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Tech / General EngineIs your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!
This spring I am likely going to replace my worn valve seals on my 1988 GTA with 84k mile L98 that is mostly stock minus some exhaust and minor mods and am thinking while I am doing the repair I would upgrade to roller tip rockers, new springs and new push rods. I talked to both Comp cams and Summit to see what they thought and both answers were similar. I have no plans of doing a cam or heads so far, the car is mostly a summer cruiser that will not see a track, just want a little more power. I just want to find the best combination
I can't speak from multiple examples but the rule of thumb I always was given and have read is if you're stock-ish the stamped steel is smarter from a simplicity standpoint. Otherwise go straight to fuller roller. Roller tip was just a waste of time. SO THE STORY GOES. I believe I read on the tips failing too but I don't recall offhand and do not want to shade the product for no reason. My suggestion is to search if you haven't already, and if you have then keep searching. Comp nor Summit care what's in your motor, they just want to sell you parts.
Thanks for the reply, I’ve pored over the forum quite a bit on this and couldn’t really find what I was looking for. I did learn the full roller is definitely better but I’m trying to keep the factory valve covers which it seems like if you want to do that you have to modify the baffles. I’m also not expecting this mod to yield a ton of power increase but it’s one of those while your in there type things and many ppl have said that the factory ones are not the greatest.
I won't talk you into or out of any decision, but here's my take.
Stamped steel aren't great and have a lot of friction points. But they are cheap, reliable and easy.
If you go full roller they are a bit more complicated, get narrow body ones and you can 'usually' keep your valve covers. You'd need self aligning anyway and most are narrow body. Otherwise pick up another set of valve covers and modify them. GM made millions of them.
Roller tip 'may' be more accurate than stamped but don't remove the big friction ticket. Note that Lsx rockers were roller body not roller tip. The gains probably overcome none of the costs.
Again, I'm not advocating any one in particular. Do what you see fit.
Sorry I don't have more input on the rest of your post. I don't have a lot of time in valve seal or valve spring replacement
I’m looking at only narrow body and self aligning to try to keep the covers and stay out of trouble, but also it’s not hard to get other valve covers. This is why I posted on here, those companies only want my $$ and don’t care about my engine as you mentioned. I’m no expert on this and welcome the opinion. Full roller is probly the best option, I need to check that out more.
Those Harland Sharp might be the winners so far, full roller, fit under the valve covers, and high quality. Lots of positive reviews and the long term reliability looks good too. I need to do more research and talk to them and see about getting a spring and push rod combo.
I have a set of Comp roller tip rockers in a 454. Convinced the engine gained nothing by them, and some indication that they had an adjustment malfunction that caused a cam lobe to wipe out. I dont recommend them at all.
Now just more food for thought, how much are you going to gain from full roller? Does that gain seem reasonable for your near stock engine? With stockers you'll probably never have an issue with pushrod length or geometry issues and are inexpensive or free using the originals. Think you will ever change heads, cam or have a more radical engine at any point? Then rollers can and should be transferred over, but as of now they'll really expensive and the gains aren't big at your current combination.
So again, not to say what you should or shouldn't do but is the cost worth the gain for YOU?
Those are valid points, the cost of a quality full roller will be nearly $300 or more for a minimal gain of MAYBE 5-10hp at best...I may need to reconsider and just do the seals and re-purpose that money to headers. I’ve been on the fence about going to shortys from the stock manifolds w AIR. I have the magnaflow 16450 y pipe, cat, and cat back already on the car and headers would complete it. Horsepower for $$ it’s not even a question which would yield more results.
Pretty sure I could get a set of Dyno Dons or Hookers rigged to my current Y pipe.
Spend the money elsewhere. You will get a bigger bang for your buck if you spend on gears, torque converter, exhaust, etc.
One thing no one has mentioned yet - you can't just bolt on a set of higher ratio rockers, even full roller, without elongating the pushrod double-d slots in the heads. I am assuming you have factory heads. For a rocker arm to increase it's ratio, it's geometry has to change. That is done by moving the pushrod cup toward the rocker stud. This will usually cause the pushrod to rub in the double-d guide slot, and that interference can cause all sorts of valvetrain related problems. A Louis tool is what is usually used to elongate the slots. It's either that, or you machine the heads for screw-in studs and guide plates.
I’m thinking I may save my money and go another route, maybe take the plunge on headers or higher stall was also on my radar.
If I stayed 1.5 on the rockers though I wouldn’t need to remove the head and do that correct? One of the reasons I was thinking of staying 1.5 like stock.
Yes, stay 1.5 ratio and all you will have to worry about is the correct pushrod length.
Be sure when using that checking tool that the camshaft is on the base circle (no lift).
Last edited by NoEmissions84TA; 11-23-2020 at 07:24 PM.
You do know that once you remove the valve locks (keepers) that the valve can now fall down into the cylinder?
You must provide a way to prevent this when doing this kind of work with the heads still bolted to the block.
You either have to shove rope in the cylinder through the spark plug hole, or use compressed air and an air adapter.
Lol yeah I’m not tearing the heads off for that screw up, my buddy has all the right tools for this and was going to help. With him and the FSM it shouldn’t be too bad
You do know that once you remove the valve locks (keepers) that the valve can now fall down into the cylinder? You must provide a way to prevent this when doing this kind of work with the heads still bolted to the block. You either have to shove rope in the cylinder through the spark plug hole, or use compressed air and an air adapter.
I've found the an old spark plug wire is GREAT for this purpose. Put some oil on a rag and wipe the plug wire first,.... makes it a bit easier to push it into the plug hole.
I have no plans of doing a cam or heads so far, the car is mostly a summer cruiser that will not see a track, just want a little more power. I just want to find the best combination
11-22-2020, 12:44 PM
