Hi guys.

I have done some research on this topic but i am still little bit confused.

Did my car came equipped (at factory) with

- Self alligning rockers and NO guide plates or
- Non Self alligning rockers AND guide plates.
- SA rockers and guide plates

Does anybody know for sure.

I am looking at getting some rollers soon so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Well first off, you can't run self aligning rockers and guidplates, it'll eat up the pushrods pretty quick. That leaves only two, SA rockers w/o guideplates and non-SA rockers w/ guideplates. In order to run guidplates you have to have screw in studs. Heads with pressed in studs require the use of guided rockers (w/o guidplates). Unfortunately stock heads don't generally get the luxury of screw in studs since that would cost more to manufacture and is unecessary in stock setups. This leads me to believe that the heads are using pressed in studs and therefore require the use of guided rockers. Unless of course the heads have been modified and screw in studs have been installed.

 

you should have SA rocker. you can tell by looking at the tip of the rocker where it contacts the valve, SA rockers have two little ears where a nonSA rocker will be smooth across the contact area.

 

Right...

You should have self-aligning "rail-tip" rockers. No guide plates.

The original rocker guide method in SBC motors, used from 55 to 86, was the slot in the head where the push rod passes through being made to fit the push rod tightly. This kept it in line. Guide plates are an add-on to the SBC but are stock in some other motors (such as BBC).

You must have one and only one guide system in effect at a time. For a street stock motor, all 3 are equally effective. If your heads are set up with the narrow slots, you must not use SA rockers; if your heads have big holes (which yours will) and no provision for guide plates you must use SA rockers.