Full rollers actually fit!!

damoroso

damoroso

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2008
Messages
409
Location
Middleburg, FL
So...as a few guys know, I finally got my car painted and back on the road. I was trying to make the Turkey Run in Daytona this year and well...nope. Turns out after getting it back from paint and put back together, I took it to get some gas in it, and the rear end felt loose. Got it home put it up and the poly TA bushings had crumbled...WTF? So, replaced them (with rubber this time) and then had to get it aligned. Finally got the car aligned on that Wednesday before Thanksgiving and on the way home decided to "exercise" it a bit. Ran up to 6000, shifted to 2nd, hit about 5500, shifted to 3rd, hit about 4000, shifted and let it idle back down and cruised on after that. A couple miles later, I heard a ticking sound...thought it might have been a header gasket, but it got worse and louder till it sounded link and air compressor. Made the turn on to my street and the car stalled. Started right up, and the sound was gone, wasn't running too bad but not right. Got it into the garage and parked it. Thanksgiving morning I pulled the valve covers. Drivers side nice and clean, no problems....passenger side..well...

Here's what I found:

busted.jpg

BrokenRocker.jpg

Brokenpushrod.jpg

Number two exhaust rocker split, number two intake pushrod did an S curve and broke.

Looking at this as an opportunity to improve, I thought maybe this is a good time to go roller. After trying COMP cams magnum roller tipped rockers (they didn't work, but that's another story....) I ended up with these:

LunatiRocker.jpg

Gotta tell ya, these are nice pieces. Rebuildable too. I was concerned that they wouldn't fit under my valve covers, but they do...just. I've got about 1/8 inch clearance between the exhaust on 1 and 8 and the end of the valve covers (you can see what I'm running in the background of the rocker pic). So, full rollers with poly locks will fit under cast aluminum valve covers!! I'm sure it's just my imagination, but he engine sure seems happy, happy, happy!!
 
I put comp cams stainless roller rockers on my 502 BBC this summer.... feels much freer revving... i put spacers under the valve covers cause the keepers were to tall..

did you do a compression check on the motor?
 
84rzv500r said:
I put comp cams stainless roller rockers on my 502 BBC this summer.... feels much freer revving... i put spacers under the valve covers cause the keepers were to tall..

did you do a compression check on the motor?
Click to expand...

I didn't do a compression check (probably should have though), it seems everything is running really well and smooth. I'm only running 10.5:1 and the lift is under .600 (it's been a long time, but I seem to remember .544?) so things aren't that close. I noticed the same think, then engine feels much freer revving. Probably just my imagination though!
 
MYBAD79 said:
I've been looking at these for a while.... this thread makes me want to place the order ....LOL

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-1605-16/overview/make/chevrolet

these are chrome moly steel rocker arms, full roller.... 1.6 ratio .....

not cheap though..... $313 .... but I guess life is too short to drink cheap beer....
Click to expand...

I looked at those, but found the oil hole is drilled straight down to the push rod vs. at an angle towards the rocker stud like the factory arms are. Not a big deal unless you're running a high volume or high pressure pump. If you are, the oil will shoot right over the stud and you won't get oil where you need it. I tried the Comp Cams Magnum roller tipped rockers first, but the oil was pumping right over them. I couldn't find any oil deflectors that would fit so I went the Lunati route. Definitely not cheap beer, but not stupid expensive either!
 
In the new GM engines designed for NASCAR, the entire cylinder head springs and rocker arms are apparently submerged in oil. The purpose is to cool the valve springs. These engines can turn 10,000 rpm and are typically operated at ~9000 rpm. I saw the price of these engines...but I've forgot it ...they are was really expensive. What I do remember was the lifetime..the engines are rated for 750 miles!

Well maybe you spend a lot of money on the engine, but you don't have to change the oil over the engine lifetime!
 
MYBAD79 said:
A tall nut like the poly locks might be as good as a oil deflector ????
Click to expand...

They weren't in this case, but there are oil deflectors that are available for small blocks that can fix the problem. Those aren't available for big blocks that I was able to find.
 
damoroso said:
MYBAD79 said:
A tall nut like the poly locks might be as good as a oil deflector ????
Click to expand...

They weren't in this case, but there are oil deflectors that are available for small blocks that can fix the problem. Those aren't available for big blocks that I was able to find.
Click to expand...

