i've seen many of you mention installing 1.60 RR's as a bolt-on, but i'm not sure what exactly is involved. is simply taking off the old ones and installing new 1.6s all there is, or is some other computer tuning/reprogramming necessary? also, i live in boston so emissions are a must.

thanks in advance.

 

If you buy Self Aligning 3/8" stud RR's, then yes, you can just remove the old ones and replace with the new ones.

You really should put better valve springs in though, if you are doing 1.6 RR's. That's borderline acceptable with stock springs.

A lot of guys opt for the Non Self Aligning rockers. When you do this, you need hardened pushrods and guideplates, but the valvetrain is more stable. Better, valvesprings are also recommended for this setup too.

Dan

 

thanks dan,

couple more questions: how is 3/8 self-aligning different from a 1.6?? i know RRs come in different sizes 1.5,1.6 etc, but i never noticed the 3/8 ones. i'm not looking for any big gains either, anything that is simple and not too involved that would add a decent amount of HP is my interest.

what kinds of gains would the 3/8 give me based on my current bolt on's (see sig).

sorry if the questions are too elementary but i'm clueless about whole the RR thing.

 

3/8 is the size of the stud they fit, not the ratio. That is the stock stud size. Using 1.6 ratio will increase lift over the stock 1.5s, you will pick up a little power between that and the loss in friction by using a full roller rocker. But the roller rockers are louder than the stock rocker arms also.

 

3/8 is the stud size

 

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

There are two stud sizes. Stock ones are 3/8", as supercharged87 posted. There are two to chose from, 3/8" and 7/16". If you buy rockers that are made for 7/16" studs, then you will need the studs as well.

Since you are looking for quick and easy, a nice set of Self Aligning (SA) 1.6 RR's might be good for you. The only drawback is that they are louder than stock, and louder than the Non Self Aligning rockers. I have non sels aligning rockers and they barely sound any louder than stock.

Remember, I suggest springs if you go with 1.6 rockers. LT4 springs are cheap and are perfect for this type of situation.

By the way, there is no need to worry about emmisions.

Dan

 

thanks guys,

that was very informative.

so the recommended items are: 3/8 1.6 RR's (self aligning), and LT4 springs?

any idea idea on price range, and a good brand, and store etc?

also, any idea how much HP the springs and RR's will bring?

as far as the actual install, will just a regular socket set and wrenches be sufficient or do i need specialized tools?

 

The most difficult part is removing the valve covers and air injection to get access to the rockers. If you have the ASR servo on the driver’s side, it is even more work. So, work on one side at a time, like two separate projects.

The self-aligning 1.6 Cranes are the way to go, so you don’t have to install the pushrod guide plates. If your cam is stock, the factory springs will not coil bind with the 1.6s. The 1.6s will make you some additional HP, as they create additional lift and reduce valve train weight. Every little bit helps!

During the installation, remove and replace one rocker at a time. When you remove the old rocker, hold the pushrod down so it doesn’t pull out of the lifer. When installing the new rocker, tighten the adjustment nut "just" enough to retain the pushrod loosely, don’t over tighten. Start the engine, the rocker should be “clicking.” “Very slowly” tighten the adjustment nut until the clicking stops, then “slowly tighten” the adjustment nut ½ turn and lock the adjustment nut. I think the factory states one turn, but for performance applications most people use ½. Your rocker arm installation instructions will also tell you how much to tighten the adjustment nut after the clicking stops, just go “slowly” with the adjustment (it bleeds down the hydraulic lifter during the adjustment). Too fast can bend the pushrod.

That’s it!

 

You will need a special tool to replace the springs. There is a complete spring swap guide on my Tech Page.

 

Even though a lot of people haven't experienced coil bind, you're going to be on the edge. I have a friend that ran 1.6 RR's with the stock cam for 10K miles, then he broke the tips off of 2 of his pushrods. Never found one of the metal pieces.

 

thanks engineer and shoebox.

so since my cam (and everything else on the motor) is stock, does the non coil binding thing mean i must change springs to the LT4 style, or can i leave the factory springs with the 1.6 cranes?

 

That's totally up to you, but for as cheap as the LT4 springs are and the cost of damaged valvetrain components, it would be a very wise idea to upgrade the springs. Some people have luck using stock springs, while others do not (as mentioned above).

Personally, I would replace the springs without question.

 

ahhh..i see. thanks.

any of you guys know where's good online store i can get this stuff??

i was looking at shoebox's valve spring swap page and it loaks a bit advanced for my skills. no experience with TDC, etc. should i get help for the springs?

 

It's just a matter of turning the engine over to where each valve you work on is closed. shoebox's guide makes it very simple and self-explanatory by describing where the arrow on the balancer should be on each valve (3:00, 6:00 position, etc). Once you have the spring tool, that's really the easy part. The trickier part is adjusting the rocker arms just right, which again, is described in detail on his site and isn't really that hard.

Also, the LT1 springs are rated to .481" of lift, and with 1.6's and stock cam, lift will be at .480". This is not something I'd take a chance with especially if your motor has some miles on it.

Jason

 

I did this for the opposite reason: my stock valvesprings were tired so I had to replace them and figured on putting in the Comp Cams 1.6 ProMag RRs since the stockers had to come off anyway. I used Shoebox's guide (thanks shoebox!) and it wasn't that difficult. I borrowed a spring compressor from another gearhead at work. I agree with Jason and the others -- upgrade your springs to at least the LT4s with 1.6 RRs.

The Crane RRs are supposed to fit under the factory valve covers w/out modifications but with the CC ProMags I had to trim the supports inside the valve cover to get them to fit back on. Can't remember where I found the link for that and no longer have it.