jeff33702

New build will have cams - and I'd like to get the best, new rocker arms available. Patrick sells a $2800 "RSR" kit. What's the go-to setup lately? Able to save any money getting the right parts individually? Parts should be high-quality streetable - car will get driven. Just saying that if there are some great rockers that time-out after X hours, those aren't what I'm after

A914MAN

Unless you're going with very radical cams, factory parts should be fine

jeff33702

Thoughts on Pauter tool steel rockers?

Moriartyhlms

Hello Jeff, I agree with the previous poster that fancy rockers probably aren’t a noticeable improvement on most cars...but this doesn’t stop me wanting them. The thinking is that good aftermarket rockers are made to much tighter tolerances than oem, this hopefully taking some of the ‘slop’ out of timing differences between cylinders. Also, lighter and better toleranced rockers/valvetrains are beneficial in high rpm engines to combat valve float. Finally, I’ve read that some of the aftermarket rockers for these engines have longer follower pads allowing for more aggressive cam options.

If money was no object, I’d go 9m lightweight rockers, full DLC coatings on rockers and shafts and elephants feet, and 993-style cam carriers (mechanical rocker conversion).

The Pauter rockers look nice, but I’m drawn to the additional boxing on the 9m piece.

Some pictures:


993 rocker shafts, 9m rockers, DLC everything


993 cam carriers with 9m rockers


9m rockers, 993 shafts


9m on left, oem on right


9m on upper, oem on lower


Pauter on left, oem on right (note variance in oem rocker styles amongst these pictures)


Pauter on left, oem on right


Some oem racing hardware for sale at Lit Show



Also, I recently saw this mention of Porsche titanium rockers which I’d never heard of

jeff33702

Thanks guys - I'm building a 3.8 with worked heads, cams, ITBs...I think it's worth exploring what's out there. Lighter valvetrain components is good as long as you don't sacrifice reliability, IMO. I just want to make sure that I'm still building an engine that I maintain by the miles, not the hours

rsclone

I think the rev limit you set will have more impact on rebuild times than your valve train.

jeff33702

That and many other factors, I'm sure. Being new to this, I just want to make sure, for any particular part, that I don't sacrifice reliability for performance or at least understand the trade-offs . Sometimes you get a great win from a part that not only performs better but also lasts longer...but usually there's a trade.

jeff33702

@Moriartyhlms I'm looking for a set of cam housings and I've not yet purchased rockers. What do you know about converting 993 housings to work on a 964 w/mechanical?

Moriartyhlms

They sell kits to convert 993s to mechanical rockers, so I’d check out what those entail. There might be some additional passages in the 993 housings for the stock hydraulic rockers; search for details on the 993 forum. I’m pretty sure with the mechanical rocker swap in a 993 you also have to switch cam sprockets & cams to 964 style ones.