ok ive searched high and low with no absolute answer. heres what i want to do and i need to know what i will need. i am going to run the 1.6 roller rockers on my 3.1 heads and eventually get the 2030 cam. what springs retainers and locks will i need to setup my 3.1 heads?(with part numbers if you have it) all i keep finding is info in the 3.4 heads which i know are different than my 3.1 heads. i have never done any headwork before so this will be pretty much new to me. just tell me what all is involved and what will i need to get it done right.

also if someone knows how to set the rockers( i dont know if they require valve lash to be set or not).

 

springs, try and find vsixtoy, he is great with that stuff. He referenced me to get crane parts which are listed on my website.

As for rocker adjustment, search my name. I posted a LONG typing strait from gms manual, plus my findings after setting them on about 6 engines now.

:edit:, mine are good up to .50 I belive, might be .550

 

One of my friends is a GM mechanic. After searching the board and not finding enough for me to be 100% sure... I asked him. He sent me an email:
___
Valve lash adjustment per Mitchell On-Demand is as follows:

1. Rotate crankshaft to #1 firing position and adjust intake valves on #1,
#5, and #6, and exhaust valves on #1, #2, and #3.

2. Adjust valves by backing off adjusting nut until lash is felt at push
rod, then tighten until all lash is removed. Tighten adjusting nut an
additional 1.5 turns.

3. Rotate crankshaft to #4 firing position and adjust intake valves on #2,
#3, and #4, then exhaust valves on #4, #5, and #6.


In the past I've had these 60* V6s make a lot of valvetrain noise at first
after the initial start-up. I found that if you get it up to temp, then shut
it down and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. After that 15 minutes, they'll
usually quiet down when you restart it. I don't know why that is, but it
usually works.


__

Last time I set the valve lash on my 3.4 I did 3/4 turn. It was wrong on my motor at least... new 2030 cam and lifters, used springs and rockers. I redid the valve lash according to what he emailed me and drove it... they are almost dead quiet now. It's nice. Of course there is that whole argument of what 0 lash is *shrug* I did mine to where there was no up/down movement.


-Bud

 

i know exactly what you mean i have set a couple 350's and they were that way. i appreciate the help man.

 

Heck .. I didnt notice you were from Pensacola too... guy works at the chevy dealer on new warrington/navy blvd. Bunch of Fbody guys hang out @Bk on 9mi road. You should go. I haven't bee in forever though... www.gcfba.org local fbody club. 'gulf coast muscle' is another nice group of local guys [/spam]

 

cool ill check it out right now.

 

Heck Matt! I'd say go with the combo I used...but it was a bit bumpy. The MTC-5 cam that Doward uses (along with Melling springs, which he has part number for), with some 1.6 rockers would be cost effective and a good setup. Doward pulls pretty good times on just motor, I don't think he has the 1.6 rockers either.

 

yeah but you have the 3.4 heads right? i need to know what the exact setup is for the 3.1 heads. maybe i shouldnt even worry about it until i get the 3.4 swap setup. will my 1.6 rockers be fine with my stock springs?

 

Have to ask Vsixtoy and doward about that one.

 

hey doward! where are you? i need your help. you too vsixtoy!!

 

Nope, need to change them.

You want a decent combo that will work without any machine work? the one that Fbod did is decent and will pull a mild cam upgrade and rockers- check his recent post on this.

I plan to go alot more radical because I plan to twist 8000 rpms when finished. My intended combo requires machine work and lightness.

 

i would do what fbod did but arent out heads different? he has 3.4 i have 3.1.

 

Doward confirmed on the other post that the installed hieght of the springs on both the 2.8/3.1 and the 3.4 heads are the same. I am trusting his knowledge on that when I recommended the combo for Fbod. the combo was definately confirmed to work with the 2.8/3.1 heads because I do know for certain that their installed height stock is 1.614".

The combo I intend to use is Crane dual springs (crn-99838) with a rate of 438lbs. They need to be machined onto fit the head -larger pockets needed (1.465, stock is 1.265??? off the top of my head). They are to be installed at 1.688" but I plan to set them right at 1.664 to slightly raise the seat pressure for higher rpms.

Cam lift with 1.6 rockers (Gold Alumiunium-lightweight)will reach .512" on the exhaust side. I'll still have .202" before coil bind.

Retainers will be Compcam titanium CCA-730 (10* retainers)

Locks will be Compcam 10* superlocks (10* with +0.50 install height and no recessed lash caps)

Pushrods (unless I can find someone to make me some carbonfiber ones) will be CRN-25621-12 6.163" 5/16"dia with oil holes.

 

The cheapest way I know to get .525'' lift with out machining is Kmotion K-700 springs and +.050'' locks, with a stock inst. hight retainer. The K-700 spring and +.050'' crane locks are good for more than that but you will hit the valve guide seal with the retainer before you can bind the spring (1.05'').
So vsixtoy, the stock push rod is 6.163 or is that for your set up?
On my heads the stock installed hight was 1.625''.
With a crane +.050'' locks and a K-700 it will take .525'' but at that point valve guideseal is about to get in the way.

 

The 2.8, 3.1 and 3.4 heads are identical. I have a 3.4 in my Camaro now and I have the heads from my 2.8 in the basement they are the same in all aspects.

 

Yep, correct... the 2.8/3.1/3.4 heads are the same.

I'm running the MTC-5 cam (from Autozone, same specs as the CompuCam 2030, for $115 including the lifters) with Melling VS380 springs (got them from Northern Auto Parts - like $16 for all 12 of them) running an installed height of 1.72"

Pulls real nice through 2000-5000 rpm. Pulls DAMN nice with the turbo.

I believe stock springs are 1.255", Dean...

Btw, I do plan on running Pro Magnum 1.6 roller rockers on this, but I will double check for coil bind. I believe the VS-380 springs are good for .495" total lift.... so yes, the Crane springs will give you more room for more cam - but hey, $16 vs $90? And even with 1.6 rockers, I'm only looking @ .474" lift... but I will double check the coil bind.

 

That pushrod length is slightly shorter than stock- they are intended for use with the 1.6 rockers. If you use the stock length pushrods with 1.6 rockers you will have the tip of the rocker rolling halfway off the end of the valvestem at full lift. The geometry has to be corrected with a shorter pushrod for reliablity(the stock will work, but will make noise and wear out quicker.)

Reason why I intend to do +.050 locks with those spring (even though I will have the head pockets machined wider, but not deeper) is because I want as much travel distance I can get before any contact with the seals. I intend to order all of my parts first (when ready- this is a little ways away) and then contact Tom again at Supersix and send my parts to him and pay him alittle extra to install everything for me onto some of his ported heads (h'ell also put in a 1.8" intake seat and valve for me for an additional $200). I also intend on using the Viton seals.

 

Didnt know this. I guess thats my ticking sound I've been trying to make disappear.

so 5/16 rods, 6.163 long with hole in middle. Time to search

 

So I now know that the 3.1 heads are the same. Are they all Iron? people keep telling me to upgrade to the 3X00 series FWD heads, but I'm not sure about the distributorless ignition. Seems like a migraine waiting to happen. Can a swap be done to aluminum heads w/o a distributorless ignition?