I have a HV pump and when I get these 1.6 ratio magnum rockers I'll likely get the poly locks too.... will that oil deflector fit with poly locks or only stock nuts ???

I'm sure it won't be tooo difficult to design a oil deflector that fits a BB..... even if you have to drill the valve cover and bolt the deflector to it.... the bolt heads on the valve cover will raise a few eyebrows..... lol
 
MYBAD79 said:
I'm sure it won't be tooo difficult to design a oil deflector that fits a BB..... even if you have to drill the valve cover and bolt the deflector to it.... the bolt heads on the valve cover will raise a few eyebrows..... lol
Click to expand...

:beer::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
 
MYBAD79 said:
damoroso said:
MYBAD79 said:
A tall nut like the poly locks might be as good as a oil deflector ????
Click to expand...

They weren't in this case, but there are oil deflectors that are available for small blocks that can fix the problem. Those aren't available for big blocks that I was able to find.
Click to expand...

I have a HV pump and when I get these 1.6 ratio magnum rockers I'll likely get the poly locks too.... will that oil deflector fit with poly locks or only stock nuts ???

I'm sure it won't be tooo difficult to design a oil deflector that fits a BB..... even if you have to drill the valve cover and bolt the deflector to it.... the bolt heads on the valve cover will raise a few eyebrows..... lol
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't going to drill my valve covers. They're finned cast aluminium with a black wrinkle finish. What I could have done is weld some rods in two rows, one for the exhaust and one for the intake valves, to create a kind of drip rail, but the guys I took them to for the welding (I don't have a tig at the house) were concerned about welding the cast "pot" aluminum material. I took that to mean they didn't want to do the work, and I was getting tired of dicking with it, so I looked for another solution. As for the SB, I think the oil deflectors will work with the poly locks.
 
damoroso said:
MYBAD79 said:
damoroso said:
MYBAD79 said:
A tall nut like the poly locks might be as good as a oil deflector ????
Click to expand...

They weren't in this case, but there are oil deflectors that are available for small blocks that can fix the problem. Those aren't available for big blocks that I was able to find.
Click to expand...

I have a HV pump and when I get these 1.6 ratio magnum rockers I'll likely get the poly locks too.... will that oil deflector fit with poly locks or only stock nuts ???

I'm sure it won't be tooo difficult to design a oil deflector that fits a BB..... even if you have to drill the valve cover and bolt the deflector to it.... the bolt heads on the valve cover will raise a few eyebrows..... lol
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't going to drill my valve covers. They're finned cast aluminium with a black wrinkle finish. What I could have done is weld some rods in two rows, one for the exhaust and one for the intake valves, to create a kind of drip rail, but the guys I took them to for the welding (I don't have a tig at the house) were concerned about welding the cast "pot" aluminum material. I took that to mean they didn't want to do the work, and I was getting tired of dicking with it, so I looked for another solution. As for the SB, I think the oil deflectors will work with the poly locks.
Click to expand...

Dave, you maybe went by my welder buddy's house once, can't remember if it was you or who....but at any rate, Johnny knows welding better than anyone, it's his JOB on major job sites....and he was very paranoid about welding on my LT1 induction to make it fit on my L98 engine.....but he did perfect work, the thing fit/work for years now.....only one in the nation....BET on that....You seen it....

NOW, it's tough to say if it's POT metal or actual CAST Aluminum....HE can tell in a nanosecond.....by striking an ARC, not me....

methinks if you come up with a plot, he can carry it out.....

:harhar::drink:
 
For oil drippers, how about trying some JB Weld type of epoxy and make little cones? Perhaps take a large diameter drill bit or a ball die grinder and make shallow dimples in the cover to increase the contact area, rough it up or some little peens with a center punch to increase the grip, put a dab of epoxy on it and shape it into a cone?

I'm running a set of old genuine Mickey Thompson finned aluminum black wrinkle rocker boxes and needed oil baffles in them for the PCV valve & filler cap. I took them to the very reputable machine shop who set up my engine. He didn't want to weld on them, so he made a set of steel baffle plates that press fit and then gave me tube of the epoxy they use to patch holes & such in them. Non-degrading in hi temps, oil, etc. I secured the baffles with it and after over two years, it still looks like new.
 
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