Technical Should I run these chinesium roller rockers(1 year update)

If the rockers were free and used in a mild application like you mentioned I'd take a chance. Cant be be any worse than the stock stamped steel off-shore rockers right?

 

I don’t know if they are good or not, but I’d be most concerned about the needle bearings in the trunnions. With reasonable spring pressure like you would use with a cam like yours I'd run them. As far as poly locks backing off they need a flat, ground surface on the studs for the set screw to keep a positive grip.

 

The polylocks that came with them are crap. The rest looks good, and the engine is so mild I doubt they will be stressed to failure. I need to get some run time on the cam I just swapped in. Once I am sure it's not going to go flat, I may play with these. They cleaned up nice.

 

You can take them apart, take a few apart and see if the trunnion shaft is worn from the needle bearings. A local machine shop can do a Rockwell hardness test on them.

 

What's wrong with GM stamped steel long slot rockers and good trunnion grooved balls. I don't understand why on the street you need roller rockers. JMO. Lippy

 

He said they were brand new in the box since 2008. Shouldn't have to do anything except a squirt of oil to make sure they move freely.

 

Gottcha, missed that.

 

I see people have been commenting on your "stainless" rocker arms without...knowing ANYTHING...about them !

I've run brand name aluminum and brand name stainless, both on the track AND on the street.
I ran Crower stainless rockers on the street in two engines for many years.

So...to your quandary.
What is going to happen if one breaks ? You'll have a misfiring cylinder. Big "F-ing" deal ! You aren't going to damage any other parts.
What's going to happen if a bearing goes bad ? It'll start making noise. THEN...you go home and repair, replace the bad bearing rocker. Simple.
From my experiences, I'd rather run a questionable stainless rocker on the street (you don't say, but I "assume" you want them for the street !) than aluminum...FROM experience.

Check them carefully -
1. Do the roller tips move freely ?
2. Do the tips look good ? No bad spots.
3. Do the shafts roll smoothly, little free-play ?

If the answer to these three questions is yes...RUN them.

1. Soak them in oil for the night.
2. Install them onto your engine.
3. Adjust the lash.
4. Close everything up.
5. Drive the car..!

The sky will NOT fall if one or even two fails.
Put about 100 miles on the rockers, pull the rocker covers, give them a good visual checking while on the engine. IF...they look good, go another 100 miles, give them a checking.
Stretch the inspection to 200 miles, and so on.

Mike

 

I'd leave them on the shelf. 1.5 ratio, just use stamped arms.

If you're using anything with needle bearing......spend up, any issues and the scattered needles will wipe out everything.

It's not a knock on china, I've seen high end needle bearings come apart too.

 

Firstly, you need a reason to run them, on an existing running engine. Free isn't a reason.

 

It seems like, at least to me, that the only good these roller rockers have going for them, is that they make for good discussion here on the H.A.M.B. So, why put them into use in an engine, when you can leave them on the shelf for lets say, another 13 years.

 

Are you doing the motor work yourself. Do you have time to redo it yourself if something goes bad. Or will you have to pay to have it redone. These are the questions you have to answer. Are they worth the bother.

 

I’m with Indyjps, granted, they are not hard to change out if there’s a problem, but what about when the needles fail and find their way into the oil pump……

 

If you run them. Epoxy screens in the oil drain holes in the heads. If the needle bearings scatter it'll keep the majority in the top end.

 

For easy street use they will probably be ok. I'd take at least a couple apart and look for rusted or pitted rollers.

 

I agree with Mike. Running them on a stock engine is very low risk. Assuming you check for any corrosion on them prior to install.

 

No but just cause ya,' wanna is !

 

Smooth out what , exactly ?

 

2o2f>>>Smooth out what , exactly ? >>>

That's easy. He said the parts that ride against each other. Must be at least a dozen parts that ride against each other. And they all gotta smooth, man! 8^)

 

Well run 'em while you are saving up for a better set. If they break rockers are easy enough to change and they didn't cost you anything.

