the tall covers I have, they create problems with the A/C compressor having to lengthen the slot in the adjusting bracket to get it away from the taller cover. That in turn brings it extremely close to the hood, now I need a longer belt, etc, etc. I might try that this winter, thanks for the idea.

For what it's worth I have Comps 1.5 rollers and I don't especially like them, they're noisy.

speedreed8

crower makes a short style of their rocker arm adjusting nuts for extra clearance.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRO-86051S-16/