W2 headache

Starting out with a .590 solid flat tappet. I did have to use a lash cap to get geometry correct and it did help the clearance also. I thought about making an offset block but that would make the PR clearance worse and everything I did with the lash caps I would have to re-do.

I've always been leary of much grinding on the rockers to clear the springs/retainers. I've seen too many ductile iron and aluminum rockers that had broken there because of it.

It was many years ago, but I had lot of issues like that too. Blocks could relocate the shafts & rockers away, but also changed the height. Certain offsets/heights were designed to work with certain valve stem heights. But then you also need offset holes in the shafts.

I did use 5/16" pushrods, but had to open up the holes a bit in some cases. Thicker walls are an option for strength.

Are there any beehive springs (for clearance) that would fall into the specs you need? Comp Cams and Pac have some that can get over 400 lbs open. But if it's a flat tappet, you may not need that much. It concerns me over 350 with a flat tappet anyway unless expensive alternative parts are used.

FWIW, I had several W-2 360's with cams between .575" and .590" lift. I don't remember if it was an isolated incident related to a particular cam, but I found that it ran just as well shifting at 6,800 rpm as it did at 7,200. So I settled in at 6,800. It may have been with a set of heads ported with the Mopar Performance template kit. 10.22 @ 130 + in a 2,800 lb Challenger footbraking.

Manton makes an 11/32" pushrod

I used a roller with offset MRL lifters and also used the Hughes BB Victor intake rockers and standard BB exhausts, my pushrods are fairly straight by W2 standards anyway.

It is the mopar cam, he wants to run it for now and switch to a solid roller after a couple years getting used to the car and working out bugs, letting the wallet recover... Solid rollers are gonna make the problems worse

BTW the bottom end is real nice, SCAT crank, crower 6.5" rods super light pistons, 71 really thick wall block...

I spoke with Terry Manton at length back before he passed when I was putting together my 416 I was running a .690 lift solid roller with springs that had 742lbs over the nose.
My head and rocker combo would not allow a 3/8 push rod on the intake he assured me that his series 3 pushrod 5/16x.118 wall would do just fine and it did.
I shifted at 7800 every shift never a pushrod issue.
Now I did have a short deck height of 9.350 so that kept the pushrod on the short side but that motor is still together running great 5 years later and hundreds of passes.

So I am back to working on this tird and got beehive springs to make rocker/retainer clearance so that is no longer an issue.

Back to the PR Tube I got them all to clear but the last one, it went through the port... so where can I get sleeves for the PR holes? I am ordering 5/16 PRs now and gonna sleeve all the PR holes...

After this I am so done with w2s. We bought these heads and rockers together just figuring it would all go together but nooooooo!

PS I wish I could find the angry face guys and hammerin guys and blow torch cartoon guys to let everyone know how frusterated I am with this!

Hobby centers carry the thin wall brass tubing in
multiple sizes

My local Ace Hardware store stocks it.


http://www.ksmetals.com/26.html

Thats the same stuff I get at the hobby shop

So it looks like the holes are .720 according to my sliding calipers, could I put 3/4 tube in it if I freeze it and heat the head to about 200*?

Why not take them to a machine shop and have the ream to the correct size and install the tubes?

You wont change it .030 .. drill it undersize and
do a light press with JB Weld on it..I also covered
the ends to make sure they sealed... I actually used
a adjustable reamer to make the finished hole

I've only built a few w2 motors, and it was almost 20 years ago.
It sounds to me like the rockers don't have enough offset. Are you sure you have w2 rockers and not t/a rockers?
I used the "econo" heads with T & D rockers(1.55 ratio) and had to do very little grinding.

Also, I don't think the iron rockers (if not bushed) and 8000rpm are going to get along very well.

Which W2 castings are you working on? Race or Econo castings? when I put 9secondPhil W2 motor together years ago with the race W2 heads I don't remember any isuues with the rockers or valve train anywhere It was a low compression pump gas combination set up for NOS so he could drive it anywhere, it had a custom grind Comp Cams solid lifter cam in it also It did have the extruded aluminum Crane W2 rockers that Mopar sold back then so maybe that had something to do with the no problems

I wonder the same thing as Fast68Plymouth. My dad and I just built a W2 headed motor and had no trouble with 3/8" pushrods on a solid roller with around a .700 lift. This was with Erson 1.6 rockers on non econo heads.

Everybody wants to shift their 9 second or slower small block Mopar engines at 8000 RPM. Except me, LMAO.

RPM=Ruins People Motors lol

EDIT, I didn't realize this was such an old post and I had already said this haha

Ran w2 heads for many years with mopar 590 cam...and 3/8 pushrod,,,1st several years with bushed ductile mp rockers..and then last time with crane 1.6 aluminum using the same pushrods...never had to grind the rockers.

Dang nab it, they are TA rockers. Still think I can fix everything and use em with smaller diameter PRs.

If they are original TA OEM rocker...I would sell them and find something else..

How much are they worth and what else is out there? Seems anything else is $1000+ is there anything cheaper that will work ?

There was a guy over at FABO looking for a set of TA rockers...I bet they are worth pretty close to a grand...if they are in good shape.


http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=334062&highlight=rockers

Crane still has the left and right w2 rocker 1.6 ratio available at summit...and the exhaust are just standard A engine rockers...

stands are available from link below which are less expensive then MP..the shafts are the killer...about 300 bucks for a set since they are offset drilled.

http://www.billetracingparts.com/Rocker%20Stands.html

I have stands and shafts already, I guess I could sell the rockers and just buy new rockers to slide on them.

Actually now I look at it more it looks like someone offset drilled the hole in the TA shafts to work on W2 heads, is that acceptable? I did all that work getting geometry where I wanted now I am going to have to do it all over...

I guess I should be clear can I use the crane rollers on the stock bannana groove shaft? Could I use the cranes on the intakes and bushed and nutted 273 rockers on the exhaust?

The Cranes and the Mopar brand are extruded aluminum, not ductile iron so the shafts need to match the rocker material I don't now if your shafts for the ductile iron will work or not Call Crane and ask for Chase Knight and ask him

dont know why not...the exhaust w2 is a standard rocker..so if the standard crane roller rocker will work a stock bannana grove shaft...and it works on a offset drilled shaft...

I ordered two lefts and two rights 1.6 rockers today...need a couple spares before they stop making them...LOL

I have posted this picture in the past, but I will show it again now. It should help those who are not aware of the larger offset that the W2/W5 intake rocker arms had over the T/A intake rocker arms.