I'm planning on swapping my L03 swirl port heads out with 3 angle ported and polished 081 heads. Will the original push rods and rocker arms work? I plan to replace the stock rockers with roller rockers, but to get started, just want to know if I can reuse the stock parts.

Also, I've seen some posts about cutting the valve guides down when using a large cam with 081 heads. Can anyone explain if and why this is needed?

 

You should be able to reuse stock parts in stock for stock swap, thing is I'd mock up at least one rocker with an adjustable pushrod, especially snce you're using aftermarket rockers....another thing to keep in mind, the heads may have been milled..so adding it all up, you *might* need a different size pushrod. If you're planning on 1.6RR's, then you need to also look for PR clearance in the holes.

Bosses need to be cut down when they impede full valve lift...i/e when the retained smack the boss (or seal if so equipped) on them.

Most want at least .050 clearance from reatainer to contact (boss or seal)

 

Everything will swap over. Even if the heads were milled it often doesn't justify different push rods.

 

The shop I'm getting the heads from has the option to cut the heads for guide plates. Is that a good idea or is there a down side to this?

 

If you run guide plates, then you have to run harden push rods. You also have to run non-self aligning rockers. Some cams require harden push rods.

I suggest you get the valve guides and spring seats cut for more lift and larger springs before you install them. That way you can run bigger springs and wont run into trouble with a larger lift cam.

 

Valve guids and seats will be cut for .510" lift springs, so that give me plenty of room for a bigger cam. I plan to go with valve guides and use non self aligning rockers. With this setup on 081 heads, can any non self aligning rockers be used, or do they need to be specifically for centerbolt valve covers?

 

Are larger valves already in them? Might want to consider cost...not really effective to pay a machine shop to pull the pressed in stud, tap'em for screwin studs (which you need for the guides and non-SA rockers, and open up the PR slots...also, if the heads aren't setup for larger valves...just adds more $$ into the equation.

Anyway, price it out before you begin...hate to see you have 600 bucks into an inferior head when another 100/200 get's you way much more in bolt on performance.