Roller Rockers-Self Aligning or Not?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 275
Likes: 14
From: Gahanna, Ohio
Roller Rockers-Self Aligning or Not?
I have a very stock 89 automatic that will be a mild street driven car. As you know the alum heads have what looks like guides but I hear they are not. From what I read in other threads everyone says these L98's need self aligning rockers. What would happen if you just ran regular rollers, would they easily come off the stem? It may be a dumb question, but I am just curious if anyone has run non aligning without issues.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Well yes you need something to guide the p-rods whether guideplates or the head p-rod slots. Self-aligning rockers should hold the rocker on valve tip but ya know I never see the SA rockers w/o the dummy guide plates or using head slots in the iron heads. Not here to argue what the phone guide plates do with SA rockers but they are there.
Most enthusiasts install real guide plates with hardened p-rods and use standard non-selfaligning rocker arms.
What I'm saying is don't run standard non-selfaligning rocker arms w/o guide plates.
Most enthusiasts install real guide plates with hardened p-rods and use standard non-selfaligning rocker arms.
What I'm saying is don't run standard non-selfaligning rocker arms w/o guide plates.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 275
Likes: 14
From: Gahanna, Ohio
Thanks Tom, that's what I wanted to know. I just went to Jegs and bought hardened pushrods, guide plates, and 1.6 non SA roller tip rockers, which along with the air box mod I hope will add 20 HP. I also bought chrome valve covers which alone are worth probably 20HP. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
You need to verify your valve springs can handle the greater lift of 1.6 rockers and the valve spring retainers don't touch the valve seal and/or valve guide at full lift. Some stock springs will go into coil bind w/1.6 rockers.
Also the 1.6 rocker arm moves the p-rod in closer to the rocker arm fulcrum. So you need to check the p-rod moves smoothly in the new guide w/o dragging. One more thing is check the rocker clears the valve spring retainer through its full arc of travel.
Hope this helps more than it hurts.
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