Benefits of roller rockers.

juicehead9

93 Typhoon # 0973
Is there any benefits to running roller rockers on stock cam and stock heads? And 1.5’s on the intake and 1.6 on the exhaust. And What modifications would I need to do to get it to work either way? Sorry if this has been answered before.
 

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

Reduced friction, slightly more lift & duration with 1.6:1. I would match the ratios, but if that is what you already have I would put 1.6 on the intake, 1.5 on the exhaust
 

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

If they are self aligning and they fit under your center bolt valve covers, you can install them, they will work with stock springs & push rods.
 

jjorgensen52

NHSTE - I'm the only one!
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

On the stock heads a little more lift (1.6) won't hurt you, but you aren't going to gain a ton either. Unless you can get them for dirt, you'd probably be better looking for a set of junkyard L35's and swapping them over.

I was going to do a 1.6 / 1.55 combo on the GT but then I bought the marine motor with the pre installed rollers :tup:
 

juicehead9

93 Typhoon # 0973
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

I have some springs I got for my grand national could I put this on the TY? So I just have to get self aligning rockers and if they fit under the stock valve cover they will work nothing more to do?
 

Don W.

Stab it and steer it
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

dgoodhue said:
Reduced friction, slightly more lift & duration with 1.6:1. I would match the ratios, but if that is what you already have I would put 1.6 on the intake, 1.5 on the exhaust

Lift yes, duration no with stock lifters. My poor math but It looks like 6.66% more lift. I'd vote for the 1.6 on the intake as well on a stock cam.
 

jjorgensen52

NHSTE - I'm the only one!
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

juicehead9 said:
I have some springs I got for my grand national could I put this on the TY? So I just have to get self aligning rockers and if they fit under the stock valve cover they will work nothing more to do?
I am almost positive the 3.8 uses a different valvetrain architecture than the smallblocks / 4.3 v6. In which case, I would measure one against the other to see.

That said, it's always cheaper to buy a set of small block rockers and springs and have a few spares because nobody makes them in sets of 12 :lol:
 

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

juicehead9 said:
I have some springs I got for my grand national could I put this on the TY? So I just have to get self aligning rockers and if they fit under the stock valve cover they will work nothing more to do?

You don't need springs, the stock cam is so anemic that the stock springs are no where nearly coil bind.
 

gjp

another post whore
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

I used 1.52 from RPM. With some new pushrods (both under 140$) I am happy with them. Had to change the posts on my l35 heads.
 

sleepy

Member
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

I put on 1.6 roller tips with absolutely no gains on a stock engine. Drag strip showed exactly the same et /mph and no other driveablility improvements. Kind of weird, I expected at least something different...
 

jjorgensen52

NHSTE - I'm the only one!
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

juicehead9 said:
So the money is better spent on some vortec heads.
Or even L35's, because the vortec swap can get a little pricey (IE, a lot more than just a set of rollers)

That said, I say vortec's all the way. I swapped the Ty and the GT is getting them too :tup:
 

juicehead9

93 Typhoon # 0973
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

what did the l35 heads come on and is it a big improvment over stock, does it help cut down on knock?
 

0-60N4

Member
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

Agree, not worth the money to put 1.6 rollers on a stock engine. No noticable gain to be had. But when you buy a set of nice Crane gold roller rockers for a V-6 you get 4 very nice pen/pencil holders for your desk:)
 

jjorgensen52

NHSTE - I'm the only one!
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

juicehead9 said:
what did the l35 heads come on and is it a big improvment over stock, does it help cut down on knock?
I think that the L35's are a little less knock prone... they came on the centrally injected 4.3's ... which ran about 88 to 98 or thereabouts. the ones with this intake :
100_0675.jpg



They made 195hp stock compared to the 160 something for the LB4 motor.... with a little port cleanup they do quite nicely
 

juicehead9

93 Typhoon # 0973
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

and the l35's are direct bolt ons no mods to get them to work? what about l35's and 1.6 roller tip rockers
 

jjorgensen52

NHSTE - I'm the only one!
Re: Benefits of roller rockers.

they are direct bolt on. I've read a bunch of stuff about rockers and the general opinion is that the heads gain little to no efficiency after about .48" lift without doing a lot of port work, etc. Also beyond that point you need to machine the spring seats for clearance, so if you stay within that margin with 1.6 then they're good.

Personally, I wouldn't do rollers unless you're upgrading other parts (cam, valves, etc) and going for a higher RPM build... you don't gain much from the reduction in friction with rollers below about 5k rpm or so... and I wouldn't take a 4.3 above 6k without a lot of work anyway
 
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