First question: I have a '91 Vette L98 with the factory aluminum heads. They have guide plates, so that means the rockers are NOT self aligning, correct? If so, can I use roller rockers that say they're intended for SBCs up to '87? Iron headed engines went to SA rockers in '87, right (except the vette ones)? Who makes some not too expensive steel roller rockers? My car's driven daily so I dont' want to get aluminum ones.

Second question: Back in March, I had to replace my pushrods, I got these chromemoly ones:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=6393
I only now realized that they say "The pushrods are heat treated for use with guideplates" and that they're not 'hardened steel' which is what everyone says you need when using guide plates. I just want to make sure these are ok for my engine.

 

try enginekits.com give them a call very reasonable

 

hey thanks! they have exactly what i want on sale! http://enginekits.com/specials/specials1.html

man i wish i had 200 bones to spare at the moment, maybe they'll go on sale again when i have the cash

 

they are on sale thru Dec maybe for x-mas hah lol your welcome they have quality stuff too. I bought all my engine stuff there. all the parts for a 305 to rebuild was less than 200 dollars I rebuilt my motor for 350 including machine work.

 

pushrods are fine....and whats the prob with using aluminum roller rockers for everyday use? you wont see a problem with them. they'll last forever. i used a set of crane golds on my transam for more than a year...

look in summit or jegs..they have very reasonably priced 1.5 and 1.6 roller rockers for under 200 bucks some of them are as low as 130

 

Although I have never used them and never will. The aluminum rockers are inherantly weaker and several people on this board have used them with breakage under even normal conditions. Jegs and Summit doesnt always sell just quality items. That is my opinion though. Dont get caught up in the names of these places and sometimes you can get better deals somewhere else like enginekits.com and northern autoparts or even PAW

 

The more common aluminum rockers should be just fine for a daily driver. Just so your daily drive isn't WOT all the way! But if you want the steel ones, those look to be pretty decent.

As for the pushrods, they're fine. Steal is hardened by heat treating it. I would say that the rods you have are hard enough fo street use.

I should add this: Make sure to get a quality rocker. THe cheaper ones are prone to breakage, etc... Also, the cheaper ones are usually less accurate on the amount of lift the provide at the valve. Myself, I'll be using the GMPP 1.6 aluminum roller rockers. I got a pretty good deal on a set on Ebay.

 

If those are forged SS rockers, that's a pretty good price. Anyone who has a set of these is welcome to give us the details (please).

 

since they're self aligning, if i removed my guide plates i'd be ok to use them right?

 

You deifnately DON't want the guide plates in there if you use the self aligning rockers, so, in a word, YES.

 

back from the dead...

that page for the roller rockers that are on sale is still up so maybe they still have them for that price, i forgot to ask when i called. but in their new catalog they have some other stainless rockers for $199. there's no picture but the guy on the phone said they're forged from 4130 stainless and they haven't had any complaints about them. he said they're made by an aftermarket company called CAP. page 13: http://www.enginekits.com/catalog.pdf

think those'll be good?

 

If they're what I've been seeing everywhere else at that price, they're "CAT" brand... Cal Auto Tech. Made in China.

Beyond that, I know nothing about them, and have never used or even seen them in the flesh.

Draw your own conclusions.

 

oh, maybe it was CAT, I couldn't hear him real well. decisions, decisions...

 

if you don't want the full trunion rockers the roller tip from comp are hard to beat.

 

are you referring to the stamped roller tipped ones? are they susceptible to flex like the factory stamped ones or would there actually be an improvement?

 

very big improvement of stock

 

Comp Cams 1318-16 Comp Cams Pro Magnum Roller Rockers™, 1.6 Ratio, Roller Tip, Self Aligning, Long Slot. For 1988-up with self-aligning rockers and 3/8” stud.

$220.00 ea

Ordered 2 sets at this price.....was this a good deal?

 

where did you get them from?

that is $110 cheaper than anywhere i have seen.....

 

No your rocker arms are still self aligning. The guide plates that came on Corvettes are not true guide plates; they are not hardened and they have a wider gap then a standard guide plates. GM put them there because Corvette heads do not have guide plates built into them like the iron heads that came on Camaros with self-aligning rocker arms.

These are made for guide plates, they are fine. In fact I am buying the same ones.

 

Sorry I missed this earlier..... www.salleechevrolet.com

DM

 

I just did a search on those and the price comes up as $268.22. How did you get em for $220? That is a killer price. Care to sell me the other set?

 

You are right.....that "was" a killer price. Just checked and they are not on sale anymore. Sorry

Oh..and I'm using both sets on engines.