I am in the process of installing a cam, new springs, double roller timing chain, AFPR and headers, I have read on here that the stock rocker arms are not that great. The cam is a Crane Powermax(roller) 270/276 adv. duration....452"/.465"lift . I don't think I should run the aluminum style because the car is driven daily, but should I get the steel 1.5 or 1.6 to get the most out of my cam?

 

i'd run 1.6 steel rockers from comp, pn 1318 for SA 1.6

 

FINALLY! Somebody with some foresight... You must be like me, and want your work to last a while.

The Comp 1317 (1.52:1) or 1318 1.60:1) is a very good recommendation. I guess we should expect that from Ed.

 

Will those clear stock height valve covers? Also can I use my stock pushrods? In the Jegs catalog, the ones that look like they would be for my application are Comp Cams part #1417 1.52 or #1418 1.6 for $191.99, are these the right ones? It's a '90 350. Thanks for the replies.

 

The 1317/1318 are self aligning rocker arms. Unless you are using push rod guide plates or pre-1987 heads, you'll need to use the self aligning rockers. If my memory serves me correctly, the 1417/1418 are non-self aligning, which would require you to install guide plates.

I've heard of some possible clearance issues with the rocker cover support webs, but never a height issue on a stock installed height. That doesn't mean it can't happen, though. You'll have to check on your own setup.

 

i had to make a set of valve covers for them to work for me, you might have better luck with a SBC than the little engine i used

 

will non-S/A roller rockers work with pre-1987 heads if you dont use guideplates?

 

No you need one of the 2, SA or Guideplates.

This is coming from an idiot that made this mistake.

 

Do you still have the stock heads? Are they unmodified? Then you'll need the self-aligning ones.

The 13 series are roller-tip, roller-trunnion rockers. The 14 series are roller-tip, ball-fulcrum ones. Not the same thing at all. The 14 series will definitely fit under your stock VCs. The 13s might not.

IIRC the numbers are 1302 for roller non-SA, 1318 for SA rollers; and 1416 for ball-fulcrum non-SA, 1418 for ball-fulcrum SA. All 1.6 ratio.

 

Yes the heads are stock and unmodified,are the stock pushrods okay to use with the 1418's?

 

Probably, if they're in good shape. But they're so cheap, it's good insurance to replace them.

 

I'm running 1418 I think, have to check box, but they're made for self aligning post 87 heads with center colt valve covers. They're actually smaller than the stock 1.5 ones so no clearance issues.

 

yes they will. GM didn't start using SA rockers until 1986. i've used the 1416 non self-aligning on my '89 l98 heads. and i'm now using 1.6 full roller rockers on them. look at the pushrod holes in the heads. if they are rectangular and no wider than the diameter of the pushrod, or have guideplates, then you don't need self-aligning. if the holes are round, or larger than the pushrod, then you will need self aligning. i've had the roller tips on 882 heads for about 6 months, no problems. then i switched to the 083 heads on june 19th, 2002. ran with no problems up until i put the full roller rockers in september 2002. still running the roller rockers now.

http://www.fl-thirdgen.org/rockerswap.html

GM changed the design because of the corvette heads needing them. used them on all v8 engines. it is redundancy on the iron head engines. it's alled homogulation. it is cheaper to make 1 million rockers than it is to make 10,000 rockers just for the corvette. now we could get into the " well how come they didn't put the aluminum heads on all the v8 engines then?" because the corvette is the experimental platform. after seeing how aluminum heads endured over time, they eventually put them in the f-body cars. starting with the LT1 engines.

now of course you'll probably be the one person that goes and uses the same ones i do and they break parts. all because of a man named MURPHY!!!

 

RB,

Thanks for correcting my error. Not having the Comp catalog in my grubby hands, I was pulling numbers from memory. I guess I'm lucky I even got half of them right!

So (without the catalog in hand again) -15's and -17's are probably 1.52:1, and -16's and -18's are probably 1.6:1, right?

 

Vader,

Here's a copy to keep handy.

http://www.compcams.com/catalog/

I don't go home without it!!