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Center bolt valve covers Anybody have pictures of inside of tall style?

broncoman6524

broncoman6524

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I used a stock set, but had to cut the angle support things. They still don't sit quite right and are causing a leak...

Anybody have any suggestion? I tried searching summit, but they don't say anything in any of their descriptions or search choices about clearing or not clearing guideplates.

its a SBC with patriot heads.
 
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A stock set of guide plates? You can buy a set of self guided roller rockers for cheap, and not use guide plates. Guide plates are going to interfere with your stock valve covers.

Martin
 
Never mind, I reread your post. You are using a stock set of valve covers, that you cut the insides out of to clear the guide plates. At least that is what I think you meant. Why not ditch the guides plates? Those valve covers just are not going to seal very well without that tin work inside there, and that is the reason for center bolt valve covers, to prevent the common valve cover gasket leak of a small block Chevrolet.

Martin
 
What rocker arms are you running? I'm running AFR heads with Comp Cams Pro Magnum roller rockers and the stock covers and any aftermarket cover that had baffles would not work because the piece you're talking about would hit the sides of the rocker arms.

On a side note, i hope you're running hardened pushrods with the guide plates otherwise you're going to end up with some nice two piece pushrods. The steel guide plate is much harder than a stock pushrod and it will eat the pushrod if it isn't hardened.
 
I'm running stock stamped steel rocker arms.

I believe I have Hardened pushrods, I will have to check into that.
 
Why do you have guide plates? What heads do you have? Never mind, I see that you have Patriot heads. Why not ditch the guide plates, and run a set of guided roller rockers? Solve your problem, and be an improvement at the same time.

Martin
 
I may be wrong...but by taking out the guideplates. And thus lowering the rocker studs...wouldn't that create problems for the geometry?
 
The rocker arm doesn't bottom out on the stud. As long as you have enough thread sticking up through the rocker arm for the the nut's threads to contact, no.

Martin
 
They're right about the pushrods needing to be hardened. The guideplates are there for safety. Do not remove them. Get aftermarket valve covers or a set of stock Corvette valve covers. By taking the guideplates out you WILL disrupt rocker arm geometry. You may have to invest in shorter pushrods, maybe not. Get an adjustable pushrod length checker and make sure the rocker arm hits the top of the valve stem in the EXACT center, otherwise you'll wear out the valve guides in the head and it will lead to oil usage and premature valve stem wear.
 
Why would he need guide plates if he runs guided rocker arms??? Also, how do you figure it will disrupt rocker arm geometry? The rocker arm doesn't care where the stud bottoms out below it.

Martin
 
okay.... Here is what I know. what I have right now works, perfectly fine. Except the valve covers leak, slightly because they are not seated correct.

Any body have any pictures of the inside of aftermarket valve covers?

Preferably with measurements from the gasket flange to the angle brace.
 
No disrespect Martin but I've ran self-aligning rocker arms on SBC's B4 and had them "walk" while they were aligning and it ruined a set of $300 rockers. Also you're right about the rocker arm in part, the center of the tip must contact the center of the valve stem regardless of what you have under it. I've found this out the hard way. I'm a certified comp. engine builder for 5 years and have been building engines for 13, plus I got a really good education on these at an early age. Like I said no disrespect but like I say to everyone if you have any doubts read the book.
 
Crane gold lifters under these

101_2233.jpg
 
Blazeboi1 said:
No disrespect Martin but I've ran self-aligning rocker arms on SBC's B4 and had them "walk" while they were aligning and it ruined a set of $300 rockers. Also you're right about the rocker arm in part, the center of the tip must contact the center of the valve stem regardless of what you have under it. I've found this out the hard way. I'm a certified comp. engine builder for 5 years and have been building engines for 13, plus I got a really good education on these at an early age. Like I said no disrespect but like I say to everyone if you have any doubts read the book.
Click to expand...

What book? Chevrolet has been running self alligning rockers for years, and they offer a warranty.

Martin
 
Blazeboi1 said:
No disrespect Martin but I've ran self-aligning rocker arms on SBC's B4 and had them "walk" while they were aligning and it ruined a set of $300 rockers. Also you're right about the rocker arm in part, the center of the tip must contact the center of the valve stem regardless of what you have under it. I've found this out the hard way. I'm a certified comp. engine builder for 5 years and have been building engines for 13, plus I got a really good education on these at an early age. Like I said no disrespect but like I say to everyone if you have any doubts read the book.
Click to expand...

Well, not sure i should be doing this BUT, i've been building engines professionally for 22 years and many more before that and the rocker tip should make contact with the valve stem just outboard of center and should be in the center at full valve lift (you did not specify if you meant at valve relaxed or full lift).

Also GM has been running self aligning rockers for years with trouble free results. The only time that the rocker stud location would play a part in valve trian geometery is if you're working on a chevy with non adjustable rockers such as the Gen V and Gen VI BBC which use a rocker bolt unlike the Mark IV which used a stud (assuming SBC and BBC engines only here).
 
Anybody know anything?

Center bolts with guide-plate.

I got a set of aluminum moroso covers from my buddy. Did not have the center supports, but they were so thick that they wont clear the guide-plate front half. Pushing the cover closer to the intake, there-by not allowing the lower half to seal correctly.
 
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