Houston, we have a problem

[Doppleganger]

Little problem here. Motor has roller rockers which require taller valve covers. Bracket for the AC compressor and PS pump interferes with the valve cover (or vice-versa). Anyone have ANY serious ideas and/or is there a way to fab one cover to clear the rockers and the AC? The right side is the alternator and it fits fine.

Has me wondering about the FI intake now too. Plan B or C would be different accessory brackets, and probably replacing half the accessories. Too much $$ there me thinks. Its a love-hate thing with this truck anymore.

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[Poppy 87]

Chris, if that's a factory bracket and is readily available, I may notch the rear outboard fastener boss a little bit at a time while trial fitting the valve cover. Then maybe fab some type brace connecting to the forward most header bolt. Good luck

 

[bucket]

Most people notch the bracket. Are you going to run AC?

 

[Doppleganger]

Most people notch the bracket. Are you going to run AC?

Oh yes. Especially if I want the wife to ever ride in it. I have a Vintage Air setup but bought a '97 style Sanden compressor for a factory mount / look.

I found through the wonders of the i-net, I am not the lone ranger here and many have gone through this. I have heard about notching the bracket, to cutting off a boss to fabbing the valve cover. HOWEVER....still no pics of said fix-its.

 

[Doppleganger]

Chris, if that's a factory bracket and is readily available, I may notch the rear outboard fastener boss a little bit at a time while trial fitting the valve cover. Then maybe fab some type brace connecting to the forward most header bolt. Good luck

Yep - its factory. Could probably snag 2-3 with ease at the yard. Might do that as a mock up. If I knew how much room that rocker needed, I think that valve cover could be modded too.

 

[bucket]

Oh yes. Especially if I want the wife to ever ride in it. I have a Vintage Air setup but bought a '97 style Sanden compressor for a factory mount / look.

I found through the wonders of the i-net, I am not the lone ranger here and many have gone through this. I have heard about notching the bracket, to cutting off a boss to fabbing the valve cover. HOWEVER....still no pics of said fix-its.

Well, I could provide a picture of how mine was lopped off, but I don't think I took one before I cut up the entire bracket. Iirc, the 4th bolt for the compressor was completely omitted.

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[Doppleganger]

4th bolt.....the rear(?)...inside or outside?

 

[bucket]

4th bolt.....the rear(?)...inside or outside?

The outside one I think. Isn't that one closest to the valve cover?

Do your brackets have some kind of clear coating over the aluminum or are the coated a silver color? Asking because I still haven't decided the best route for mine.

 

[Doppleganger]

The outside one I think. Isn't that one closest to the valve cover?

Do your brackets have some kind of clear coating over the aluminum or are the coated a silver color? Asking because I still haven't decided the best route for mine.

My right side bracket (alt?) is different from yours. Mine is more triangular and fits fine with the valve cover.

I had them powder coated 'aluminum metallic'. Not so much for bling but for the ease of cleaning. Duplicolor aluminum engine paint (#1615 IIRC) is amazing for that or aluminum cylinder heads or intakes. I use it on trans housings too.

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[bucket]

My right side bracket (alt?) is different from yours. Mine is more triangular and fits fine with the valve cover.

I had them powder coated 'aluminum metallic'. Not so much for bling but for the ease of cleaning. Duplicolor aluminum engine paint (#1615 IIRC) is amazing for that or aluminum cylinder heads or intakes. I use it on trans housings too.

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That was my thoughts, the bare aluminum is too hard to keep looking good.

The picture I posted is two left side brackets. A stock one and one I modified to get rid of the AC mount.

 

[Doppleganger]

That was my thoughts, the bare aluminum is too hard to keep looking good.

The picture I posted is two left side brackets. A stock one and one I modified to get rid of the AC mount.

Holy schnikees! Didn't even recognize it. Serious weight reduction there. lol

I wanted to mask off my cylinder heads and put a coat of the Duplicolor aluminum on them, but there's too much to mask with the machined surfaces, bolt heads and all.

 

[Doppleganger]

How does one measure rocker clearance on the heads? Another option I was wondering about is to get the shorter covers and then use a spacer to get it up as high as it needs to be for clearance......then see where I'd be with the bracket at that point.