Author Topic: TA roller rockers for the nailhead  (Read 5937 times)

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Offline BuickGSrules

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TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« on: September 18, 2011, 12:15:52 PM »
I finally mounted the set of TA roller rockers I had on the shelf and all I can say is, if the car reacts on the street as it sounds like it will, the this will be fun. Rain has been coming non stop all day so I have had no chance to test drive, but idle and the way it just revs up is so different from the stock rockers.
Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
1966 Wildcat 3 speed 1 of 23
1970 GS350 4 speed delete car

Offline GranSportSedan

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2011, 01:28:12 PM »
I plan on getting a set of the TA rockers too. they are very nice and the fact they are full roller and include shafts and stands is a big plus in my book
Bob
1966 Special Deluxe
1941 Buick Sedanette
2021 Jeep Gladiator Diesel

Offline dsags

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2011, 03:47:23 PM »
Jan, looking good.  :hello:  Is there anything special that needs to be done to make sure there is clearance between the valves and the pistons ?

Dan
1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline WkillGS

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2011, 11:04:26 PM »
The roller rockers have more ratio than the stockers...that will produce more total lift. But V-P clearance on a Nailhead is tightest near TDC when the exhaust is closing and the intake is opening....the extra ratio of the rockers will affect v-p clearance only about 0.020" with a stock cam.... really not too significant.
If you install a cam with a lot more duration, or tighter lobe centers, you'll have to check v-p clearance.

Rumor has it the TA roller rockers won't fit under the BUICK alum valve covers. And I believe they oil differently..... thru the pushrods instead of thru the shafts....requiring extra cost pushrods.
Best to contact TA and Tom Telesco to compare the two available versions of the roller rockers.
I'm using Tom's rockers on new shafts and reusing the stock stands, spacer springs and pushrods.....with excellent results. :thumbsup:
Walt K
Eastern Pa

66 GS Astro Blue/blue 425 auto
66 GS Silver Mist/black 401 4 spd
66 GS Flame Red/black 401 5 spd
66 GS Saddle Mist/black 401 L76 auto
66 Special Flame Red/black 300 5 spd
65 GS vert Verde Green/ Saddle buckets 401 4 spd
79 Turbo Regal

Offline BuickGSrules

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2011, 01:15:12 PM »
No need for worry about piston clearence, if you don?t experiment with more lift. They oil through the shafts as stock ones do, so nothing different there. I had made new TA pushrods with more lenght and stronger, but again not required but just for being sure. Correct they can?t be used with stock alu covers, so there the Telesco ones are better. I just bought these when I visited TA in ?08, because I did not have a spare set of stock rockers to send to Tom. I may say that these ones are really nice made, and I can?t wait to get the GS on the road. If it just would stop raining :glasses9:
Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
1966 Wildcat 3 speed 1 of 23
1970 GS350 4 speed delete car

Offline BuickGSrules

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2011, 12:51:31 PM »
Ok, did test drive the car today and holy beeeeeep, when it was warm I drove around 50 mph, put my foot down and both wheels was just spinning until I hit around 75 mph and it changed to second and it just catch the rpm?s so much faster. Those things work :icon_biggrin:
Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
1966 Wildcat 3 speed 1 of 23
1970 GS350 4 speed delete car

Offline wildcat65

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2011, 07:59:35 AM »
Cool.   Do they fit under the stamped steel covers? 
Ted Nagel         65 Skylark GS 4-speed + Wildcats + GS's

Offline BuickGSrules

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2011, 01:52:09 AM »
No they do not. You have to buy a set of TA?s taller ones. They are pretty neat, with nailhead stamped on the top. I believe the only ones that clear stock valve covers is Tom Telesco?s.
Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
1966 Wildcat 3 speed 1 of 23
1970 GS350 4 speed delete car

Offline 66GSconv.

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2011, 04:19:11 PM »
I also bought some of the T/A roller rocker's. And when I talk to Sherry at T/A, I ask her about the clearance of the stamp valve covers and she told me that they would work fine. It also says that on there web page.
Did you try the stamp valve covers?
greg

Offline BuickGSrules

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2011, 04:44:26 AM »
No, I have not tried that. If I remember right I was told that they not would fit under those :dontknow:
Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
1966 Wildcat 3 speed 1 of 23
1970 GS350 4 speed delete car

Offline BuickGSrules

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2012, 12:27:06 PM »
Got to let you guys in here have this information. This is NOT written to give TA bad credit or anything, just an information.

