Hi, Help me out. Iam trying to put Studebaker rocker arms on a 390 caddy engine. but the rocker c,line from the shaft to the top of the valve is too long. the rocker hits the valve retainer before it gets to the top of the valve. I could grind some it back, but is that the right thing to do ? Also it appears that the rocker will be pushing the valve side ways. Is this the way is was back in the day? thanks jon flannery
see my post- http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=838203 And yes you have to gently massage the underside where the retainer hits to a more gentle radius. The rockers have plenty of meat on them. Also when you order your pushrods make sure they know you are using Stude adjustable cups because they are bigger than a stock Cadillac. This allows for the geometry to work and not bind. I'm going to do a tech piece on this when I get finished if nobody beats me to it. Seems like alot of us are in the same boat. Wait until you go to put covers on it. I'm following through on this because it's something I have always wanted to do. So no biggie. But I won't do it again. All the best, Tim
Quote: <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset">My question is are there two rockers for Stude? Is there a long and a short? Do I have the wrong ones? </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> Yes, there are two rockers for Stude V8s. The '51-61 has a smaller hex, shorter adjusting screw. The '62-64 has a larger hex, longer adjusting screw. Both are only 1.5 ratio. No, you can't have the wrong ones as all the differences are on the bottom, pushrod side. Maybe, you need to grind a radius to clear the retainers. Also, I've made rocker cover spacers of various heat resistant plastics and phenolic resin sheets. Much easier to cut and shape by hand if one doesn't have a mill. They can be done with a rocker cover and gasket as a pattern, cut to length/width on a table saw and the interior cut out with a router or a scroll saw. Finish with a file, sandwich between two gaskets and they work fine. jack vines
Studes are 1:7+ Cads are 1:5 ratio. This is why you order a .430 lift cam instead of the .485. You end up with more lift and less trauma to the lobes and lifter bases. More leverage on the Rocker arm yes, but they are plenty beefy and can handle it. All the best, Tim
Don't know who told you that, but I've been working on Studebaker V8s for fifty years and every one of them had 1.5 rockers. jack vines
Iskenderian confirmed it when I ordered my Camshaft, but hey we could be wrong. When I ordered my puchrods as well. Fifty years is a long time and I'm not questioning you as I am a rookie at this particular junction. I'll go back to the box with Cad rockers and place one next to the Stude's and see if it's any longer from center point. All the best, Tim
Jack, I am not in any way questioning your knowledge or experience. I am wanting to know, not arguing. I measured the Stude Rockers on the shaft, then I placed a stock Cadillac rocker on the end of the shaft and measured across the front of the rockers. My Cadillac one is 3/32 shorter than the Stude ones, this is +/- and the front of the rockers are not totally square. This should give you more ratio based on the same centerline of the rear for the pushrod. The Stude measures 1-19/32 while the Cadillac comes in almost a perfect 1.5 to the centerline. Both carry a 1" rear to the pushrod area. This should be a 1.59375 (R-1.6) ratio versus the 1.5 Cadillac. So it's actually short of the 1.7. I understand the rear is bigger for the adjusters and the meat to hold them. Or it this a case of written versus what measures? As said before I am really trying to understand not argue. I wish I would have been able to call you first, If I would have known this I could have stayed hydraulic and used the cool valve covers. All the best, Tim PS- do you mess with Packard Trannys? I have a top shift question for you if you do.
Put a Stude rocker and a Cad rocker on a shaft, on a head, on a block with cam, lifters and pushrods installed. With a dial indicator on the valve spring retainer, measure the net valve lift on two intakes and let us know what you find. jack vines
Jack I am past the point of it making a difference. I'm stuck using the Studes no matter how it turns out. So to go through all that makes wasted time for me. I will measure the overall lift to know exactly what my valves are doing. That's important to me. Thanks for the help, Tim
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