Rocker arms

[Ender2664]

I am going to do some new rocker arms on my car. I was wondering which ones i should do and what ratio, cause i was looking and i don't want to do SLP cause i am cheap and they are expensive. And then zzp has the 1.7s and intense has the 1.9s...don't 1.9s make more power? Why would i go wtih 1.7s over 1.9s? Thanks for the input and not telling me to search.

[98Camaro3.8]

On a stock cam, 1.7s would be a complete waste of both money and time. Either go with 1.9s with the stock cam or just get a better cam.

[Seppo Kaitainen]

bigger rockers = more lift
more lift = valves open longer
valves open longer = more a/f in, more exhaust out
more a/f in, more exhaust out = more hp

Though, high lifts require more flow out of the heads.

[Timmy]

slp claims that 1.8's will add about 10hp. i would say that 1.7's would prolly give you like 4-5hp. i will agree with 98camaro3.8 on this one. i have a cam with .512 lift and i want to go to 1.8's. that'll push my lift to like .563.

[pgriffith]

ZZPerformance is selling or soon to be selling new COMPCAM Magnum roller rockers. Maybe check into those.

[Ender2664]

What are those and what are their ratios? I don't want to get a cam cause it is like 3bills plus a bill for the install kit and like 3-4 bills to install...if i had 7 bills i would spend the money on something else, plus i really don't want to shift my torque curve to dramatically. Thanks for the info i will go with the 1.9s and look into the compcam magnum roller rockers.

[pgriffith]

looks like they only come in 1.7 ratio. 1.9 Ratio would probly be the better choice. I would only use these with an aftermarket cam. The 1.6-1.7 ratio change on stock cam is not to much more. Get the 1.9's if anything.

http://zzperformance.com/zzp/product...er_rockers.htm

[grayman]

My 1.9 rockers are in the mail. Not too many people here have put those in. Most seem to do a full cam/(valvetrain) swap. You don't want to put in high ratio rockers if you are going to get a cam. So decide now. You better know what you are doing if you try to use high ratio rockers with an aftermarket high lift cam.
I was planning on posting info on my results from the rocker swap sometime next week. They are supposed to be noticable gain...but not like a full big oll cam. I just don't want to crack open my perfectly good 7000 mile L36 that far. (the high ratio rockers are supposed to work real good with forced induction as well)
As I said, not too many people seem to use them on their F bodies...the grand prix message boards, however...those cats love em. (that might be because of the transverse mounted engine and a thing called the passenger side fender well)

good luck. stay posted for my rocker report. G out.

[Nachius]

I will be using those 1.7 Comp Rockers w/ the Intense stage 1 N/A cam.

I will be running a full valvetrain to compliment this!

[majeskyb]

Originally posted by pgriffith:
looks like they only come in 1.7 ratio. 1.9 Ratio would probly be the better choice. I would only use these with an aftermarket cam. The 1.6-1.7 ratio change on stock cam is not to much more. Get the 1.9's if anything.

http://zzperformance.com/zzp/product...er_rockers.htm

I've been looking around for rockers as well. Intense racing sells 1.9 roller rockers. From what I can tell, it's midway in price between the SLP and I Win ones sold on 3800performance. Are those what we're looking for?

[Ender2664]

http://www.intense-racing.com/
Those are the ones that i am going to use. Should i replace the other things like pushrods and valves springs and stuff like that when i am in there? Or do i need a spring compresor to do the valve springs, cause i just want to do a couple of simple mods to my car that i can do by hand, and not have them hurt my car at all.
I will wait to buy them until gray man does his right up, that way i can see if they are right for me...looking foward to reading the post.

[majeskyb]

I'm prbably going to end up doing the same thing as you when I get back home. 1.9 rockers, maybe some new pushrods and heavier valve springs. I'm pretty sure that the rockers would also benefit from a freer flowing exhaust as well

[FloydSummerOf68]

Originally posted by grayman:
My 1.9 rockers are in the mail. Not too many people here have put those in. Most seem to do a full cam/(valvetrain) swap. You don't want to put in high ratio rockers if you are going to get a cam. So decide now. You better know what you are doing if you try to use high ratio rockers with an aftermarket high lift cam.
I was planning on posting info on my results from the rocker swap sometime next week. They are supposed to be noticable gain...but not like a full big oll cam. I just don't want to crack open my perfectly good 7000 mile L36 that far. (the high ratio rockers are supposed to work real good with forced induction as well)
As I said, not too many people seem to use them on their F bodies...the grand prix message boards, however...those cats love em. (that might be because of the transverse mounted engine and a thing called the passenger side fender well)

good luck. stay posted for my rocker report. G out.

I'd like to hear what you think about them.
I haven't seen many peoples opinions on these...just the 1.8's and even those are slim. Be sure to post up when you get them.
Are you going to install them yourself?

[grayman]

I will be installing the 1.9 rockers myself. (get a haynes manual though...torque specs, what to remove and how, etc.) Also you NEED a good torque wrench...the kind with a dial and they go 'click'...If this is your first internal engine work...you can probably handle it if you read up real well and have a good, reliable torque wrench. (you have to start sometime, right?)
I debated heavily on upgrading the valve springs and/or the pushrods at the same time. I decided to not upgrade either of those. Here are my thoughts....The 1.8 rocker kit costs more and comes WITH aftermarket pushrods. The alluminum 1.9 rockers cost less, but they HIGHLY recommend using upgraded (stronger) valve springs...to reduce chance of valve float. (good point...) And they sell good springs right at their site. (you can get a better price on those springs WITH new retainers elsewhere, however.) Well, the next level of spring is about twice as strong. (rough estimate) as our stock springs, which are pretty light duty. (less than 50 pounds, i believe it was) I think the push rods are strong enough....otherwise the 1.9 kit would be bundled with them...see where I am going here?
I am more nervouse about adding the stronger valve springs with the stock timeing chain and stock pushrods than I am concerned about valve float. time will tell. If I was already going to add a much stronger double roller timing chain and pushrods...i would feel better about getting the stronger springs.
Stock timing chains wear out on their own usualy long before the engine is burning so much oil that you need a rebuild...so I am saving the rest of the valvetrain for later. (only 7000miles at this time on stock 2001 3.8L)

You do need a valve spring compressor to change the springs. (not the LEVER type though, those don't fit under our rear engine area.) You need the kind that clamps and screws down on the spring. (definatly read up on this subject...you don't want to drop a retainer down in the engine...oops.) You also need something like needle noes pliers to hold the retainers while removing,replacing the valves. And Lastly...tada...you need an air compressor and a cylinder presurizing spark plug air hose adapter thingamabob. (those can be found bundled with valve spring compressor tool) If the heads are off the car you do not need an air compressor. If these last couple of paragraphs cover a new topic for you...then...read, read, read. As I mentioned in earlier post...try the GP forums...there are some good self help guides to be found there concerning this topic.
http://www.clubgp.com/cgi-asp/mods.asp?modid=34
oh, yea, you have to keep track of TDC for each valve/in-ex...while changing springs...much more involved overall then just changing rockers.

(I am also less concerned about valve float because I plan on lowering my rev limiter a couple of hundred RPM. I know, I know.... but I want to have this car for a very long time.)

If the mail system works...I should be on track for instlling the 1.9's this weekend. I will definatly post an update.

[grayman]

Off topic...Ender...did you now that they are making the movie? Enders Game. With the right kid...the movie will be excelent. Great book.