After installing my TA Roller Rockers the car started to make a big blue cloud when getting started. Well, this was in the late fall last year and I had decided to rebuilt my engine so no big deal. My conclusion at that time was the because of the extra lift I had scuffed the old valve stems and therefore more oil was coming down to the chamber.
After rebuilding the engine with heads done with new stems and everything, it still made a blue cloud when started. I know that a nailhead runs with wet valves and can make some smoke at start up. After making an experiment and installing the stock rockers there is no more smoke at start up. After inspecting the TA rollers I found that there is much more oil in the shafts and at each bearing at the rocker tip there is a oiling hole that should feed the bearing with oil and keep it lubricated and therefore there is poured alot of oil on the valve spring and around the stem.
My conclusion is that if you use the TA rollers then you are in need of a seal on your valves to prevent the oil from coming down the valve stem.

With that said there is a BIG gain with the rollers performancewise, but if I put rollers on again it will be Tom T?s.
Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
1966 Wildcat 3 speed 1 of 23
1970 GS350 4 speed delete car

Offline Brian

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #11 on: July 11, 2012, 03:19:04 PM »
I put full roller rockers on my 64 300 engine.  The 300 as well as the 401 nailhead feed oil to the rockers through a drilling in the head that feeds the rocker shaft.  Because of this, you have lots of oil flowing out of the needle bearings on the shaft since the oil flow was designed for a bushing that is not free flowing like a needle bearing.  I lost about 20 lbs of oil pressure and it flooded the valve cover area on my 64.  Solution was a 1/6" restrictor orifice in the oil pasage in the head feeding oil to the rockers.  If you do the same on your engine, it should cure your problem. 
'64 Skylark 2dr ht 4 speed, 300-4
'65 GS ht, 4 speed,2-4s,AC,PS,PB,PW,Pseat,Tilt
'66 Skylark 2dr ht 300-2 automatic
'78 Yamaha DT 400 2 stroke
'88 Ford F-150 4x4 (used to be 4x2)
'89 Ford F-350 4x4
'03 Honda Accord Coupe V6 6-speed manual (daily driver)

Offline WkillGS

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2012, 11:28:49 PM »
Solution was a 1/6" restrictor orifice in the oil passage in the head feeding oil to the rockers.  If you do the same on your engine, it should cure your problem.

Tom T also mentioned an oil restrictor in the head could be used (I don't recall the size), but never said anything about excessive oil flow with his rockers.
I'm using a set of his rockers on my red '66 and haven't noticed any issues with low oil pressure or excessive flow up top.

Buick did use valve stem seals in 1966, on the intakes only. Valve guide needs to be machined to use them.

Brian, who makes rollers for the 300's?
Walt K
Eastern Pa

66 GS Astro Blue/blue 425 auto
66 GS Silver Mist/black 401 4 spd
66 GS Flame Red/black 401 5 spd
66 GS Saddle Mist/black 401 L76 auto
66 Special Flame Red/black 300 5 spd
65 GS vert Verde Green/ Saddle buckets 401 4 spd
79 Turbo Regal

Offline wheelz

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #13 on: December 05, 2014, 11:53:58 AM »
Guys..I want to REkindle this thread regarding Tom T's rockers.  I know its been awhile since Tom produced his original Rocker sets and I know, from emailing him about a year ago, he was trying manufacture a stronger rocker shaft... I should try to contact Tom hiseff and ask, but, has anyone heard for certain, IF Tom is getting close to having new sets available anytime soon?    :dontknow:

Wheelz, Tampa Bay

Wheelz, Tampa Bay

Offline Brian

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Re: TA roller rockers for the nailhead
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2014, 03:59:59 PM »
To answer Wal'ts question from along time ago that I didn't see--the roller rockers in my 300 came from T&D machine.  They make them to fit the 215 and they are the same for a 300.  I had to have them fly cut a relief in the bottom of mine to clear the larger diameter valve springs I put in my 64 300 when I built it (double springs). 
'64 Skylark 2dr ht 4 speed, 300-4
'65 GS ht, 4 speed,2-4s,AC,PS,PB,PW,Pseat,Tilt
'66 Skylark 2dr ht 300-2 automatic
'78 Yamaha DT 400 2 stroke
'88 Ford F-150 4x4 (used to be 4x2)
'89 Ford F-350 4x4
'03 Honda Accord Coupe V6 6-speed manual (daily driver)