Roller Rockers in Stock

[Jim Kaekel]

I don't mean to help jump the thread off-track, but I was at one of the F.A.S.T. (Factory Appearing Street Tire) races about a year ago at US-131 Dragway. I saw a couple of the cars running 130+ MPH on basically bald red lines, which is probably a recipe for disaster. The engine's looked stock, but internally were mechanical roller with 500+ cubic inches and sky high compression ratios.

[Pat Cook]

Little info from experience with roller rockers on a FE Ford stocker, back to back with "stock" rockers verse's Harland Sharp roller rockers, on the track.........= 0, nothing...I don't maybe I needed to change the jetting and timing and collector choke size and tire pressure and piston rings and .....to take advantage of the rollers.....I dunno....

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Dean Feiock

Jeff, If this rule is for real, I doubt you will see racers installing cast or extruded aluminum body rocker arms. And at the price you mentioned, that is what they will be buying.

Quality forged aluminum body rockers and high strength stainless body rockers have price tags much higher than that.

Another overlooked item is the fact that you cannot just throw on a new set of rockers and go. Undoubtedly the ratio will be slightly different, which means complete mock up and new pushrods if you land on the wrong side of the lift figure.

I wouldn't have a problem at all running Crane "Gold" at all. That was the standard in SS for decades before shaft rockers became the standard.

[Larry Curtis]

When will NHRA release the 2012 rules revision?

[Alan Roehrich]

Probably at or after the PRI Show in Orlando in December.

[BlueOval Ralph]

They usually have the new rule books at SEMA if you are one of the blessed ones!

Originally Posted by Larry Curtis

When will NHRA release the 2012 rules revision?

[Aubrey N Bruneau]

Why are so many against this ?
There's no real performance advantage ( ok... 3 HP )
I for one, welcome this with open valve covers.
My engine will damage a stamped steel rocker on the intake side, about every 4 runs.
Last year, I put on a set of rollers, with intention of going to Edmonton ( IHRA )
Engine is absolutely trouble free since then.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by BlueOval Ralph

They usually have the new rule books at SEMA if you are one of the blessed ones!

They did not this year.

[Jim Kaekel]

I'm personally against because of the added expense to upgrade. I already spent a fair amount of money to get the stock stuff to work, and now they (NHRA) turn around and legalize roller rockers. To update my Olds, I'll have to get guide plates, screw-in studs and new hardened pushrods as well. Plus, it's just one step closer to Super Stock.

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Aubrey N Bruneau

Why are so many against this ?
There's no real performance advantage ( ok... 3 HP )
I for one, welcome this with open valve covers.
My engine will damage a stamped steel rocker on the intake side, about every 4 runs.
Last year, I put on a set of rollers, with intention of going to Edmonton ( IHRA )
Engine is absolutely trouble free since then.

Aubrey, if you're damaging a stamped rocker every 3-4 runs, you have a serious problem, and the roller rockers are merely a band aid. How many passes do you have since the roller rockers were installed?

Do you have an old Chevrolet Power Manual? If you do, go back and read the section on valvetrain for the big block Chevy, since your valvetrain is very similar. Pay particular attention to the part about roller rockers and 7/16" rocker studs with high valvespring pressures.

I think we figured up we had about 500 passes on our original rockers when we replaced them. They did not have an insert welded in them, I polished the burr off of the pierced hole over the pushrod cup. We eventually wore the rockers out, the tips, balls and ball seats were just worn out. We ran near 550# open pressure, and turned 7700 or more in the lights every pass.