I'm running an engine built by a local shop. Noticed a lot of noise in the valve cover area. Pulled it off and found the noise. a couple of my rocker arms rotated sideways and were knocking on the valve cover. See picture. I don't see any guide plates for the pushrods and seen them talked about in other posts. Also seen that they aren't a requirement for my flat tappet lifters. Question is.. Do i just need to install guide plates? Or is there something else that would cause this?

 

It's the heads which dictate if guideplates or self-aligning rockers are required or not, the lifters don't have anything to do with it. If the heads have a narrow slot for the pushrod, then they'll handle the alignment. Otherwise, you'll need SA rockers, or guideplates.

Pull your valvecover and check your valvetrain for bent or broken pushrods, or improperly-set lifter preload.

 

Yeah, been looking at the SA rockers. Since I still have the pressed in studs, I'm guessing that would be the easiest way to go. I can see where the pushrod was wearing into the head, so i have checking to do. Still have to pull off the drivers side valve cover. Thanks for the info.

 

Older heads have slots in them for the pushrods to go through that act like guide plates. Newer heads have large openings for the pushrods to pass through and require SA rockers. With nothing to hold the pushrod in place, the rocker can easily rotate out of position. A SA rocker has an indent on the rocker tip that centers itself over the valve tip and won't allow the rocker to rotate off the tip.