1.6 RR's?
 

I know that most of you guys have added this mod to your vehicle. 97 Trans Am WS6 LT1 Ram Air. I recently purchased the cc503 cam kit with springs and retainers. Do you guys thinks its safe or a good idea to buy 1.6 RR's for stock heads? I dont wanna regret installing something so I would rather ask. Will there be any valve cover clearance issues? I have LT's, 3" exhaust and SLP airfoil. Any ideas or suggestions?:burn:

The LT4 hotcam kit is a little smaller at 218/228 and uses the 1.6s just fine. You should be able to google the max lift for your springs and heads and then look up a rocker calculator to be on the safe side.

x2 on that

I wouldn't google anything. I would call the people that made the cam & kit. If you bought the complete kit, which is the correct thing to do, they can give a correct answer.

depends mostly on the valve springs that came with the kit... consult the seller on that.

you will have to do some trimming in the valve covers to get the rockers to fit most likely, from the pictures ive seen its pretty easy though.

clearancing of the valve covers will depend on the brand of rocker used. My proform 1.6 rockers did not require clearancing but my friends comp pro mags did IIRC, so he ended up using composite vette valve covers.

If you end having to clearance though its not hard.

Well I have the LS Beehive springs which are rated at 625. Max lift.

If they were set to the correct assembled hight, and not just thrown on there, you should be fine. Do you know at what hight they were set up?

When I put the 918 beehives onto my stock heads they sat too low. 99% of the guys just slap them on and call it a day. If they sit too low on your application, there are a few ways to get them to proper install height. They make special locks that can raise the retainer up .050", or you can run a thinner shim under the spring (I can't remember how thick the stock spring cup is), but I don't think you'll gain much with that route.

I havent installed them yet. The kit came with locks and retainers for proper install height. I just dont want to install them and then figure out that i need to do some machining or go and find different valve covers. This is somewhat of a budget build. I rather ask now instead of pay later. Im trying to achieve 400hp. Any other suggestions to help with this goal?

Like others said, make sure you install the springs to the correct installed height whether you run the 1.6 rockers or not. Very important. Either have a machine shop install your spring kit if the heads are off.....or invest in a Height Micrometer and get the measurement right. Those things are less than $50.

As far as the rockers, the 1.6's are the most common ratio run on the cc503. It will still run alright with 1.5's...just not to it's full potential. I run Non Self Aligning rockers and use 7/16" studs along with guideplates and hardened pushrods. That usually ends up costing about $100-$200 more than just using Self Aligning rockers and stock pushrods, but it will give you a much nicer margin of safety since you will need to spin the cc503 a little over 6,000 rpm to reach it's sweet spot.
If I were you and the budget didn't allow for NSA rockers/guideplates/pushrods at this time, then I would just run the stock rockers and pushrods for a few months and save up.

The kit has no idea what cylinder heads you are putting them on. You need to use a tool to check the install height. The tool is right here:

http://summitracing.com/parts/pro-67390/overview/

https://static.summitracing.com/glob...ro-67390_w.jpg

You install the tool as though it is a spring, with the retainer and the lock at the top, then you loosen (extend) it all the way up until it can't move any more. Read the side and it will tell you the actual install height of your cylinder head, with your valve/lock combo.

^^^ There us go right there! That is the tool to use. You CAN'T safely just throw that shit on your engine! So many guys get in trouble doing that, then too often blame the parts for failing. There is an Assembled Hight number printed on the end of the valve spring box for a reason. Read it, use it. I'm afraid too many guys here may be learning things the hard and expensive way. Simply bolting this stuff together in the car in a day is just wrong. Unless you are just running over with dumb luck it's going to bite you. Either by being slow or breaking parts.

Will the 1.6 RR's give me a little more hp or just help the engine reach its full potential and run more efficiently?

Don't expect more than 5 rwhp. Doing it RIGHT will get you more power than different ratio rockers. Do you know how to degree the cam in correctly? Due to production tolerances, if you just bolt it in you have no clue where it actually is.

My fiance's dad is a master mechanic and fellow racer so this is where im learning majority of my technology and info from. I just decided to ask you guys these types of questions because these are primarily what you guys work on. So yall would know the ins and outs of this motor. I appreciate you a Ed. . . . . Ive only had my car for about a month and a half.

Sounds like you have some good guidance there. Listen to him.
Good luck.