Roller Rockers

[militant_x]

I have stock #128 aluminum heads on my 86 z51,

To convert my current stock valvtrain to a roller rocker based valetrain....


I might need the following???

New hardened guideplates (my heads already have guideplates though, dunno if they are "hard" ).

New longer studs (if this is required, is it possible to convert to 7/16 without machine work? that is, is the whole thing 7/16, just the top, the bottom etc... would I want to?)

New chromoly pushrods, is what my friend is telling me.

New taller valve covers (how much taller, I wanted to get the chrome centerbolt proform ones).

Aside from all those things, im not even clear which type of rocker to get. I wanted to get something in the comp pro magnum series. I keep hearing about self aligning and other things etc. I dont know what I need, I dont pretend to be a mechanic. Just want a little more power and higher rpm saftey for my vette.

Look forward to hearing your comments, thanks

-chris

also, anyone have anything good to say about the accel supercoil (the one that bolts down ontop of the distributor) , it kept looking at me the other day in the store.

 

[Edmond]

Chris,

I'm no mechanic either but I think that if you're going to do the roller rockers, may as well go all the way and do the heads. While you're at the heads, may as well do the cam too! Personally, I would like to do them all together because you're not going to see too much of a benefit with just the roller rockers.

As for the Accel coil; I always thought that they were for cars that need to make power past 6,500 RPM so not that many of us really have a need for one. But that doesn't mean we don't want one. :L

 

[Moonunit 451]

Edmond has a point, and I'm no mechainic either, but there are many who say you can pick up 20 HP with the RR's. The things you have mentioned are correct, but you should probably upgrade your springs while you do this, you can eliminate the guideplates if you go with self aligning RR's, otherwise you need hardened, the factory ones are not. Push rods, yes.

You will have to determine the right length though to go with those ProMag 1.6's and you can do a direct upgrade to the 7/16" studs and rockers. Everything else is right. there are some valvecovers out there that do not need to be ground for the SR, but I'm not sure which and many need to be clearanced inside as well for the rockers. I don't think you need longer studs. :cool

Correct me if I'm wrong on something here folks Oh yea, forget about the coil.

 

[Edmond]

If that is a stock TPI unit, it's power will drop off before 5200 so an Accel coil won't do much good.

I was told that the RR are roughly 10HP or so but you wouldn't feel it in the pants. Probably better mileage, can't say for sure. I think those advertisements for power and mileage gains are conclusions based in conjunction with other modifications.