Rocker Arm Swap
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Rochester
Rocker Arm Swap
I've been reading through post and seeing people using rocker arms from a chebby 250. I was wondering if anyone could give me some more info on doing this swap? If you do this do you need to change the springs or is it a direct swap of jus the rocker arms? Also, I have a been searching summit racing and found some rocker arms can anyone tell me if these are the correct ones? COMP Cams 1261-12 - COMP Cams High Energy Rocker Arms - Overview - SummitRacing.com
Im in the process of a port and polish on another head I got and want to put the chebby rocker arms on it. I read that its a pretty good bang for you buck as a cheap performance gain. Would doing this be ok on a pretty much stock internal engine? I've just got the offy dp intake and efi manifolds. Anything else need to be done to do this swap? Any help appreciated. Thanks
Im in the process of a port and polish on another head I got and want to put the chebby rocker arms on it. I read that its a pretty good bang for you buck as a cheap performance gain. Would doing this be ok on a pretty much stock internal engine? I've just got the offy dp intake and efi manifolds. Anything else need to be done to do this swap? Any help appreciated. Thanks
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,196
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From: Near Los Angeles
You can walk into any Auto Zone and ask for oem rockers for a '75 Chevy C-10 with a 250 I6. They will increase your v. lift by about 25-.030".
However, it is an easy swap for the early heads, 83 and older.
A pedestal mount 300 head can use stud mount rockers if you use a pushrod guidplate conversion kit. I have intsalled it on my 90 cyl head and it all works just fine. Crane part number 36655-16 will give you 3/8 studs and guideplate for 5/16 pushrods. If you go this route hardened pushrods are not required becuse the kit has nylon inserts in the guidplates. I had to mix a couple of kits on mine cause I needed 7/16 studs for BBC rockers I already had. It is best for long life of the nylon inserts if you polish the pushrods to make sure there are no burrs on them. This is easy to do in a drill.
This conversion kit will also make your valvtrain adjustable.
Over on Fordsix.com they have an entire section regarding this swap. Go the the FAQ section in the forum. Good luck.
However, it is an easy swap for the early heads, 83 and older.
A pedestal mount 300 head can use stud mount rockers if you use a pushrod guidplate conversion kit. I have intsalled it on my 90 cyl head and it all works just fine. Crane part number 36655-16 will give you 3/8 studs and guideplate for 5/16 pushrods. If you go this route hardened pushrods are not required becuse the kit has nylon inserts in the guidplates. I had to mix a couple of kits on mine cause I needed 7/16 studs for BBC rockers I already had. It is best for long life of the nylon inserts if you polish the pushrods to make sure there are no burrs on them. This is easy to do in a drill.
This conversion kit will also make your valvtrain adjustable.
Over on Fordsix.com they have an entire section regarding this swap. Go the the FAQ section in the forum. Good luck.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,196
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From: Near Los Angeles
Look at the roller rocker section too. There they have a photo of a chevy rocker beside the Ford rocker, mounted on an early 240 head.
The rockers shown in the link you posted are the ones you want. But if you get them from a local parts house you won't have to pay the postage.
The rockers shown in the link you posted are the ones you want. But if you get them from a local parts house you won't have to pay the postage.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Rochester
Dang I wish I would have known that before I got my other head! I got one off a 85 or 86 300. I would have got it off an older one. I read through the pages on FordSix lots of good info. Would I need to get new springs or can I use the old ones? Was that guideplate converstion kit fairly easy to put on? Any other tips for doing this swap?
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,196
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From: Near Los Angeles
I did not do the conversion you are concerned with. I just copy/pasted from the other forum for you.
I have an 81 head and converted to bbc roller rockers that I found at the swap meet for $100. The bbc rollers are cheap and easy to find on ebay. I already had screw in 3/8" studs, but 7/16" are more common. If you go that route, you can buy the studs (3/8" into the head to 7/16 at the rocker) for about $37 on Summit, make by ARP.
I would think about milling the head to bump compression, thereby adding hp.
Lots of the guys at FSF used oe springs with chevy 250 rocker swap.
I have an 81 head and converted to bbc roller rockers that I found at the swap meet for $100. The bbc rollers are cheap and easy to find on ebay. I already had screw in 3/8" studs, but 7/16" are more common. If you go that route, you can buy the studs (3/8" into the head to 7/16 at the rocker) for about $37 on Summit, make by ARP.
I would think about milling the head to bump compression, thereby adding hp.
Lots of the guys at FSF used oe springs with chevy 250 rocker swap.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 407
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From: Rochester
Hey I've got another question for you. I'm wanting to put in a cam down the road. Should I just buy the whole cam set and not waste my money on changing the rockers arms since if I get a cam they are cam specific? Also did you install your cam yourself? How hard is it to install one? If you could tell me what one one you would recomend? I'm confused on them and this is all new never did any of this stuff to a motor lol. I mise well do that why I got the the head off and I want to change the timing gears anyways. Thanks for the help and info!
