Roller rockers vs Stamped steel

Have any of you seen the rocker comparison video from Engine masters? I was surprised to say the least. Watch it and give me your thoughts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvQHgt-tF7Y

IMHO and I am by no means a expert, but to me roller rockers are superior when it comes to wear. The stock stamped steel tip drags across the valve tip, and even though it is bathing in oil there is still some friction. If it were videoed in super slow motion, it would not surprise me if you could the top of the valve tip moving back and forth. Which I think would increase wear on the valve stem and valve guide. It would probably be of no significance on a stock engine, but on a performance engine with a hi lift cam I think there would be a difference.

They are all stud mounted rockers without a girdle so, that test tells me almost nothing.

With a big block Ford engine using a street type, aftermarket hydraulic lifter cam around .535" lift, one test having stud mount rockers and another having "Bolt Down - sled" rockers, all of the same ratio; roller tips or not, the "Bolt Down - sled" rockers make more power ... every time. Even using the stock type stamped steel rockers.

Long term durability and valve guide wear is the only major benefit for roller rocker arms in a non racing application.

[quote="rmcomprandy"]They are all stud mounted rockers without a girdle so, that test tells me almost nothing.

With a big block Ford engine using a street type, aftermarket hydraulic lifter cam around .535" lift, one test having stud mount rockers and another having "Bolt Down - sled" rockers, all of the same ratio; roller tips or not, the "Bolt Down - sled" rockers make more power ... every time.  Even using the stock type stamped steel rockers.

Long term durability and valve guide wear is the only major benefit for roller rocker arms in a non racing application.[/quote


Do you think this is because of less deflection, or could you expand on this a bit, thanks

samiam wrote:

rmcomprandy wrote:They are all stud mounted rockers without a girdle so, that test tells me almost nothing.

With a big block Ford engine using a street type, aftermarket hydraulic lifter cam around .535" lift, one test having stud mount rockers and another having "Bolt Down - sled" rockers, all of the same ratio; roller tips or not, the "Bolt Down - sled" rockers make more power ... every time.  Even using the stock type stamped steel rockers.

Long term durability and valve guide wear is the only major benefit for roller rocker arms in a non racing application.[/quote


Do you think this is because of less deflection, or could you expand on this a bit, thanks

YES ... and being lighter.

Thanks for the explaination Randy. I was surprised to see that the motor lost power with the roller's. Based on your explanation, we would expect to see even more deflection and subsequent loss of power with a bigger lift cam used in Racing without the use of a girdle correct?

HorsinAround wrote:Thanks for the explaination Randy. I was surprised to see that the motor lost power with the roller's. Based on your explanation, we would expect to see even more deflection and subsequent loss of power with a bigger lift cam used in Racing without the use of a girdle correct?

Mose likely ... there are "bolt down" roller rocker arms for Big Block Fords available all throughout the marketplace.

I've heard from several sources that the sled type stamped rocker arms have more friction at the sled and on dyno tests have increased the oil temperature.

If you remember back to the 5.0L Cobra days, when Ford put some aluminum rockers on some production engines, the aluminum fatigued out at about 30-40K miles.

Ford at one time offered roller stamped steel rockers, I believe they were for Boss 302 engines. They were from the old "Muscle Parts" program......They eliminated the sled and had bearings in their place.