My engine is sitting at the engine shop right now getting cleaned and is withing specs, so I can save money by staying standard on my bearings, keep the old cam, crank, rods, pistons -etc. I was talking with my builder about upgrading to 1.7 rockers, but I couldn't explain to him what the advantages 1.7 are to the stock 1.6. He warned me that a simple change like that could radically alter the rocker geometry and asked me if they are a direct bolt-on change. No changing of the pushrods or anything else.

Can anyone give me a synopsis; otherwise, I am going to build my engine stock. While we're at it, what kind of headers would fit (meaning minimal swearing to install them) because I figure an exhaust upgrade would be nice as well.

 

if you get the crower kit, it has the push rods included. the rockers are a direct bolt on (with rods) and have been used by many motorheads on the rams, daks, jeeps, & durangos... I think the Harland Sharp kit doesnt need the rods but I'm not 100% sure. it would be better for you to have hardened rods anyway.

I'm a fan of the gibsons... no swearing at all, actually no blood either...

 

I just put in a set of Harland Sharps. The reason to do 1.7's has often been described as a poor mans cam. It basically increases power by reducing friction (because of the roller tip design versus the stock which are not roller tip), and it adds higher lift to the valve (1.6:1 versus 1.7:1). This extra lift adds more duration, kinda like having a cam. The HS rockers are designed specifically to be a direct bolt on change, which means no change to pushrods, springs, or baffles is needed. No guideplates are required either since they are shaft mounted. They just bolt right in and go. That said, it is a good idea to replace your pushrods while you are in there anyway. It takes about 30 seconds to change out your pushrods to hardened ones, like from Comp Cams. Performance springs aren't a bad idea either, but also not necessary. HS rockers can be purchased in either adjustable on non-adjustable. The non-adjustable rockers were designed specifically to be stock replacements while the adjustable rockers can be dialed in for exact valve lash, changes due to machined heads, cam changes, etc.... I went with the non-adjustable due to the ease of installation and the fact that I don't have ported heads or custom cam. I am very happy with them so far.

I have the edelbrock shorties with silver ceramic coating, and like them a lot. Pretty easy installation for the most part. The rear bolts are going to be hard to reach no matter what header you install. But if you have your engine shop install them while they have the engine, you would be a lot better off. Gibsons, Edelbrocks, JBA, and others all bolt up to the stock y-pipe, so they could install them with the engine out, and drop in like it had the stock exhaust manifolds.

 

Isnt a cam install cheeper than the RR's? I havent looked lately at RR prices but my kit was $615 while the cam's were below $300 at the time. More work to install a cam w/o a doubt, the reason I went with the rockers was for the ease of removal. If I ever had to take them off to get past the smog ****'s it was a lot quicker to do the rockers than a cam.

 

Ya, my rockers were $300. New pushrods would be another $100.

Whatever you decide to do VWandDodge (rockers, cam, both, neither), I think it is definelty worth considering changing your stock steel rockers to aluminums with roller tips and roller pivot points, even if you stay with the stock ratio of 1.6. Roller tips are so much better then the flat tip stock rockers because they allow the valve to open quicker. The roller pivot point reduces friction significantly, which increases horsepower, and decreases heat. Also, aluminum rockers are far lighter in weight then the stock steel rockers, and aluminum dissipates heat much better, all good things when it comes to making more power.

If I were doing it from scratch (like if my engine were at an engine builders), I would have them do a cam with 1.6 ratio aluminum roller tip rockers. You can do much more with a cam, depending on the what profile you go with, and you can match it with aftermarket heads to get a real nice performance increase over a stock magnum engine.

 

Thanks for the advice. I've said it before and I'll say it again, my goal is a torque engine, not a screamer. I bought the truck with the intentions of using it as a vehicle to haul cargo (loaded bed, 18' Dovetail trailer), not for hauling ***. I do know that I need to tweak the tranny computer to get about another 20+ftlbs of torque out of the lower end.

 

Is there a way to tweak the tranny computer to get that 20 ft/lbs without a programmer? I would like ot do that as well. As i have said in other posts, my truck is a daily in town driver. more torque at the lower end, using less RPM's in the motor would save me a bit of fuel mileage, I beleive.

 

I havent heard of tweeking the tranny controller but if your after torque, get an rv cam and the 1.6 rollers, that way you get the benifit of the roller tips and the torque the cam will help out with. if you do heads, stay with 1.92's and i's still recommend the intake mods.

 

What intake mods?

 

cut the runners down about 1", this will help it breath better in the upper rpms and will help get you up to speed easier while towing.