5.3 Build Questions
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
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Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Grand Rapids, Michigan
No. LS engines do not need any sort of guideplates. Or are you talking about valve guides? If you're talking about valve guides, it's not likely you'll need them, but you can have a machine shop measure the valves and guides to see if there's wear.
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Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 62
Likes: 7
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LS rockers are essentially a shaft-mount system. Not exactly, butt the trunnion that the rocker rotates around, is somewhat firmly affixed to the head without any (or at least, minimal) possibility to move.
So, NO, your engine doesn't need "guides", in the sense of something like old-skool SBC, where the rocker was mounted on a ball and could pivot absolutely anywhere (in stock trim I'm talking about), and SOMETHING had to keep it in the right place. Either the hole in the head that the push rod went through to hold the push rod in the right place, or guide plates which did basically the same thing except with MUCH better leverage on the rocker, or "self-aligning" rockers that had a ridge on either side of the area at the valve stem that held the rocker firmly to the valve itself. One AND ONLY ONE of those systems had to be in effect at all times. These engines aren't like that though.
Valve guides are a WHOLE OTHER matter. Those are the things that go through in the head that the valve slides up and down in. Those DO wear out; so it's not impossible that a machine shop might have told you that the heads need new guides, if the valves are sloppy in what's there now.
So, NO, your engine doesn't need "guides", in the sense of something like old-skool SBC, where the rocker was mounted on a ball and could pivot absolutely anywhere (in stock trim I'm talking about), and SOMETHING had to keep it in the right place. Either the hole in the head that the push rod went through to hold the push rod in the right place, or guide plates which did basically the same thing except with MUCH better leverage on the rocker, or "self-aligning" rockers that had a ridge on either side of the area at the valve stem that held the rocker firmly to the valve itself. One AND ONLY ONE of those systems had to be in effect at all times. These engines aren't like that though.
Valve guides are a WHOLE OTHER matter. Those are the things that go through in the head that the valve slides up and down in. Those DO wear out; so it's not impossible that a machine shop might have told you that the heads need new guides, if the valves are sloppy in what's there now.
Oooof. If I’m talking to a tech guy and he asks me if my LS engine was going to use guide plates…conversation over. That’s a great example of an AutoZone counter guy turned tech guy.
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Staging Lane
Joined: May 2024
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LOL I gotcha.
Next up is the harmonic balancer. then motor mounts ill be reusing the calm shells since I already had a sbc v8 in it.
Anyone on here have a picture of the motor mounts they used to run a truck pan in a G-body. Also will be re-using truck intake manifold if possible
Next up is the harmonic balancer. then motor mounts ill be reusing the calm shells since I already had a sbc v8 in it.
Anyone on here have a picture of the motor mounts they used to run a truck pan in a G-body. Also will be re-using truck intake manifold if possible
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From: Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, Texas
The pushrods you received are OE-style steel units made for mild, low-lift cams. For something like a Sloppy Stage 2 cam, we’d recommend a 5/16" Chromoly pushrod with an .080" wall, such as the BTC-PR7400312-16. That’s a better fit for the cam’s lift and required spring pressure.
If you're interested, we’d be happy to help with an exchange. Just send us a PM and we can get it in motion. If you remember who you spoke with, feel free to include that so we can share the feedback with our team.
Thanks again for speaking up. It helps us get better.
