I am curious if I can run stock rockers on my 440 with the Comp Cam XE294. The cam specs: 250 and 256 @ 50 the lift is 519 and 524. The motor is 60 over and the heads have been milled 20 thousands- I should be around 12:1 with my domed pistons. I am running a 4,000 stahl, headers and 4.10s. I know a lot of people run stock rockers with the .509 cam. I know that I can run a bigger cam with the compression that I am running but I also want to street the car occasionally and I will be running E85. I live at 4,000ft altitude.

It might work for a while... stock rockers over about .5 lift seem like a big risk though and the possibility of serious and expensive engine damage with failure doesn't seem worth it. If budget limits to stock rockers better to go with a 509 or a more moderate comp grind.

My kid's running stock rockers with the XE284....and we both have fits about them maybe not surviving.
I think you're pushing your luck myself especially if you're panning to do some serious rpms. Spring pressure could be an issue.
With the parts that you already have working together in there now, why are you considering this?? Budget???

We're running that cam with stock rockers and pushrods in one of our cars. A 440 Challenger its got maybe 150 passes on it, not many street miles. It did shove a pushrod through a rocker once. Lifter popped out, lost oil pressure yada yada. Replaced the parts with other stock junk we've got lying around. Still runs 11.90-12.1 as always. FWIW we shift the car at 5600 and the limiter is at 6400.

I dont recommend it. But if thats what the budget calls for then it will have to work.

Ya- I am trying to budget my racing expenditures
What rockers would you recommend? That are budget friendly?

I ran stock rockers with a lunati voodoo 60303 226/234@050, 494/513 lift if memory serves. Has steeper lift per duration than the cam you're looking at. I'd think lobe rate combined with valve spring stiffness would make the difference. I was running the stock 440source stealth head valve springs with mine.

Are the Crane ductile iron rockers being produced? They seem to have been the old reliable for decades.

I've always figured the max. threshhold of stock rockers is about .500 lift. Spring pressures are a consideration as well. It may work for a while, but I think its a borrowed time situation. You're certainly putting excessive wear on your valveguides.

I hesitate to say it, but.... I'm having good luck with my ProComp steel rollertip rockers. (Let the Moparts flaming begin ) They're on their second motor, first was a .496 lift juice cam 383, now they're atop a .573 lift solid. I've done two rocker gear check / adjusts since the motor was new. No problems whatsoever. They can be had for about $250 on ebay. There's also a couple of sets of ductiles on ebay right now (one brand new set).

With .020 off the head and no adjustment in the valvetrain.... I would go with a adjustable rockers.