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,196
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From: Near Los Angeles
You need to decide what you want from a cam, performance, power, radical idle, mpg, etc. If you are going to change the cam, then 100% I would get the cam kit, with v. springs, etc. Compcams makes a great mild cam for towing and general performance: 260. Iskinarian makes a similiar one, the Isky 256. If you go with more duration (how long the valves stay open) you will hear it lope at idle with about 262 degrees. Some guys got to hear that lope. Most companies will have a little write up about their cams. Go into the tech sections of their site and read about cams. Decide what you want out of a cam, and then educate yourself a bit.
I don't know how your grill comes apart, but I had to take the entire grill off, and remove radiator too!! to change the cam out. Be careful. It may be a major PIA to swap out the crank gear. I left mine, but with high mileage on an engine, I would not recommend changing only one. Change none or both. Replace with all steel gears from the early models. Cloyes are supposed to be the best.
When you start your truck, make sure you have added the hp additive to oil, with zinc and all the good stuff needed to break in a cam. DO NOT run it under 1500 rpm for the first 20 minutes. The cam is lubed with splash from crank.
If you are changing the cam, then leave the oe rockers. Smooth the exhaust runners, polish the bowls, do a 30 degree back cut, 3 angle valve job. You will be amazed by the difference.
I don't know how your grill comes apart, but I had to take the entire grill off, and remove radiator too!! to change the cam out. Be careful. It may be a major PIA to swap out the crank gear. I left mine, but with high mileage on an engine, I would not recommend changing only one. Change none or both. Replace with all steel gears from the early models. Cloyes are supposed to be the best.
When you start your truck, make sure you have added the hp additive to oil, with zinc and all the good stuff needed to break in a cam. DO NOT run it under 1500 rpm for the first 20 minutes. The cam is lubed with splash from crank.
If you are changing the cam, then leave the oe rockers. Smooth the exhaust runners, polish the bowls, do a 30 degree back cut, 3 angle valve job. You will be amazed by the difference.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Rochester
Yeah that is what I'm gonna do put a cam in it. I want one with good power and good milage want a good idle smooth. I've been looking on summit at their cams. Another question I got is do you have to time the cams? I seen on a tv show of them using the timing wheels andstuff to time cams. I didn't know on our motors if we had to? Thanks
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I haven't done a cam swap myself yet, but am wanting to and have been doing a little looking around. The 252 and 256 seem to be a good candidate for "good power and mileage". I don't do much, if any towing with mine, so it's all about performance. 
Here's an interesting program that CompCams has.
CamQuest 6 -FREE Download from COMP Cams
Interesting to play around with and see how the numbers change.
Here's an interesting program that CompCams has.
CamQuest 6 -FREE Download from COMP Cams
Interesting to play around with and see how the numbers change.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,196
Likes: 387
From: Near Los Angeles
Yeah that is what I'm gonna do put a cam in it. I want one with good power and good milage want a good idle smooth. I've been looking on summit at their cams. Another question I got is do you have to time the cams? I seen on a tv show of them using the timing wheels andstuff to time cams. I didn't know on our motors if we had to? Thanks
Buy good quality assembly lube, and use it everywhere, lobes, journals, coating the lifters, p. rod ends, r. arm ends. Be careful of the cam bearing when removing/installing the cam. New lifters are a must. Don't spend more than about $60 for the lifters. They will most likely come with the kit. Get the kit! Springs, locks, retainers, shims for the springs on Isky, lifters.
If you are pre EFI, then you might want to consider milling the head a bit to acheive higher compression, a bit more hp.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Rochester
Yeah I definatley am going to get a kit!! I'm planning on doing all the stuff myself. Gotta lot of research still to do but gonna attempt to do it all. I got my haynes book out and read about removing the crank and cam gears and install and removal of the cam and stuff. Cleared things up alot. When you installed your cam did you drop the oil pan and remove the pump? It says to in that manual but I don't see why you would need to?
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,196
Likes: 387
From: Near Los Angeles
Yeah I definatley am going to get a kit!! I'm planning on doing all the stuff myself. Gotta lot of research still to do but gonna attempt to do it all. I got my haynes book out and read about removing the crank and cam gears and install and removal of the cam and stuff. Cleared things up alot. When you installed your cam did you drop the oil pan and remove the pump? It says to in that manual but I don't see why you would need to?
If I were you, I would buy the Cloyes timing gear set, all metal. Some NEW t. gear sets will knock. To avoid that, I would spend the $100 on a Cloyes set from Summit Racing.
Also, use only FELPRO head gaskets. They make 3 for your engine: cheap, heavy duty, and high performance. Get the heavy duty one.
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Rochester
Hey AB, that program is freakin sweet!! I had a dyno simulator similar to that but could never get it totally figured out had to much stuff to put in! With this one you can really compare between the cams. I think I am going to lean alittle more toward a 260duration cam now!
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