Irish's pickup from hell, the 454SS.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Rollin_Thunder

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Posts
106
Reaction score
5
Location
Oklahoma City, OK
First Name
Robert
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K30 SRW
Engine Size
454
Don't do it, keep those rockers. I have that kind on my 400 and they are awesome. Why not just try and find tall valve covers that resemble something that would be factory.
 

Irishman999

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
6,989
Reaction score
202
Location
Safford Arizona
First Name
Jason
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K-1500 High Sierra
Engine Size
305
Don't do it, keep those rockers. I have that kind on my 400 and they are awesome. Why not just try and find tall valve covers that resemble something that would be factory.

This is a hard decision, I just looked through everything summit and jegs had to offer and cant seem to find a happy medium here. The one set I could probably live with is over 300 bucks and does not have an oil fill hole, that drives me crazy.

These are some sweet rockers, I think lighter valvetrain components are a good idea in any engine but I dont know if its worth losing the almost factory appearance for something with such small benefits. This will by no means be a rev happy engine with its crappy heads and stock tbi so stamped steel roller tips might do just as good as these bad ass aluminum ones and I get to keep the factory valve covers.

What really needs to be offered is a tall version of these: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12495488

That would solve everything. Well I already have these rockers, its starting to get kinda chilly outside so I should probably just order some aftermarket valve covers and get this thing in the truck before I am doing it in a mother ******' snow storm.
 

Irishman999

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
6,989
Reaction score
202
Location
Safford Arizona
First Name
Jason
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K-1500 High Sierra
Engine Size
305

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,015
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
Yeah I guess you don't have a choice since cast aluminum would break. I've seen plenty of small block OE metal tin valve covers with 8 divets in each valve cover, where the idiot had to big of a cam and the rockers hit the valve covers. Talk about noisy.

Whut? You mean I can't run a .510 lift cam in a small block with stock valve covers? Duhhh !!! Honestly I don't even know for sure now but I think in a SBC, .465 is max for OE valve covers. not sure on BBC.
 

Jims86

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
5,492
Reaction score
133
Location
Patterson,Ca
First Name
Jim
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
5.7 TBI
Yeah I guess you don't have a choice since cast aluminum would break. I've seen plenty of small block OE metal tin valve covers with 8 divets in each valve cover, where the idiot had to big of a cam and the rockers hit the valve covers. Talk about noisy.

Whut? You mean I can't run a .510 lift cam in a small block with stock valve covers? Duhhh !!! Honestly I don't even know for sure now but I think in a SBC, .465 is max for OE valve covers. not sure on BBC.
Just stick 1.7 roller rockers on the valves.
 

Irishman999

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
6,989
Reaction score
202
Location
Safford Arizona
First Name
Jason
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K-1500 High Sierra
Engine Size
305
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
 

Tyger13us

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2012
Posts
267
Reaction score
8
Location
BFE,Ut
First Name
Jeff
Truck Year
78
Truck Model
k10
Engine Size
450hp/357cid
This is a hard decision, I just looked through everything summit and jegs had to offer and cant seem to find a happy medium here. The one set I could probably live with is over 300 bucks and does not have an oil fill hole, that drives me crazy.

These are some sweet rockers, I think lighter valvetrain components are a good idea in any engine but I dont know if its worth losing the almost factory appearance for something with such small benefits. This will by no means be a rev happy engine with its crappy heads and stock tbi so stamped steel roller tips might do just as good as these bad ass aluminum ones and I get to keep the factory valve covers.

What really needs to be offered is a tall version of these: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12495488

That would solve everything. Well I already have these rockers, its starting to get kinda chilly outside so I should probably just order some aftermarket valve covers and get this thing in the truck before I am doing it in a mother ******' snow storm.

I was going to say? ya can use fine thread 7/16 regular nuts and just double nut them,, adjust the lower nut as usual,, then when there adjusted,, just run another nut on top for a lock nut and its just barly over the top of the rocker,, well a wee bit more,, but then ya can run stock covers......

that was in my day when we didnt like the polly locks and they were 20 bucks a pop............ they were junk back then they always came loose,, with stock nuts,, ya couldnt get i socket on um with them type of rockers....

but it looks like ya got it fingered out,,,, yea oval port heads aint the best? ya need a good set of iron squareport heads.... and if ya got money to waist? hahahahahaha a set of ls7 aluminum heads will rock your world and bank,, but aint nothing like 435+ hp 427/454 BB chiviy.......:driver:

the ball rockers on BB chivy usually bust out the bottoms of the rockers.. rollers are the way to go,, now just dont twist it up to high and ya dont break valve springs... BBC's? ether its rockers or valve springs that will let go first,, usually.....

im an old Vette mechanic.......to many years to count..........
 

Irishman999

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
6,989
Reaction score
202
Location
Safford Arizona
First Name
Jason
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K-1500 High Sierra
Engine Size
305
I was going to say? ya can use fine thread 7/16 regular nuts and just double nut them,, adjust the lower nut as usual,, then when there adjusted,, just run another nut on top for a lock nut and its just barly over the top of the rocker,, well a wee bit more,, but then ya can run stock covers......

that was in my day when we didnt like the polly locks and they were 20 bucks a pop............ they were junk back then they always came loose,, with stock nuts,, ya couldnt get i socket on um with them type of rockers....

but it looks like ya got it fingered out,,,, yea oval port heads aint the best? ya need a good set of iron squareport heads.... and if ya got money to waist? hahahahahaha a set of ls7 aluminum heads will rock your world and bank,, but aint nothing like 435+ hp 427/454 BB chiviy.......:driver:

the ball rockers on BB chivy usually bust out the bottoms of the rockers.. rollers are the way to go,, now just dont twist it up to high and ya dont break valve springs... BBC's? ether its rockers or valve springs that will let go first,, usually.....

im an old Vette mechanic.......to many years to count..........

I will be getting better heads in the future, when the rest of the truck is in better shape. I was looking at some Brodix cast iron heads with barts valves, at that point roller rockers and fabricated aluminum valve covers will make more sense.
 

J Knight

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2011
Posts
4,298
Reaction score
140
Location
Baytown TX
First Name
John
Truck Year
82 Chevy
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350ci
That motor lookin purty guud Iman:waytogo:
 

J Knight

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2011
Posts
4,298
Reaction score
140
Location
Baytown TX
First Name
John
Truck Year
82 Chevy
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350ci
$200?
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,177
Posts
910,751
Members
33,673
Latest member
jcuriel512
Top