Roller Rockers in Stock

[Jeff Lee]

I was pushing for this 5+ years ago. It was a hot topic then, same as today. Same story, ruining Stock, go to SS, etc. The stamped steel rocker on my AMC was the achilles heel of my engine. And I had over 440#'s of open spring pressure but with the spring pressure went the decrease in ET's.
I was told it was an AMC or Jeff Lee problem and nobody else had a problem. Bunk. I've heard about the issue on many other makes. And I know of racers that race Stock with roller rockers hoping they don't get caught! The idea that NHRA forces one to buy $800+ BBC rockers and studs, or $800+ lifters in order to remain competitive has always been BS to me. I proposed replacement roller rockers in OEM ratio and OEM mounting configuration with the idea anybody could have a reliable rocker for $279 @ Jegs or Summit. Looks like that is what NHRA implemented.

Like Dwight Southerland just mentioned, why force a guy to buy a $500 to $800 set of lifters so he can have a "hydraulic" lifter (that really is a solid lifter with the NHRA mandated .015" plunger spec), when you can buy a solid lifter set for $89 or so with an EDM hole in the bottom for extra lubrication. That would eliminate the need or desire for composite lifters or tool steel lifters. And I've lost two engines thanks to Schubecks R&D on customer engines. The first was a composite body that shattered, the second was a steel body with composite puck that lost the puck. When a puck gets between the block and the cam, it breaks the cam. Which takes out pistons and rods and...

Now if NHRA would have allowed roller rockers, I could argue that there would have been better valve train stability and the lifters may not have crashed. I suppose it's a chicken or egg problem. But I know this, when I switched to SS and put T&D shaft rockers on, I never once found the lash off the original setting. And nothing broke.

I say good job NHRA.