Edelbrock Perf RPM heads with stock valve train

[Garys1969RR]

Has anyone here used the Edelbrock Performer RPM heads on a big block with stock valve train? (stamped steel rocker arms). Eddy says you can only use the stock rocker arms with a stock lift cam. Were talkin around .460" lift, Right? I would like to know if a .509" lift cam will work on the Eddy heads with stock rocker gear. Any experience out there with this arrangement?

 

[IQ52]

I don't believe it has a thing to do with whether or not the stock rockers will physically fit on the heads with the higher lifts.

The problem is with the rockers themselves. I've seen many stock rockers with the pushrods poked right through them and into the valve covers because of the spring pressures and the rpms associated with bigger lift cams. They fit the RPM heads, the rocker arms fail. Edelbrock valve springs have 140-150# on the seat, stock cam springs have 100-130#. Edlebrock springs are 300+lbs @ .500" lift and stock springs are 210-250 lbs. A stock cam will run out of RPM @ 5,000-5,200 and the 509 with zero preload will pull to 6,000 RPM. That's a lot of extra beating.

 

[lewtot184]

been playing with some edelbrock rpms. the seat pressures at 1.88 were close to 135lbs and open pressures were around 325 at 1.35. a little heavy for stock rockers but they will bolt up ok. the big issue I ran across was rocker geometry. checked with crane gold and crane iron. this is a must to look at! don't assume anything will fit. I had to shim the stands plus buy longer push rods. these heads are not a true bolt on.

 

[lewtot184]

ran into another snag with the eddie heads. fill tube for the tranny will have to modified to clear the "slabs" on the ends of the heads.


p.s., I really do like my old iron heads.

 

[Gpuller]

ran into another snag with the eddie heads. fill tube for the tranny will have to modified to clear the "slabs" on the ends of the heads.


p.s., I really do like my old iron heads.

That's good to hear, nobody says anything about the trans tube.

 

[Garys1969RR]

Well that explains why this 65 Belvedere with Eddy RPM heads has the tranny fill tube coming up behind the intake manifold. Was wondering why, now I know. Thanks!

 

[Rocketman]

Has anyone here used the Edelbrock Performer RPM heads on a big block with stock valve train? (stamped steel rocker arms). Eddy says you can only use the stock rocker arms with a stock lift cam. Were talkin around .460" lift, Right? I would like to know if a .509" lift cam will work on the Eddy heads with stock rocker gear. Any experience out there with this arrangement?

I have a .545 lift cam from COMP CAMS and was told right off the bat adjustable rockers and new push rods would have to be used when I purchased the Edelbrock 2087 top end kit.

 

[sleepar]

The cam springs lifters and rockers need to all match... the length of the rods depends on that set-up plus or minus the head and block decking. Preferably from the same company.... I like crane cams

 

[Meep-Meep]

I wouldn't even think about using stock rockers on anything unless it was a stock build (i.e. stock valve spring pressures).

 

[Garys1969RR]

I have a .545 lift cam from COMP CAMS and was told right off the bat adjustable rockers and new push rods would have to be used when I purchased the Edelbrock 2087 top end kit.

So how do you like the .545 lift cam? Did you use adjustable valve train?

 

[Jim Bob The Dancing Bear]

I assume that the stock push rods will not withstand the spring pressures also. (that is if they happened to be the correct length)

 

[minnesota guy]

The Mopar Performance brand replacement stamped steel rockers will work. They are much thicker and easily support any hydraulic cam with higher valve spring pressures. I use them currently with Lunati dual springs and damper, for 10 years and they have no issues. The push rod area is much thicker on these. Yes, factory rockers are junk. My buddy pushed the push rods up to the valve covers with a 509 cam and a little larger spring.

 

[mopardave64]

Two comments:
1) The ramp curve of the cam to get .509" lift is much more aggressive than stock, so the stamped rockers are not recommended. I think the theory behind it is due to the spring pressures and forces of the valve train components caused by such an agreesive curve. I had a 288R grind solid roller cam from Comp with a .550" lift, using the "pretty gold" 1.6:1 roller rockers (so the lift was even higher), the valve train was very noisy and broke twice. (That roller rocker set-up sucked - I couldn't wait to get it out of that engine.) I pulled the big cam, went with the hydraulic flat tappet 270/270 with .486 lift and am now going back to the stock rockers (engine will be running again after I reassemble and paint).
2) I purchased Mopar Performance rockers, part #s P4529477 and P4529476, which were supposed to be the magnum rockers (thicker). I compared the thickness of the steel between some used rockers I bought via ebay (supposed to the magnums), my stock 1964 383, and the new parts, and all measured .135" +/-,005".

 

[Kern Dog]

The Comp cams wording was that "Premium valvetrain RECOMMENDED". If it was absolutely mandatory, they should state it that way.
I ran the 292/509 on stock replacement MP rocker arms for many miles and the geometry was fine. I then switched to the Comp XE285HL. In less than 2000 miles the valve stems had worn enough to the point that I replaced 7 intakes and 5 exhausts. The added lift really did need the adjustable setup with better parts. I was too cheap to step up.
I currently run harland Sharps and wonder why I was such a cheap ***. The adjustability has allowed me a wider array of cams. I've embraced solids. I'm pulling the Lunati to run the MP 528 for better street manners. After reading about the various Hydraulic lifters that fail either internally or from poor oiling, I really like these EDM solid lifters.

 

[Moparmatt72]

When I first built my 440 I had stock bottom end, 906 heads with bigger valves and dual springs ran the mopar .509 cam hydralic with stock rockers no problems, ran it for 3 years until I parked tge car for a long while. Not saying things can't go wrong just for me never did.

 

[minnesota guy]

That is a very common set up for alot of folks. You won't seen failures especially if you used the Mopar Performance factory replacement rockers. The 509 is not that aggressive.

 

[bb67dart]

I have been using OOTB Eddy heads with the replacement HD rockers, and Comp's purple plus 509 grind for years now. No problems whatsoever. I'm also using stock replacement pushrods from Summit ($30 I think), no problems there either.

Just make sure your preload isn't too much when you're tightening down the rocker shaft.

 

[Garys1969RR]

The thing is still working great! Stock valve train, 915 heads, 509 cam! Best E T so far of 12.42@110. At 5600 feet.