I really want to make sure im doing this right, do i unscrew the studs and put the guideplates under the studs? or do they just sit on top? I sorta assume below, but i really dont want to assume anything.

 

guideplates go under the studs. Have the heads been machined for the guideplates?

 

Defintely under. What's your engine? Some had 'em and some didn't. If your's didn't have 'em, what are your reasons for wanting them?

 

Its a 383, running a little up 450 horse, thought they would help my valvetrain stay in a line a bit better, i dont know if the heads are machined for them, they are 62 cc aluminum fastburns from gm perf. parts

 

Im not too sure how to tell if the heads will accept guideplates or not. I had l46 heads redone at a machine shop and the heads had pressed in studs that were badly chewed up. They recommended screw in studs with guideplates. They had to machine the head to accept the guideplates. Im not sure if all heads that came factory with screw in stud will take guideplates. Here is a pic of my heads. Maybe the pic will help. Notice the circled area, I guess that had to be milled flat, not sure if it was like that before or not.

 

Don't forget to torque the screw in studs to about 60 ft lbs

With guidplates you need to use hardened push rods...not hardened ends but hardened ene to end! The guiode plates will chew up regular pushrods

 

Do those heads have the new style self-guided rocker arms? If so, do not use guide plates. Joe

 

Im using crane roller rocker arms, should i use them in that instance or not?

 

Depends, do the sides of the rockers hang below the rollers? If not, you probably need guide plates and hardened pushrods to protect the aluminum. Joe

 

If you have self aligning rockers you do not need guideplates, if you do not have quideplates you need to run self aligning rockers and hardened pushrods.

 

Well looks like i need to put some guideplates under there and get a new set of hardened pushrods..thanks

 

I thought that all aluminum heads used guideplates there biily boy. Only iron heads with guide slots cast right into the head don't. And guideplates are used on iron heads anytime screw-in studs are used. Those pushrods would remove most aluminum in contact with the steel leaning on it going up nad down. The corvette alum heads used a wider guide plate slot and allowed the self-aligning rocker to control the pushrods location. And yes the plates go under the stud.
With your Crane rockers go with the normal tight guide plates and hardend/chrome-moly p-rods. You can easily verify a tight slot by trying to slip in the new pushrods - they should barely/tightly fit. If too tight just take an old pushrod and force it side to side enough for a tight but smooth fit with new p-rod. If too loose you got the wrong plates billy boy.
Something you will need to check here is very important - correct pushrod length. Any time you change heads, cam or deck block this needs to be done. But very easy to do. Just get a cheap plastic pushrod length checker from MOROSO or ProForm (from Summit about $10) and follow the instructions. You can get the custom length rods from Summit too for under $100. If you don't, get ready for ruined valve guides and stuck valves.
Hope this helps. cardo0