I pulled the driver side valve cover off tonight to look things over on my "new" 355

The rollers look like they are not centered left to right on the valve stems. It appears to me that the actual rocker could make contact with the valve.

[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1308617134.jpg[/IMG]

Sorry for the washed out pics. I'm not sure if you can tell anything from these.


[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1308617270.jpg[/IMG]

Are adjustable pushrod guides needed?

I'm leaning towards yes. They all look good in the front to back location.

Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff, are those supposed to be self aligning? If they are, the self aligning rails seem to be pretty far apart.

What kind of guides do you have now? I used the Trick Flow guides and they seemed to work really well, I can't really see yours in those photos.

Don, they are non-aligning. I used comp's guide plates. I am really thinking this might be my top end noise I am hearing. Maybe I can measure the distance between the rod holes.

Which Comp rockers are they? They must be the aluminum bodies. They seem much thicker than my Comp Pro Mags which are steel and much thinner at the contact point and also seem to have more clearance under the arm in front of the fulcrum. If they are making contact with the valve stem or the spring caps you should easily be able to see the marks on the rocker bottoms. I don't think they look that bad, as they are going to be a little cocked anyway.

Try and take that second pic over without the flash...

I can't see how much of the roller is contacting the valve stem.... Also try and get both rockers (on the same cyl) in the frame.
Will

Tried to snap some this morning on my way out the door. To me the left rocker looks like it could be too far to the left at the valve.


[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1990%20Corvette/1308654025.jpg[/IMG]




But you really can't see much because they are too dark.. I'll get some better pics tonight.


Don, They are comp ultra golds. Yes, they are aluminum. I probably should have gone with the steel ones. Hind sight being 20/20 and all that.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-4808-8/?rtype=10

The guide plates that I used.

It does appear that the intake rockers are off center of the valve stem and it's hard to tell, but it looks by a good amount (1/3 or better)....

It also looks like if you slide the guide plate over - the exhaust rocker would then be off center, before you got the intake centered....

I'll wait for more clear pics before I say you ABSOLUTELY need to buy the ISKY type adjustable guide plates but they are the 100% cure for stuff like this. I hate that you have to spend another $50.00 to make it fit correctly, when you have already spent so much.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ISK-200-AGP

What I don't understand is how is this happening? We all ran guide plates and stud mount rockers back in the day.... Even on darn serious racing engines in the early 1980's. I never had a rocker arm alignment problem on a std 23* SBC until maybe the past 6-7yrs. Now it seems like you can't even buy standard guide plates that fit correctly. WTF a multi million dollar company can't stamp out a peice of sheet metal correctly....

Will

[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1990%20Corvette/1308695239.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1990%20Corvette/1308695409.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1990%20Corvette/1308695408.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1990%20Corvette/1308695406.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s46/kresge1975/1990%20Corvette/1308695241.jpg[/IMG]

These pictures turned out a little better.

Yea, not good. I'd be checking the rockers that are off to make sure the valve stem hasn't hit the aluminum part of the rocker.

I think I will go ahead and order the adjustable guide plates. Hopefully this will also resolve the noise I'm hearing on the top end.

Do I need to weld the adjustables together once they are installed?

I'll bet you adjust them to fit, mark, remove, weld, install. At least thats the way I'd do it.

Pete may have the answer though!

No need to weld them. You can spot them with a MIG or TIG but it's not required.

If your going to go thru that trouble just cut your current ones apart with a cut off wheel and weld them back together in the correct spot. We used to do that back in the day when we moved the valve centerlines around in cyl heads....

The ISKY adjustable's fit togther real nice. Once you TQ the rocker stud in the cyl head (50ft lbs) it isn't moving.
Will

Thanks fella's.

I'm going to see if the small speed shop here in town has a set. If not I'll get them from Summit.

Went to the local speed shop today on lunch. I was kind of hoping that they would have the 2pc guide plates but knew they wouldn't.
Talked to the guy there. His statements were "Uh, aren't you supposed to use self aligning rockers?"... " I really think you should be using self aligning rockers"

He said for me to call comp and see what they suggested. I did, just for shits and giggles. They said the same thing. "Supposed to use self-aligning, no, those guide plates that you have aren't going to work. You will have to use our 2pc guide plates or get self-aligning rockers"

Called the local guy back and asked how long if he ordered them. My effort of trying to stimulate the local economy. He said that he'd have to call Comp and see, gave him my number. That was at 2 and I still haven't heard from him.
He did the same thing when I was ordering the rockers.

Quote:

I think the guy at the speed shop is "out to lunch"

He' s the owner so it's his money

Well, no call back from the local guy so the $50 went to Summit...

Got any updates??

I have not messed with it. I got the adjustable guide plates last week and I bought another set of valve covers since the tall ones do not have much clearance near the AC compressor. I gt to thinking that maybe the compressor jiggles just enough to tap on the valve cover.

I been getting everything ready for our family vacation so my time for tinkering on the car has been nill.

I will keep ya'll updated.

I have not messed with it. I got the adjustable guide plates last week and I bought another set of valve covers since the tall ones do not have much clearance near the AC compressor. I gt to thinking that maybe the compressor jiggles just enough to tap on the valve cover.

I been getting everything ready for our family vacation so my time for tinkering on the car has been nill.

I will keep ya'll updated.

Little update. I got the drivers side adjustable pushrod guides on last night. I really need to get a bump start to adjust valves. Turning over the new engine with the balancer bolt is a bitch.

Anyway, It takes a little while to get each set of guides adjusted so hopefully this fixes the issue.
There was one set that had a funky angle to them and I couldn't get them quite what I would consider perfect but it's still better than it was.

I have to pet sit for my mom tonight so maybe Thursday night I will get back at it.

Attach file:

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  Drivers side valves after.jpg (89.82 KB)


  Valves after.jpg (58.12 KB)

Yea, that looks better,Jeff.

I don't think it sounds much better. Maybe a little.

Is it possible the machinist messed up rebuilding the heads or is this how they are supposed to sound?

ok, I adjusted the valves with the engine running.

Here's what they sound like now with the cover off

http://youtu.be/R05hHGZVVGc

Jeff, it doesn't sound bad to me...remember that RRs are noisier by nature and the fuel injectors will always have a little tick.

Matthew

I agree. They have more of a sewing machine sound now than they did before. I know for sure the atleast 3 of them were too loose.