Rockers, SA vs NSA

[LTb1ow]

Where do you draw the line RPM wise between running SA versus NSA rockers?

I only ask cause I think the line is around 6k - 6200 and I was hitting 6500 ish at the track the other day. I run SA pro mags.

[Pampered-Z]

Anything over 6G's or if you plan on allot of racing then I'd go with NSAs. Using NSA has so many benefits, weight reduction, spring/retainer options and guide plates gives you much more control of the rockers. If a S/A rocker comes loose you take a real risk or serious damage. Whenever possible I perfer double springs and a NSA set-up.

[LTb1ow]

Thats what I feared.

[RamAir95TA]

Honestly, NSA rockers should be used in ALL applications. There's so much benefit to them over their SA counterparts.

[LTb1ow]

Yea, well, I rarely see the track and so far it has been holding up just fine.

If I can get some extra spending money, I will def get some NSA pro mags, guideplates and bump it up to a 7/16 stud... till then... I guess I will be living on the edge. ;)

[LTb1ow]

Ok to bump this up rather than make another one.

http://www.97transam.com/gm847cam/IMGP2796tn.jpg

PamperedZ should recognize them, but my rockers look exactly like the NSA ones in that pic and I was under the impression I was running SA rockers...

Thoughts?

[sweetbmxrider]

one would imagine your rockers are NSA then since self aligners use that dropped portion of the rocker for alignment rather then head casting or guideplates. but with you who knows! :D

[LTb1ow]

Well thats what worries me. I will try and get a pic of em tmmr.

[sweetbmxrider]

they don't have a part # stamped on or something fun?

[transmaro93]

if your running nsa rockers without guide plates... i cant see how that would work.... didnt you put the rockers on?

[LTb1ow]

Yes?

[transmaro93]

so they deff dont have guide plates? but they look "EXACTLY" like the one pictured? those deff arent SA pictured... your car really does run on hopes and dreams!!

[LTb1ow]

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs179.snc3/20679_1307024591709_1113366798_993349_1704646_n.jp g

Any good way to tell if they are NSA or SA?

BiGal, wanna chime in on this?

[WildBillyT]

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs179.snc3/20679_1307024591709_1113366798_993349_1704646_n.jp g

Any good way to tell if they are NSA or SA?

BiGal, wanna chime in on this?

Hard to tell without focus. Who did you buy them from? Got a receipt?

[LTb1ow]

Well, lets say they are NSA, how the hell have they been not jumping off the valve stems every time I hit shift points?

[WildBillyT]

Well, lets say they are NSA, how the hell have they been not jumping off the valve stems every time I hit shift points?

Right. I can't imagine that you haven't had an issue yet if they were the wrong ones.

[LTb1ow]

I can't seem to find any good pics of SA pro mags, I just get the pics as their NSA versions... and as shown above, SA rockers should have those tabs to guide the rocker, so I am perplexed.

[sweetbmxrider]

didn't you buy them off of al? do his heads have pushrod guides machined into the casting?

[LTb1ow]

I did buy them off Al, but he hasn't been on AIM for awhile.

[LTb1ow]

And solved.
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs199.snc3/20679_1307113673936_1113366798_993587_5403740_n.jp g

[WildBillyT]

Matt:

Not yours, but maybe it will help:

http://image.popularhotrodding.com/f/8742290/0511phr_vortec_10_z.jpg

[LTb1ow]

Thanks Bill, but I ended just yanking one off and looking at it, you can see the pic above. The rockers have the tabs on the under side of the rocker wheel.

[sweetbmxrider]

yay. you figure things out! :D

[LTb1ow]

w00t for me. :)

[WildBillyT]

yay. you figure things out! :D

Although he could have figured it out with a flashlight and not by pulling the rocker.

[LTb1ow]

Although he could have figured it out with a flashlight and not by pulling the rocker.

I don't know about that Bill, they did not look like they had the tabs. I was looking at em pretty hard with a shop lite on em... was not 100% on it, so I pulled one off, easy enough for some peace of mind. :lol:

[transmaro93]

what do those tabs ride on to keep it centered though??

[LTb1ow]

The valve stem....


:facepalm:

Guess you didn't build your engine? :wink:

[Pampered-Z]

The valve stem....

:facepalm:

Guess you didn't build your engine? :wink:


:facepalm:

Well if you installed those rockers AND NOW question if they are SA or NSA, guess you SHOULDN'T build engines! LOL!

Transmaro93, SA rockers straddle the top of the valve stem to hold them in place so they don't twist off the side of the valve. Because of this design they are typically heavier then a NSA rocker, are more effected by valve train deflection and also based on the type of spring/retainer you can have interference problems. A NSA rocker arm is kept in place by using a guide plate. The plate holds the pushrod in place so it cannot move side~to~side which in turn keeps the rocker arm aligned. Because the guideplate is metal on metal (guideplate against pushrod), it requires a higher grade metal and stronger pushrod as a stock soft metal PR can wear or bend.


Or you really want to build your LT1 heads:

[transmaro93]

ohhh... i just tooka second look i didnt see the ears on the bottom of the arm itself there... thanks for the explanation... i knew how they worked but all the other SA rockers i have seen have had the guide built into the wheel part.... that pic looks pretty crazy though... must be bullet proof

[LTb1ow]

Heh, I was told they were SA and I just threw em on. They worked, so I never questioned it. Ah well.

[sweetbmxrider]

:drool: shaft mounts yes! fails yes yes!!

don't they make plastic guide plates as well?

[LTb1ow]

:drool: shaft mounts yes! fails yes yes!!

don't they make plastic guide plates as well?

Ugh, those are just plates to stiffen up your rocker studs.

[sweetbmxrider]

aw ghey


http://www.ellweinengines.com/ERE29/final2tn.jpg



betta!

[Featherburner]

Ugh, those are just plates to stiffen up your rocker studs.It's called a rocker girdle.

[WildBillyT]

It's called a rocker girdle.

Yeah, or a rocker stud girdle.