Are Roller Rockers Neccesary?
Turbo Mini Forums

I have done a search on roller rockers and there are shit loads of threads but none covering my question. Are the gains high??

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


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roller rockers wont give you much think 1 maybe 2 hp, but high ration ones will give a bit more, think its to do with there being less pushing of the valves so less valve train friction thats just for normal ratio rockers though, high ration rockers allow the valves to open more which equals more air more power

"Can I legally marry people now that I am ordained in the Church of the SubGenius?" aka i know jack sh"t

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I have heard people disagree with this, but I'd always run them because it seems to me that there must be less side loading on the valve so the guides should last better.

I've just bought a set to chuck on my 1380, with a 286 cam and 1.5.1 roller rockers it should be pritty lumpy but hopfuly worth it. ran 96bhp at the wheels before rockers once there fitted i'll take it for another run and we will see the out put change.

no longer a series, but still 1.3 turbo.

i binned mine it was to peaky

You should choose the rocker ratio to suit the engine build spec.

The original question of are roller rockers necessary has to be answered no IMHO.

Roller tipped rockers do have a little benefit, well so some will say. The problem I have with this that there is little to encourage the roller tip to actually do a full rotation so they do wear eventually and stop rolling.

Using roller bearings on the shaft seems totally crazy to me. If I was going to choose a bearing medium for a rocker about as far down the list as I'd be bothered to look I'd find needle rollers.
I'd chose the normall bushed over roller bearings for the shaft every time.

I normally run the fordged, non-roller tipped units and have never had a problem and as they are about 2/3rds of the price I have a bit spare to make sure something else is as good as it needs to be.

Just my 2p worth.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

there are definate benefits in racing and has been proven many many times, visually accounted for the difference is that big, where the reduction in loads on the valve guides reduces wear. over the seasons of racing that can mean the difference of replacing them every few races to every season or two.

However i've never seen them on a road car after any substantial mileage. My own trials with 1.3:1 roller tips did not show any noticable degrade in the roller tip and still moved perfectly when removed after 20+k miles, however the shoddy rocker itself did not. However the head did come off for a gasket change after 4,000 miles.

Edited by andeh on 22nd Apr, 2007.

I've seen the future and tbh its Pie

Spring poundage is the main area of concern, rather than the over all ratio. It is this that needs matching to your cam and rocker ratio.

Nowt wrong with 1.5:1 ratio rockers as long as the rest of the valve train has been matched. IIRC the 286 cam in big cc engines require 1.5 rockers to get the best from it, the 286 is not overly endowed with valve lift. Any incorrect matching is causing the increasingly more common flat cam lobe problems, that associated with the lack of EP addatives in the oil. Fit the lowest poundage springs you can get for the RPM expected, that do not bind at the lift you run,increase the valve clearance in relation to the rocker ratio, and run the best oil you can, such as Millers Trans M Sport , a semi synthetic oil with high concentration of EP addatives specificaly designed for engines with in sump transmission.

I personaly run roller tip, rather than full roller 1.5:1 rockers (i too agree that roller bearings in a limited movement aplication is wrong) on my 1400 with the 274 cam, which is a reasonably mild profile for the injection engines, it lacks lift for the cc involved. I have not noticed any reduction in idle quality, as suggested by the so called ex purt Calver. They give me that bit more, it certainly opened up the top end of the revs with the power curve just starting to go flat at the ECU hard cut. Need more reves

Edited by Sprocket on 23rd Apr, 2007.

is it true roller rockers make your engine quieter?

Previous Engine: 1040cc Morespeed engine, 1275 turbo head T2 Turbo Mirage Manifolds Megajolt
Previous engine: STD metro turbo, megajolt
Drives: 399bananahp (flywheel) Honda Civic Vtec b18c4 T28 Turbo 1968 Mini

Megajolt maps to download: http://www.jamesfawcett.co.uk/cms/index.ph...&gid=3&Itemid=3

LOL not on the 1400 ( second hand and the bushes are fubar'd), but it did make a difference on the wifes stage three 1275 with fresh new ones


Be warned, the Minisport ones seem to foul the pushrods at the adjuster cup, more so if the head has been worked on and you do not correct the rocker hight with spacers, as i had to do.

Minisport, mmmmm.

Edited by Sprocket on 23rd Apr, 2007.

i got rid of mine last year and went back to std ones

(and found that the roller tips has wrecked my valve heads-why is this?)

Minisport ones also dont have bushes on the rocker shaft

On 23rd of Apr, 2007 at 07:29pm Mini Sprocket said:
LOL not on the 1400 ( second hand and the bushes are fubar'd), but it did make a difference on the wifes stage three 1275 with fresh new ones


Be warned, the Minisport ones seem to foul the pushrods at the adjuster cup, more so if the head has been worked on and you do not correct the rocker hight with spacers, as i had to do.

Minisport, mmmmm.

I've seen the future and tbh its Pie

wish i had known that before i bough mini sport ones, i figerd mini sport should put out good stuff there a big name

Alex, all I can say (in case the lawyers are reading) is that I wouldn't buy anything further from Mini Sport as I have other suppliers which I prefer.

Read that as you will.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Hi,
A while ago I took my rocker cover off only to find a grub screw in there!
It's supposed to hold the rocker shaft in the pedestal.
I too now use alternative suppliers, and they are nearer too!
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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On 23rd of Apr, 2007 at 11:07pm Mini Sprocket said:


Party on Roger

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

YES there is some Junk! out there ..

remember guys that the old steel Pressed rockers were 1.3 Ratio

& in my book are un-bustable for our applications

I normaly buy from minispeed but there were way out on price due to the minisport sale. Well if i have any trouble fitting them I'll play the complaining customer!

Cheers guys.

Has anyone got any experience with these???

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1-5-degree-Offset-Ro...1QQcmdZViewItem

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/