ToniH

What is the max height of valve cover that fits on a 454 BBC without interfering with the wiper door vacuum actuator? Ie. measurement from head gasket surface to the actuator?

Details: big block, original iron heads, roller rockers, no power brakes.

Cannot get the measurement myself right now so any advice is appreciated.

forman

i dont think it goes anywhere near the actuator its the power brake booster you have to worry about and you dont have one

OldCarBum

If you have factory a/c there could be an issue on the passenger side as well.
I know on my 73 BB there in no room for tall valve covers with my a/c unit hanging at the firewall.

Mooser

From a 72





Resting on a rule about 1/16 thick, camera held as close to parallel as I can, roughly 3-5/8 ~ 3-3/4 is what mine looks like
M

ToniH

Thanks guys. Mine is low option so no power brakes, no AC. But the actuator is on top of the valve cover, in 70-71 its the fat one.

Don't have a good photo but this one shows the position from top:



Thanks for the measurement! Well, in that case the fabricated covers I was considering might be too tall. They have 3.30" inside height so the outside dimensions are even more + a gasket.

There are several vendors selling aluminum covers with smooth look like the steel ones (which rusted) I currently have, they list height (outside?) at 2 3/4" to 2 7/8", maybe with Fel Pro rubber gasket they would clear the Crane roller rockers? I guess my steel covers are short too as there is ~1" space between the cover and the actuator?

BTW. Summit doesn't list valve cover height as numbers so its difficult to compare them. With short covers they only say: "stock". How tall (approx.) is a "stock" short valve cover?

bfit

Mine are cast alloy . In my case I had to move the wiper door actuator up 1/4’’ to get clearance to the valve cover.
Bfit

terrys6t8roadster

I've seen BBC tall fabricated valve covers modified to fit on a power brake 68. No mod needed on passenger side with that huge coffee can wiper actuator. T

ToniH

In pictures the 68 coffee can looks much smaller in diameter than the 70-71 ufo-shaped can. But, I've never compared them IRL so... dunno

Of course I could get the passenger side cover modded if problems arise - and if I find a good TIG-welder locally. Funny thing is that the weld-mod would not ruin the fabricated look at all them being welded to start with

Random net-photo of such cover (but short kind):

terrys6t8roadster

Here is a late 68 BBC with fabricated tall valve covers. T

Sigforty

If you want something more stock looking cfr performance makes these. http://www.cfrperformance.com/CHEVY_...z-9504t-po.htm

I bought a set based on recommendations from this forum.

OldCarBum

The speed/machine shop helping me and doing the machine work on my motor has built several motors over the years for guys with big block corvettes who want complete OEM appearance but stroking their motors and running roller cam's and rockers using the OEM valve covers.
They are installing Crower stainless steel rockers which clear the OEM covers and modifying the locking nut by milling it a few thousandths for clearance and then installing a thick or double cover gasket.
The only modification to the valve cover is they mill off a portion of the oil drip rails where they may interfere.
On my 73 BB I was worried about power brake clearance and a/c clearance so I purchased a set of Chrome Specialities aluminum low plain valve covers which are baffled and have no drip rails which should fit perfect over my Crower roller rockers.
They look OEM but are slightly taller and polished.
Last year I was looking for a set of Ansen Classic valve covers which are taller than stock but are not as tall as most tall covers after I ran a thread much like this one where several members had installed them on their BB cars with power brakes and a/c.
I contacted Ansen in Torrance California and they had not manufactured them in years.
I recently heard they were manufacturing them for a short run and I just ordered a set and they are getting shipped to me this week.

ToniH

Thanks.

I do not want steel covers anymore. Car stood one rainy year outside and I am now replacing most chrome parts due rust issues and have to clean and protect lots of other steel stuff. Only aluminum and stainless for me from now on. Need to figure out how to protect aluminum in hot places from oxidation though.

I didn't find a webstore selling Ansen covers so I sent an email to them. Lets see if their international shipping is reasonable.

EDIT: just received a reply from Ansen (1.5hrs from my email and its saturday!), their shipping seems ok. My first choice is not in stock but the second one is. More expensive valve covers than most but I hope that means quality (?). I'll sleep over it and see what I feel tomorrow.

Oh, BTW - my alternator is reaaaally close to the steel valve cover. What is the chance there will be a problem with an aluminum valve cover, which I suspect are thicker material? And 10SI and 12SI have the same dimensions?

CanadaGrant

I was out in the garage so thought I would do some measuring on the stock big block covers on my 69 which are the same as yours only chrome. It has the same pie plate type wiper door actuator as yours. There is exactly 1.5 inches of clearance from the closest point on the actuator to the valve cover. The valve cover at it's highest point (the lower part) is 2.5 inches high and that would be with the gasket as it sits inside the outside lip on the cover. The problem you might watch for is that if you don't have enough room to lift the cover up to clear the rockers when removing you would have to unbolt the actuator for clearance. No big deal there. The rear of the alternator sits only about an eighth of an inch in front of the left side valve cover even in the stock config.

CanadaGrant

Below is a pic of alternator/valve cover clearance. Not much...

ddawson

I know you don't want chrome but you could have them Powder coated.

These are the CFR Performance covers and they clear my roller rockers and alternator.

OldCarBum

Ansen has been manufacturing wheel and other performance products for decades.
Nothing is built in China and their products are top quality.
Yes they are pricey, but I believe worth the extra cost.

ToniH

Yeah, mine is the same.

Hmmm...yes, that would be a solution to the rusting issue. Didn't think of that.

Thanks, good to know. Being in Europe I have to deal with overseas shipping, customs and import tax also so they will end up to about $400 which is quite a sum for valve covers.

ToniH

I just remembered that I bought these back in 2009 but I could straight away see that they will not fit because of the alternator. Maybe I need to take a second look if its possible to clearance the cover enough to make space for the alt.

Didn't even look if they would fit the passenger side back then.

Mooser

That clearance to the alt borders on comical

Depending on how deep you want to get, a cs130 alt has a smaller diameter body and you can get them with the same bolt spacing as a 10si

Still doesn't help you on the passenger size...

M

ajrothm

I have the CFR stock appearing valve covers that are 3/4" taller then stock, and I still have at least 1" - 1 1/4" clearance between the cover and the wiper door actuator on a 71'.



You could always buy the powder coated orange ones to prevent rusting.


If you think you have problems now with rust, wait til you put aluminum on it.....That stuff will be covered in white corrosion in a month. Stainless is probably your only hope for no maintenance rust prevention, and I bet even that will cloud up.