Roller Rockers, are the worth the cost and effort??
 

Hi,

I have a stock 454 Magnum, carb model with CMI headers on a 21 Eliminator.

Wondering if converting the heads to roller rockers is worth the cost and effort.

Most of my driving is going half throttle, and a couple of full throttle poker runs.

Thank you in advance

:)

Just doing the roller rockers is not worth it, in my opinion. You would not notice any difference in power or performance.

Check out Denniss Moore's book.............

Bad-Habit

2 Slow, I agree with Griff to just change over to roller rockers, will not do much.
Once you start there is no end to it except how much money you want to throw at it.
Roller rockers, then you will probably want to go to a different head such as the dart or Grumpy Jenkins design and then to roller lifters, and then more carb and so on.
If it is running good beat it to death until it breaks and then build something bigger.
Good Luck Brian

Anyone use the New Jesel SS shaft mounted rockers?

Hello, Guys,
I agree with Griff. The rolller rockers will help some things, like a tiny hp gain unless you get 1.8 rockers or something, but even that is relatively small increase on your motor. Roller rockers do help valve guide life, small help with oil temp. If you need rockers for some other reason-wear, breakage, etc., I would look at Comp roller tilp Magnums. They will be maybe 10hp and relatively cheap. But not worth the change unless you need rockers.
I'd save the money for a cam to go with the rockers, or even just a cam!!

The stock rockers are just fine unless you change to a bigger lift cam. Then its likely you have to change the rockers anyway due to the greater rotation of the rocker requiring a longer slot. If you have to change the rockers anyway, you might as well go to rollers. There is some friction inprovement (claimed) and there may be some reduced valve guide wear, but there a lot of stock engines out there with 1000 hours on them. I dont think I would would trust rollers to go 1000 hrs. Dont do it unless you have too as a result of cam change.

If the valve train needs work anyway its worth doing if not dont do it!!!

If you are looking for performance gains and with your set up I would say no not worth it. Just an FYI though. I think you will be surprized how much heat the ball rockers create at higher RPM. I run a 502mag in a 29' boat that cruise rpm is 3800 to 4000 rom. Sometimes it has ran that way for an 1hr or more. 21' boat I doupt you run it that hard for long. I had no oil temp trouble but when I pulled it down about half the rockers were blue from heat. Mainly the exhaust ones. I run roller rockers now. They are under the stock valve covers with a little modification. Stock set up works very well most of the time.

I ran from Lake Barkley to my house (228 miles) cruising at 4100 rpm except for one stop for ice and gas (plus two sets of locks). We're talking almost 4 hours.

Noticed a valve cover gasket seeping a little so I tried to get away with tightening them down, but no dice. Ended up taking the exhausts off and replacing the gaskets (only the port one on each motor). Motors with 375 hours - rockers like new. I had Crane gold rollers to go in them but was really surprised to find them in such good shape. Ended up not swapping them out cause it was quicker to only change 2 gaskets and get back to boating...

Rollers get more and more necessary with increased spring pressures. Stock springs don't work em as hard.

As mentioned by a few others, you will almost have no choice but to use roller rocker arms when going to a higher lift cam. GM once made their stamped steel rocker arm called "long slot" rocker arms that took on a higher lift cam, but I do not remember what its lift limits are. I tend to believe the roller style rocker arms have advantages over the stamped steel ones as blown1500 has mentioned---ratios are more accurate too. Just look around and you'll see roller rocker arms on all performance oriented engines.

The new Jesel Sportsman's Series shaft mount roller rocker arms for about $695 as advertised I have heard have failed in some cases, but I don't know how extreme of case they failed under. I was just told to use the next grade up that Jesel makes.

WOW Mark!!!!you want him to drop $700 on a set of rockers on a stock Mag motor????you can buy Harland sharp or Crane Golds for a little over $200 and they work Great!!!!

Dyno,
I have had less problems with Harland Sharp than Crane Gold and they cost less than $200 in the mail order catalogues. We try to go for stainless rockers like Crower or Comp. They just don't break. Shaft rockers are the ticket, but think about whether they are necessary to justify the cost.
Like KAAMA says, the ratios are better with roller rockers. The Comp roller tip Magnums have good ratio also. The general improvement in performance between stock and roller is true ratio. The stamped rockers, no matter who made them-GM, Ford, Manley............ they are not true and not consistent. A 1.7 rocker is never 1.7 but something less. 1.5 Chevy SB rockers I have tested were sometimes as low as 1.42:1.
If you burn a rocker on a stock application, it's a lubrication problem. I think Crane makes "Kool Nuts" to deflect the oil where it needs to go. This works.

Re: Roller Rockers
 

Thanks for the info,

The reason I was considering it, was I have low compression, which I have to check again to see if its valves or rings. But if its valves, and I have to take the heads off, I figuired I might as well do the roller rockers, only IF it makes much sence. And money these days IS an issue, stock market!! Making it last longer would be nice.

Would greatly appreciate your input.

Thanks in advance

Richard "2Slow"

My Original question:
Hi,

I have a stock 454 Magnum, carb model with CMI headers on a 21
Eliminator.

Wondering if converting the heads to roller rockers is worth the cost and
effort.

Most of my driving is going half throttle, and a couple of full throttle poker
runs.

Thank you in advance :confused:

If you have the heads sitting on the bench then, yes, I'd do it.

I totally agree but remember you will have to replace your stock valve covers or modify them as the roller rockers will not clear the drippers for stock rockers. If everything else is stock and you want to save the $$$ and the stock rockers are in good shape you can certainly reuse them. If you reuse your stock valve covers you can probably put roller rockers in for around $250 and that includes the new studs.

One more thing, Comp Cams makes cast steel roller tip rockers that WILL fit with stock valve covers and they do give some hp. as they are really 1.7 ratio and the stamped units are something less. They are cheap.