 

I have an older acquaintance that runs a BBC that he originally screwed together in the late '60s. Last I spoke with him it was a 502 I think it was a 396 the first time he ran it. I digress.

When he screwed it together originally he used a set of Harland Sharp rockers. In about 2000 or 2001 he had it down for a freshening. He discovered that the fulcrums were getting a little loose so he contacted them for rebuild parts. They said that he should send the entire set to him. They sent him a new set with a note that said, "Thank you for choosing Harland Sharp." Guess they were pretty proud of their reputation.

 

Since there is surface rust on them, my concern would be the roller bearings inside. I'd soake them in diesel fuel for about a week then blow them off and disassemble them to check for pits on the rollers. If the rollers are not pitted, I would give them a try...........if you are replacing stamped rockers that are 1.5 as well.
OR if they are not pitted, I would reassemble them and sell em on facebook.........then put that money toward some better ones.........1.6 if they will work with your springs.
I've posted this before, but it won't hurt to do it again......






Cat wasn't even tested, but you might compare them yourself.

 

If one breaks and there is no valve spring pressure being transferred back through the pushrod to the lifters, the cam can spit a lifter out resulting in a big loss of oil pressure. The possibility of damaging other parts is real.

 

When I first built my 355 in '97 I cheaped out and used stamped steel rockers. I was breaking them often enough that I could change one on the side of the road as quick as most people change tires. Never had a lifter jump the bore but you are correct it is a possibility and something to bear in mind.

 

Hey Beaner ,
You’re right,,,,I had a friend many years ago that use to break stock stamped rockers,,,and could change one in a few minutes on the side of the road .
His rockers were breaking out the ball seat in the pivot,,,,they would literally split out .
Now,,,he was running a .525 lift Comp cam in a 350,,,,with completely stock heads .
I always suspected that the springs must have been right at coil bind,,,,and they would eventually break out the pivot .
It would usually alternate around which rocker would break too .
Oh well,,,,live and learn,,,LoL .

Tommy

 

The problem was the rocker binding. Long slot rockers required on cam lift over .500 on a small block.

 

For what it's worth, I have an OT 68 El Camino with a 350 I built 20k miles ago. It has a 350 hp 327 cam in it and 186 heads. I put a set of Proform aluminum roller rockers on it when I built it and they are still on there doing fine. At 210k miles, the motor is getting tired and huffs a bit of smoke now and then. I drove it all over the country, plus every day driving and occasional stop light gran prix thrown in. I have no experience with CAT rockers, but some experience with Harlan Sharp. Both the Sharp and Proform rockers have performed well, given their environments. One expensive and one cheap. And, based on my experience, I would use either one again in a heartbeat. I am building a fresh engine for the El Camino and will retire the Proform, but wouldn't hesitate to run a new set on the new engine. Just my two cents worth observation.

 

When adding aftermarket components to any engine there is an element of risk. People run cheap cast pistons a lot. From the charts I posted above you can see there is a wide variation in what material manufacturers use, and in the sizes of the components. GMs aluminum replacement for the venerable smallblock has roller rockers from the factory. They sell millions of these engines and they hold up well, but the rockers do fail when pushed too far. So now an industry has developed that sells upgrade kits for the stock rocker arms because the bearings could work their way free. I feel reasonably confident that when some of these failed, catastropic damage resulted in a few of them, but the vast majority just bought upgrade kits or aftermarket rocker arms to replace them.
Since they are made with stainless steel rather than the cheepest grade aluminum, I have to suspect that they are not the lowest quality available and probably will work fine in a moderate engine. On the other hand, if I was building a new engine from scratch, then I would want 1.6/1.7 rockers instead of 1.5, and I'd sell them and buy new ones.

 

I have seen problems with more than one set of Sharps on the salt.

 

327Eric.....If you decide to not use the rockers, I'll be happy to send you $20 for your trouble to box them plus pay for the shipping via USPS flat rate box. I'll take the chance in my 283.

Lynn