Sweeeet, I cant wait for mine. They look very nice. I just droped off my heads at the head porter today. I cant wait to try the combination. Good job tom. :TU: Bob
Roller rockers?.........For a Nailhead? :Brow: :Brow: :Brow: :Brow: :Brow: :Brow: :Brow: :Brow: :Brow:
I know you've been gone for awhile Joe, but these are what I have been workin' on for over six years. They increased the output of my basically stock 180K plus NailHead 26.6HP & 15.1 Ft lbs. to the rear wheels on a chassis dyno. On my friend's built Nail on the engine dyno they were responsible for a 20HP increase any time they were added no matter what we did over any others available.
Will they fit under stock cast aluminum covers? o No: I knew I should never have sold that extra pair of new rocker shafts I had. ou: I think I know what my next project on the Riv might be though! :laugh:
Yes Joe, that was one of the main criterias. Except for "Rocker Arms" everything in the valve train can remain original. Since they are easily adjustable modifications can be made to maximize performance without the need for adjustable pushrods. Can be adjusted many times without the fear of needing to be rebuilt. Can compensate for many varibles. Now we "Nailers" have a choice.
I'll bet my car would pick up a little better gas mileage too with a set of roller rockers........so even the wife would have to agree this mod is necessary! :laugh:
I know that everyone may find this hard to believe, as well as HP & Torque claims, but yes if you can make anything more volumetric efficent the fuel mileage will increase. Of course trying to achieve this can be kinda hard as it's so much fun to play when your "Nail" runs better than it should. I will set an example. I went to a picnic in Rhode Island 3 weeks ago & one in Mass. last week-end. I have owned my '64 Riv. since new & know what to expect at all times. My poor baby has been a test mule for starters, rocker arms & now new design water pumps. I rebuilt the engine in the early 70's, it now has over 180K since it was done. It was done at that time completely stock but using forged TRW pistons with the stock compression ratio. Unknown to me at that time, since unleaded fuel was just being phased in they raised the pin height to lower compression. Not liking the shim steel gaskets (.016" compressed) I opted to use the composites (.036" compressed). This lowered compression even more. I retained the stock tuliped intake valves & stock flat exhausts. I then proceded to remove the "Eyebrows" in the combustion chambers on recommendations from others & reading books. This lowered compression even more. What's my compression ratio???? I don't have the slightist idea, but a guess would put it at around the 9.25 area. I know from working on other NailHeads that normal cranking compreesion for these engines is around the 175-200 PSI range. Mine has always been & still is 135-145 PSI cranking compression. They were to have 10.25 stock, but in reality they are closer to the 9.75-9.9 area. I have never measured a stocker that had more than 9.98. Getting off subject here, but it all has to do with what is being talked about. On both trips to Mass. & R.I. I averaged 15.2 MPG. Now you would say, so what. Well this is with a big diuble pumper Holley, 3.90 rear end gears, 26" tall tires, weighs 4413 pds. with me in it & not even anything in the console to make it as "light" as possible for racing, hauling a trunk full of miss. parts etc. & trying to keep my crusing RPM's at or around 2800-3000 RPM's. Now taking all of the above into consideration, 15.2 is a pretty good number. So yes, they will increase fuel milage. 15.2 is better than a lot of GS's get with 3.42 gears with the AFB's. Tom T.
Don't I wish......all I get with the AFB's and 3.42 is around 12 or 13 (hwy) but on the highway I like to go about 70 or 75 which translates to about 3,000 rpm's. I hate to rev so high but hate being the "old man in the right lane driving a Buick" even more. I've been running 20w50 synthetic so I think that might help under such severe use. Around town I haven't checked but wouldn't be surprised to find it's around 8 or 9. I remember on the chassis dyno a few years back she made a lot of black smoke on WOT but all my jets are stock size.......that's how I got them from Carmen. I'm afraid to go leaner for fear of melting a piston or something ugly like that. :shock:
The nicest thing about my '6 Well I guess I should get off my butt and send the balance now... :laugh: P.S. One of my "buick" things ruined was the several "top secret" pages you mailed to me a few years ago detailing your R&D. Glad to see it come to fruition. Can't believe I kept a secret there... I hope the "buzzards" don't come swooping in now w/ cheap knock-offs. :spank: I know it was a labor of love for you.... :TU: :beer :laugh: :3gears:
Pictured is, TA1308 Roller Rockers for the Nailhead. Features Torrington bearings, lightweight, low profile adjuster screws and roller tips all on a billet aluminum body. The shafts are reduced in diameter to allow more material for rocker strength, solid heavy duty gun drilled shafts for original type rocker oiling and the ends of the shafts are threaded for pipe plugs. Also incorporates studded billet hold downs and composite spacers. This rocker system will come complete ready to bolt on and will work with stock configured camshafts as well as solid cams because of their ability to use more modern oil through pushrods. Lifter and pushrod change will be necessary. These rockers will be available very soon; a price has not been set at this time. Call TA to reserve your set today.
Tom, Your always ahead of the others. :TU: Can't wait to get my engine together with the goodies in it. Hank P.S. Do you think Synthetic Oil is a good idea or stick to regular? ( leaning towards Synthetic )
