Tall Deck BBC, Valve Covers & Power Booster

[markjohnson]

"Well, I currently have a set nice set of #077's on my LS-6 and I knew that they have a history of breaking rocker stud bosses. It's rare to find a set that have actually never been welded on. Anyway, it's very important to purchase a set of ARP Rocker Studs that have the deep threads on bottom. Also, get a bottoming tap to add an extra 2-3 threads to the bottom of ALL the rocker holes. Go slow and use tapping oil, you DO NOT want to deal with a broken tap that deep. That head would be ruined. It's been a few years since I did this, but I think there was only a couple rocker studs (the end ones maybe?) that need to have a thread or two removed so they the shoulder would seat properly. I think if you did this and stuck with a solid lifer cam, and not a wild roller, that you could get by without that stud girdle. I've got a .600 lift solid camshaft in mine with ZERO trouble over several years now. Those Comp Cams Pro Magnum Rockers seem like very good ones and should be fine. I'll tell 'ya, I've had just the best luck you could ever imagine with Harland Sharp Roller Rockers. I think some people are scared away from them by their lower price, but I've used them quite a bit with no trouble ever, even on some pretty radical Roller cam'ed street cars that I ran hard for many miles. And trust me.....I run them hard."

That's an older post of mine quoted above. I've never heard of the longer shank of an aluminum head-specific rocker stud hitting water or heat crossover but I suppose in the rare case that happens, a fella could just use silicone sealer on the threads.....just like the head bolts. The ARP Rocker Studs I have used are stock length on their top segment so you can get away with using stock valve covers. I've never been a fan of stud girdles and I've used Jesel Shaft Rockers instead. I know their expensive, but after you buy regular roller rockers, rocker studs, pushrod guideplates, and a stud girdle....you're actually pretty close to shaft rocker money anyway! Speaking of shaft rockers, I'll never buy another of Jesels again and when I'm in the market for my next set I'll be buying T&D Rockers, but that's a story for another time.