I've been researching aftermarket heads for my car. I'm aiming towards a set of AFR or TSF heads. Both reccommend roller rockers due to the bronze guides used. I also see alot of mention that bronze wears out quicker.

So, what I havent saw is "how quick" is quicker? Assuming I got roller rockers as suggested (YT's perhaps) how long could I expect the guides to last before needing replaced? I dont expect a 200k engine here, but I'd like not to pull the heads off every 20-25k either.

I've saw where the TFS can have the bronze upgraded to powdered metal as well. If I did this could I forgo the roller rockers and have "stock like" reliability with aftermarket heads?

Appreciate feedback

 

Yes powdered metal should wear like stock....

 

I have found a poor rocker wipe pattern will wear the bronze guides in 8K miles. I am running AFR's with Yella Terra rockers. I spent a lot of time setting up the rockers so that the wipe pattern is 0.045" wide (very narrow).

 

/agree on the powdered metal. I have about 8k on my PRC heads and the guides show almost no sign of wear. I am using rollers as well.

I know CCW is supper picky about the offsets of their wheels but I was wondering what yours were. Mine are 18x10 +50 square and am looking for a staggered setup.

I almost miss my stock rear wing. Had to remove it because of some cancer it was causing.

 

Sorry to hijack the thread but what about steel valve guides, are they stronger than powdered metal guides? Saw the option over bronze on texas speeds website, I wanted to run stock rockers.

 

8-10k miles showing wear is not uncommon with bronze guides and use of stock rockers. With roller rockers, it shouldn't be an issue.

PM guides allow the use of stock rockers, which are lighter and will provide more RPM stability.

 

With bronze and roller rockers how long should I expect? I've saw plenty of reports of early wear on bronze with stock rockers. Can I expect 60 or 70k with roller and bronze? Think I'm leaning towards pm guides but trying to learn all I can before making the jump. Thanks guys!

Exidous - they are 18 x 10.5 with 7.75 back spacing on all 4 wheels. Running 1/4 spacer in the rear. It's about the most you can fit on the car without body mods or goofy camber stuff. I've got 285s all around. I think I could get 295 all around though on street tires. (Race tires tend to run wider)

 

I don't know. I wouldn't expect any sort of performance part to go that long to be honest. I would expect most of these engines to need, at the very minimum, inspection and possible tear down at the 30k mile mark. Valve springs probably sooner than that.

 

It probably really wouldn't go that long for me before I took it apart anyway. However I feel like if I can expect 20k only it'll make me constantly feel like I'm burning the clock every time I go for a long cruise on a nice weekend. Don't want anything to ruin the enjoyment for me since that's what it's all about anyway :-)

 

Well, valvesprings will definitely need to be checked every 10-15k miles or every year (whichever happens first) and probably replaced at the 30k mile mark.

 

My TFS heads with bronze guides and roller rockers had guide wear within a few thousand miles. Admittedly I didn't shim up the rockers for minimum wipe pattern.

I would spend the $125 on PM guides and not think twice about it. Do not shim the stock rockers.