Stock Stroke 340 Build with NC Engine Builder
Now the fun with the heads really started. The PRW rockers are pretty nice pieces but they fit horribly on these heads and need to move up and away from the valves to avoid the springs, which in this case were only 1.470” diameter. Maybe this isn’t a standard size or the pockets were shrunk to fit them but Shawn was having trouble finding something to fit. After some looking around he found some new ones on his shelves somewhere that would fit the bill. He seems to have a lot of “stuff” on hand.
We were discussing several options for fixing the geometry including having him do the shims, B3 do the shims, topping the saddles and doing blocks like a W2 head, who was going to cut the shafts, etc. I was in talks with Mike at B3 a couple years ago and took all the measurements, but hadn’t pulled the trigger because I didn’t know what cam I’d be running back then. In the end B3’s schedule couldn’t get us in the timeframe I needed in order to pick up the engine on my next trip in March. We decided that it didn’t make sense to have Shawn do the shims or shafts, when I have the capability at home with my mill and lathe, but just hadn’t got it done before. The quick and dirty solution was to put on a set of 273 style rockers from Crane which he had and were already clearance. That gets us going. I will have some time before the motor is in the car and will arrange for the shims with B3 to finish the job, and I also have a set of 273 rockers as backup. This is significant though because we now have .026” less lift on the intake valve with the 1.5 ratio rocker.
Now the fun with the heads really started. The PRW rockers are pretty nice pieces but they fit horribly on these heads and need to move up and away from the valves to avoid the springs, which in this case were only 1.470” diameter. Maybe this isn’t a standard size or the pockets were shrunk to fit them but Shawn was having trouble finding something to fit. After some looking around he found some new ones on his shelves somewhere that would fit the bill. He seems to have a lot of “stuff” on hand.
We were discussing several options for fixing the geometry including having him do the shims, B3 do the shims, topping the saddles and doing blocks like a W2 head, who was going to cut the shafts, etc. I was in talks with Mike at B3 a couple years ago and took all the measurements, but hadn’t pulled the trigger because I didn’t know what cam I’d be running back then. In the end B3’s schedule couldn’t get us in the timeframe I needed in order to pick up the engine on my next trip in March. We decided that it didn’t make sense to have Shawn do the shims or shafts, when I have the capability at home with my mill and lathe, but just hadn’t got it done before. The quick and dirty solution was to put on a set of 273 style rockers from Crane which he had and were already clearance. That gets us going. I will have some time before the motor is in the car and will arrange for the shims with B3 to finish the job, and I also have a set of 273 rockers as backup. This is significant though because we now have .026” less lift on the intake valve with the 1.5 ratio rocker.