Roller Rocker Valve Cover Clearance Question
 

While upgrading my '71 Trans Am I discovered I had an issue in the right bank 197 head. It was cracked next to the exhaust valve. In an effort to get around my dilemma I opted to go ahead and purchase a set of Edelbrock 87cc CNC Butler Built heads. from Butler. I'm an amateur so here I am asking you guy's this question.

I need advice on how to make sure i don't have any clearance issues. my engine builder said I need taller valve covers. I want to keep my original valve covers so my shaker breather will still easily hook up to the valve cover and my oil fill cap stays in place. I'm thinking valve cover spacers, so everything is easy to put together. Don't really want aftermarket valve covers.

this engine is a 0.040" over 455HO block with 87 cc heads. still using the HO intake with the heat crossover blocked off and using Sniper Quadrajet EFI. Car fuel system is already set up for EFI. Also, who repairs cast iron heads.

Thanks for any advice you guys can give me.

Ya the spacers or double up on the thick gaskets. Use right stuff and glue the gaskets together.

Start with the 5/16 thick valve cover gaskets.I have run 1.65 H&S with 400 lobe lifts on many heads from RA Vs,48s 96s KREs etc and never needed taller than factory covers.FWIW,Tom

This is correct. I went through the head repair thing with 197's. Depending how bad they are you will have more into them than the edelbrocks. Mine were cracked at the exhaust of # 7 and 2.

Thanks Chuckie.

Because I don't know what type of glue you are specifying...do you mean "The Right Stuff" brand glue???
Or, just some good brand like Perma gasket or High temp silicone. I do want to do it right the first time. Thanks again.

This cam has .503/.510 lift using 1.5 PRW Stainless roller rockers if this clarifies anything. Thank all of you for your help.

my head is pretty thick. you meant .400 x 1.65 rockers = 660 lift. I'm a little slow here.

I have 520/540 lift with 1.5 Comp Cam Alum rockers. I used stock valve covers with 3/8" gaskets from Butler. No problems.

I always like to glue my gaskets to my valve covers with 3m weather strip adhesive. And I put pan cooking spray on the bottom I’ve had the same gaskets for many many years they stay pliable and dint stick and when you lashing valves at the track you dint have to worry about lining stuff up when it’s time to get it together quickly

In install Comp 1.5 roller rockers on 6X heads. The rockers fit fine but the poly-lock nuts were actually too tall to fit under my M/T valve covers (equal to original stamped steel in height). I bought a pair of the 3/8" spacers from Butler, along with another set of their 5/16" gaskets and had the spacers powder coated.

It all worked fine until we couldn't mount the factory A/C compressor anymore. So that turned into a $1700 serpentine conversion.

Everybody has different ways of doing things to basically achieve the same results. I prefer to glue my gaskets to the valve covers and leave the side that faces the head dry. You can use a small amount of oil on the dry side so they remove easier when the time comes to remove them. Felpro makes a nice 1/4" gasket that work very well.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Fel-Pro/375/1627/10002/-1



I like to use the Right stuff by Permatex.

https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...et-maker-5-oz/

serpintine
 

It all worked fine until we couldn't mount the factory A/C compressor anymore. So that turned into a $1700 serpentine conversion.[/QUOTE]


Not to change the op post. But I see you went with the CVF serpentine setup. I was tossed up with that and the March serpentine. I went with the March and I'm having issues with pulleys lining up. March customer service sucks almost nonexistent. are you having any issues with CVF ?

I use .25" aluminum spacers under factory covers on a '78 T/A. No problem with the scoop vent pipe. I deleted the AC, so I'm not sure if a factory compressor will clear.

Not to change the op post. But I see you went with the CVF serpentine setup. I was tossed up with that and the March serpentine. I went with the March and I'm having issues with pulleys lining up. March customer service sucks almost nonexistent. are you having any issues with CVF ?[/QUOTE]

No visual problems, but the engine hasn't been run yet with this setup. Install tech said everything went into place with no issues - that's why they prefer the CVF. I did like getting the 8 rib belt though instead of March's 6 rib.

Cylinder Head Repair


https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...+Cylinder+Head



.

OP - I have Edelbrock heads and Harland Sharp 1.5 rockers with a H/R Cam that has 565/.570 lift. I use 1/4" VC gaskets on factory reproduction chrome VC's - no clearance issues. I also have Vintage Air with factory pulley set up.

X 2 or 3 on just using thicker gaskets. i use the felpro 1/4" linked above on E-heads with H/S rockers, old faithful roller cam with upper .500 lift, no issues with the rockers or poly locks hitting the stock height covers. my covers are aftermarket aluminum but are stock height, might even be a little less clearance on the inside due to thick alum castings vs stamped steel. i do have to be sure the covers are centered & not touching the end of a few rockers, like if you just put the covers on & let them slide downward to stop on the bolt threads, just got to be sure they are square & centered.

spacers wont accomplish anything more than thick gaskets & are just an added expense since you still need gaskets.

Full roller rockers will fit under stock covers. In most cases its the locknuts that are too tall that keep the covers from bolting down.

Here I mock things up and determine how much I can remove from the locknuts and machine them in the lathe. Just make sure that when you are done you get a minimum of five full turns when the lifters/valves are correctly adjusted. I always use the thicker valve cover gaskets as well and have never had to use spacers of any sort.

Once in a while you'll run into a set of rocker arms that my rub the insides of the covers toward the intake manifold. The fix there is to gently grind away enough material on the back/top of them to clear the covers.

Here I use a small amount of RTV to glue the gaskets to the covers, then car paste wax as a release agent where the seal against the heads. This way they can be removed many times without damaging them.......

Using RTV to glue the gaskets to the valve covers can add a little height to the valve cover spacing. I use very little RTV.