Rover V8 rockers

[Chris71]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a set of rockers that could be dropped in as a replacement for the standard TVR/Rover items in a Chimaera 500?

They're for use in a relatively modest 'fast road' engine with standard pushrods and valve springs. The aim is to avoid spending hundreds on a full roller rocker setup or anything like that.

Cheers,

Chris

[Alexdaredevilz]

http://www.v8tuner.co.uk/product.php?id=443

[Chris71]

Alexdaredevilz said:

http://www.v8tuner.co.uk/product.php?id=443

Sounds promising. I wonder if that's the same as the steel set that Rimmer Bros sell?

[Alexdaredevilz]

Probaly, just buy any set there all the same its harldy a common proplem these breaking

Either go standard or roller rockers

[Chris71]

Alexdaredevilz said:

Probaly, just buy any set there all the same its harldy a common proplem these breaking

Either go standard or roller rockers

I'm getting conflicting advice about this.

A couple of people on the Chimaera forum said this was a known issue (we are talking about a 500, so I don't know if that runs different valve spring rates or something to the earlier engines maybe?) But the guy at V8tuner.co.uk reckoned I was best off getting the aluminium copies of the standard Land Rover ones for an engine that's predominantly used for the road.

[Alexdaredevilz]

Chris71 said:

Alexdaredevilz said:

Probaly, just buy any set there all the same its harldy a common proplem these breaking

Either go standard or roller rockers

I'm getting conflicting advice about this.

A couple of people on the Chimaera forum said this was a known issue (we are talking about a 500, so I don't know if that runs different valve spring rates or something to the earlier engines maybe?) But the guy at V8tuner.co.uk reckoned I was best off getting the aluminium copies of the standard Land Rover ones for an engine that's predominantly used for the road.

Just do a search on how many people have broken there rockers, im pretty sure its not alot to owner ratio

[clive f]

steel rockers are the way to go, fit and forget, but I believe they are hard to get hold of now,I bought a set from Paul at v8tuner a few years ago , also realsteel sell them I believe.

so many of the ali rover ones now are made in places like china, I bought 2 sets, each set lasting less than 500miles before the hardened pads fell of.

[Alexdaredevilz]

clive f said:

steel rockers are the way to go, fit and forget, but I believe they are hard to get hold of now,I bought a set from Paul at v8tuner a few years ago , also realsteel sell them I believe.

so many of the ali rover ones now are made in places like china, I bought 2 sets, each set lasting less than 500miles before the hardened pads fell of.

What cam/lifter/revs were you running?

[Chris71]

clive f said:

I bought 2 sets, each set lasting less than 500miles before the hardened pads fell of.

Have you checked the rest of the engine?

There are chinks in my oil pump impellor where something - presumably a bit of steel rocker pad - has gone through. The pump is still within tolerances, but it certainly hasn't been improved by the experience.

There were also suggestions on the Chim forum that one may have blocked an oilway or something and prompted the crankshaft failure the engine suffered. I've got no prior experience of these engines so I'm keeping an open mind, but it does sound plausible.

[clive f]

Alexdaredevilz said:

What cam/lifter/revs were you running?

from memory, it wass 3 years ago, a crower 232? or 233? along with crane high rev lifters, ended up going to adjustable pushrods and steel rockers. adjustable pushrods were a bit of extravagance on my part as they are normally used on solid/mechanical lifters, I just wanted ease of use in adjusting the pre load and having each one set correctly.

[Colin RedGriff]

I bought a steel set with shafts from v8tuner last year for my Griff 500 (standard cam as far as I know) - been happy since

[clive f]

Chris71 said:

Have you checked the rest of the engine?

There are chinks in my oil pump impellor where something - presumably a bit of steel rocker pad - has gone through. The pump is still within tolerances, but it certainly hasn't been improved by the experience.

There were also suggestions on the Chim forum that one may have blocked an oilway or something and prompted the crankshaft failure the engine suffered. I've got no prior experience of these engines so I'm keeping an open mind, but it does sound plausible.

I was very lucky, on both occassions found the whole pad in the pools of oil left in the top of the head.
the second set were probably made by Fu Mancho,sold by a chap who sells a whole range of stuff

[Chimpabollics]

Chris,

When I had my Stealth cam fitted at V8D I seem to remember Rob telling me he was having some pads made up in the States, or perhaps it was ally rockers with better more secure pads?

Either way it may me worth giving him a call?

Good luck with it, Dave.

[clive f]

what he says, if anyone can source reliably made ally rockers rob can.

[Chris71]

clive f said:

I was very lucky, on both occassions found the whole pad in the pools of oil left in the top of the head.
the second set were probably made by Fu Mancho,sold by a chap who sells a whole range of stuff

Well, there's at least two of us on this thread who've encountered rocker problems then!

I have heard it described as a fairly common fault elsewhere in TVR circles, so maybe that does point towards the steel rockers.

[macdeb]

clive f said:

I was very lucky, on both occassions found the whole pad in the pools of oil left in the top of the head.
the second set were probably made by Fu Mancho,sold by a chap who sells a whole range of stuff

That looks like the pad wasn't even touching the rocker to begin with. I noticed it because when I got a set from a local Land Rover 'specialist' and got the home, had a look and three of the pads were not pressed all the way home and stood proud of the rocker and the spigot? part? was showing from side on [if you see what I mean]. They looked like Rover items and were sold as Rover items but were clearly a cheap copy. Someone also pointed out the coding on the sides suggested all was not right. Annoying thing is when I took them back and pointed out the fault they thought I was being too fussy!!!!

[spend]

Cliffs original problems were compounded because he didn't change the valves (I gave him one of his trashed valves as a memento at Chatsworth a couple of years ago).

I'd prefer the ally to steel ones TBH as the lighter the valve train the better... but ally roller rockers are the way to go...

I've probably got several sets of serviceable ally ones which will be better than some flakey new ones, just get the id's bushed if neccessary to fit the shafts?

[richtvr]

Roller rockers rule! Fact

[Chris71]

It's about £300 for a set of roller rockers isn't it?

[rev-erend]

I'm not sure if any roller rockers are actually available for the RV8 anymore.

You can look out for Kenne Bell RR's or look for Yellaterra RR's .. the guy at V8 tuner would be a good person to ask as he has supplied the Yellaterras before.