Roller rockers under standard valve covers

[wart1de]

Are there any good brands of roller rocker that will fit under the original stamped valve covers?

Alternatively, does anybody know of any valve covers that are available that look original but are tall enough to clear the rockers (if they don't fit original covers)?

I am hoping to build a 500hp small block that looks as standard/original as possible. I guess the last question would be, how well would non roller rockers work in a engine with the lift, spring rates etc required for that amount of power?

[Aussie Challenger]

    

[femtnmax]

I am running Comp cams pro-magnum full roller rockers (1.6 ratio) under OEM stamped steel valve covers.  I measured the height of the rocker arm/stud assy (360 magnum heads).   I then raised the oil splash baffle inside the valve cover to clear the rocker arms with room to spare.   I ground off the two spot welds on one side of the baffle, raised the baffle and tack welded.  From the outside you can't tell at all.

Many have said the oem stamped rockers are not true 1.5 ratio, usually much less.  I wanted all the valve lift possible ( you do too for 500 HP), especially since the small blocks have the 59? degree lifter angle which means loosing valve lift.

[Aussie Challenger]

Nobody would know, because of what you had to do for the steel covers then the alloy rocker covers would foul? Has anybody measured inside an alloy to see if there is the same height or less than a steel? The reason is that I have bought MP Alloy rocker covers and now want to run roller rockers possibly at 1.6:1 also but have been now told that they won't fit. I don't have any parts available at the moment due to being in storage.

[wart1de]

I am running Comp cams pro-magnum full roller rockers (1.6 ratio) under OEM stamped steel valve covers.  I measured the height of the rocker arm/stud assy (360 magnum heads).   I then raised the oil splash baffle inside the valve cover to clear the rocker arms with room to spare.   I ground off the two spot welds on one side of the baffle, raised the baffle and tack welded.  From the outside you can't tell at all.

Many have said the oem stamped rockers are not true 1.5 ratio, usually much less.  I wanted all the valve lift possible ( you do too for 500 HP), especially since the small blocks have the 59? degree lifter angle which means loosing valve lift.

Great info and pics. Thanks!

[the_engineers]

Femtnmax - how did you make the 5-bolt valve covers fit the Magnum heads?  Does it leak?  I really like the idea of this!

Aussie - I'm running the Crane 1.6 Gold rockers under the cast MP covers.  No issues with clearance...

[femtnmax]

Femtnmax - how did you make the 5-bolt valve covers fit the Magnum heads?  Does it leak?  I really like the idea of this!

The magnum heads have 10 valve cover bolt holes, but 5 of them are identical location to early LA valve covers.  Very nice engineering IMO.
The raised boss on the Edel cylinder heads that the valve cover gaskets seal to is lacking in height IMO.  The rolled rim (outside the gasket) on the valve covers contacts the head outside the raised boss in a couple locations.
If I would have spotted this earlier I could have used a carbide cutter to remove head material outside of the raise boss.  Instead I cut down the height of the rolled rim...lost some of the stiffness but the valve cover gaskets are contacting all the way around.  No leaks thus far.

If rocker arm valve cover clearance was not going to work out, I also considered installing a magnum valve cover gasket to the cylinder head using the 5 'magnum specific' valve cover bolt holes and countersunk fasteners tightened a little below flush with the gaskets.  Then with a second "LA" gasket glued to the valve cover, attach valve cover to the head with the 5 "LA" bolt locations using longer bolts.

[Aussie Challenger]

Aussie - I'm running the Crane 1.6 Gold rockers under the cast MP covers.  No issues with clearance...

Thanks for that, there are that many can & cannot do stories out there it is hard to find out what will and won't fit, many haven't tried but don't publish their results and you have actually done it.   

[the_engineers]

Probably should mention that I'm running the Edelbrock 340 heads.  Not sure if they're different in valve cover rail height.

[Chryco Psycho]

I have been using the PRW stainless rockers under stock covers , the Comp stainless also work but are not availble in any other ratio than 1.5

[wart1de]

I have been using the PRW stainless rockers under stock covers , the Comp stainless also work but are not availble in any other ratio than 1.5

Thanks for the info Chryco!