My New TSP Sleeper 482 Stroker Motor

I have photos of all three broken rockerd, two at the shaft and one at the tip. PM me and I’ll send pics of all three. I’d be willing to send them out if I get them back.

 

Guys,

Several points:

1. Roller Rockers were the first choice for this engine, as they always are with any roller cam engine, but they were not available when this engine was built. TA just finally got them back in stock a couple weeks ago. Had we waited for roller rockers, that engine would still be on the stand. It would also have increased the cost of the engine by over $500, considering the new $1300 pricetag for the TA roller rockers. And cost was already a concern, as it always is, these engines are not cheap to build.

2. I have used this setup successfully on 5 engines, with similar cams, that have been in service for 3-5 years now with only 1 rocker that broke a tip. These are all 550-600 HP engines.

3. This engine had two different cams in it and 3 overall dyno sessions... 43 pulls in all, each one to 5800 rpm. I had the rocker shafts off right before it was shipped, and there was not so much as a witness mark in any of the rocker tips. I always look at these, as we all know that the press in steel tip in the 67-72 rocker arms are the weak point.

------------------

That said, I think Ray's best course of action here is to install the now available roller rockers, and sell the 68/9 rockers to someone building a motor that wants a good HD rocker setup for their performance flat tappet or mild hyd roller cam engine.

And BTW.. tested back to back with 1.55" stamped steel rockers, Rollers aren't worth a single HP.. they are all about durability and adjustablity.

JW

 

Yup TA roller rockers should solve this problem for good.

 

At a hefty $1300 price.....

 

Plus the $50 rocker stud kit that is recommended by TA

 

And another set of pushrods. (my current set are hybrids with different balls on each end)

 

Hey, what's a couple of grand among friends, let's start a go fund me page. That's what the kids would do.

 

I actually have the rocker stud kit and hold downs as Jim used it with the stock rocker build.

 

Sure. All donations gladly accepted.

 

Hey, building a solid performance engine isn’t cheap especially A off brand! and knowing what it cost to build our motors that’s cheap insurance.

 

Adds about 8% to the cost of my build. Worth it just for the piece of mind.

 

That's the way I look at it also

 

I did a back-to-back comparison test between '68-'69 stock rockers and a set of Roller rockers at Beech Bend one day and in my application there was no performance improvement with the roller rockers just as Jim stated above. The car ran low 12s @ 110 that day. It was an all-iron stock appearing engine with a regular flat tappet hydraulic cam (230/245, ~.500", 116 LSA) with TA1125 springs that probably only made 425-450 hp? (110-11 mph @ 4,010 lbs) and was shifted at ~5500. So I just run the stock rockers. That engine now has a mild hyd roller cam in it (228/238, ~.500") and the stock '68-'69 rockers have not had any issues for 8 years.

 

I know I ate my fair of rockers and shafts running through the low 11s, when I got near 600 lift the oblybthibgbthat helped was roller rockers.

But seeing where those pads are ate up....on the very ends, makes me wonder if the geometry is right up there......it sure doesn't look very centered

 

I think improvements would be seen in a combo with borderline high spring psi,...rolling vs sliding is better no way around that

 

Nah not on a slip,...but I do think a roller rockers engine revs a little cleaner

 

Ratio is the main thing that will help ET....1.65 over factory 1.55 stamped steel will increase effective lift substantially.