Roller rocker valve covers

[92646]

I am buying a 540 big block for my 1969 SS RS 396 Camaro and it has roller rockers. Is there a tall valve cover available that will work with this motor combination and the original disc brake power booster?
Mark Sheppard

[markjohnson]

Does that 540 have regular stud-mounted roller rockers or a shaft mounted system? My 540 had a Jesel shaft rocker set-up which requires even more inner clearance along the intake rockers. If this would be your case then the sheetmetal Moroso's will work or those cool GM Performance Parts cast aluminum valve covers will work. If you have regular stud-mounted roller rockers, I would look into a regular tall valve cover and a smaller power booster. Better yet, I'd change it over to manual brakes and be done with it. I believe that it's either Stainless Steel Brakes Corp. or Master Power that offers a maunual disc/drum master cylinder. If this 540 has the camshaft that it needs to breath, it's not going to have enough vacuum anyway for power brakes. Also on those early Camaro's that wiper motor can be a problem. Detroit Speed and Engineering sells a more compact one to solve clearance issues.

[VintageMusclecar]

What cylinder heads are on the engine?

I ran Harland-Sharp 1.8 rollers on my old AFR heads with stock valve covers and everything cleared fine. Not sure if it would clear a brake booster relief though.



Eric

[John Brown]

[ QUOTE ]
I am buying a 540 big block for my 1969 SS RS 396 Camaro and it has roller rockers. Is there a tall valve cover available that will work with this motor combination and the original disc brake power booster?
Mark Sheppard

[/ QUOTE ]

Some of the "stock appearing" big block drag cars are running Jessel Shaft Systems with stock covers and a couple of extra gaskets. Gotta remove the drippers and shorten the adjusters a little bit, but tall covers aren't necessary even with .700+ lift.

[BBIGG BLOCK 396]

Try a set of aluminum adapters or spacers that go between the valve covers and the head.I used a set on mine and it worked for me.As a matter of fact they are hanging on the wall now somewhere .I sold that engine and went with a different setup in that car.

Bobby

[BlackoutSteve]

Hello, I found this old thread in a search for what looks like the same question that I've wanted to ask for a while now..
I did ask Jesel in an email but they weren't able to confirm and I can understand why..

What I would like to know is if someone has found out more information/details about using a Jesel shaft mounted rocker system on their BBC and have they been able to fit the OE chrome valve covers without any mods.. Or.. as mentioned above, does using additional gaskets solve any clearance issues?
I currently have a stud mounted set up with girdles and a roller with 0.714" lift underneath GMPP valve covers. I want to swap to Jesel Pro Series (KPS-18487) or Sportsman ( KSS-157070 ) shaft mounts so I can fit the OE covers and then a regular 11" booster as well.

Any help, experience or advice appreciated. Thanks [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

Jesel Sportsmans..



Current valve gear with GMPP covers..


OE covers I'd like to fit.

[markjohnson]

I would avoid those Jesel Shaft Rockers pictured above like the plague. When I freshened my last 540, I happened to notice that 8 of them were cracked across just in front of the nose roller pin. Also, you'll discover that there were several added-cost options to them meaning after you spent all that money for shaft rockers, you didn't even get top-of-the-line equipment like you thought you were getting. Best thing you could do is make sure that you have extra-long lower shank rocker studs for strength, keep your existing rockers, lose the stud girdle (I really hate those things), and buy those cheater OPG valve covers that are just a little bit taller than stock ones.

[69 Post Sedan]

If you use the longer rocker studs, be sure that the hole above the heat/crossover passage doesn't get drilled as deep as the others or you'll be welding it shut again. It has to be about .100 shallow compared to the other holes.

It sounds like you want to use stock valve covers but just a little info...tall valve covers can be used with a stock 11&quot; brake booster but it's tight.

The aftermarket valve covers Mark is referring to are about 3/4&quot; taller than stock.

Kurt

[BlackoutSteve]

Thanks Mark and Kurt.
I can't lose the stud girdles because those springs seat and open at 250 &amp; 670 lbs. I'm sure I'll eventually break studs, or at the very least, find my lash constantly all over the place. Nothing wrong with the girdle. It does it's job swell and at least it's out of sight.
The other reason apart from wanting OE valve covers is.. I want to do away with stud mounted rockers because with a high lift cam and 0.100&quot; longer stems, geometry starts to become a real compromise. I have never used shaft mounted before, but understand it's far better for maintaining geometry with high lift and longer stems.
I intended on ticking most/all the option boxes on the Jesel set that I order, but maybe the Pro Series set is what I should be looking at. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

I would need the OE height valve covers for the 11&quot; booster too. My Camaro is right hand drive and I don't have the enging offset ~1&quot; to the right like lhd is offset to the left. I am using sbc mounts which lifts the engine a tad too.

BTW, I did a search for those OPG &quot;Cheater&quot; valve covers.. apparently the part number is CH-26963 but they are no longer being produced..

You might try T&amp;D machine for shaft rockers. Larry Tores builds first class stuff.

Link: www.tdmach.com


WS