Finally making some slow forward progress on the El Camino, and unfortunately confirmed what I'd feared: the stock valve covers won't work with the new roller-rockers & their polylocks. So, I need a set of tall valve covers for Vortec (center-bolt) heads and am hoping someone here has some for a more Challenge-friendly price than ordering them new. Thanks!
I believe spacers are out there for those. Adapters for using old style covers on center bolt heads exist too.
Gearheadotaku wrote:
I believe spacers are out there for those. Adapters for using old style covers on center bolt heads exist too.
And both cost as much (or more) than simply buying a set of new tall valve covers from what I've found so far... 
Check the local circle tracks, maybe you can find a used set from one of the racers.
How much more room do you need? Sometimes you can double up the gaskets and get a little more room. Just glue the two gaskets together.
I'll have to check and see when the next swap meet for the Bluegrass Raceway is- I picked up a few of the shocks and a carb adapter for the Camino at the last one, but wasn't looking at valve covers because I wasn't that far along. The Boonesborough Nationals swap meet should be coming up soon as well, and they are supposed to have a lot of good stuff too.
At a guess, somewhere between 1/2" to 1"- the gap between the bottom of the stock ones and the cylinder head is around 1/2" or so when the cover is resting on the rockers/polylocks, so I figure having a bit more on top of that would be wise.
I'm probably going to have to end up just getting a new set for about $75 so I can get the thing running and mobile and keep an eye out for a Challenge-priced solution...
buy a second set of regular covers, cut tops off 1st set and splice together somehow?
Speedway says they are 1/4 - 20. Just buy longer bolts with an attractive head.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Bolts-for-Tall-Centerbolt-Chevy-Valve-Covers,33066.html?utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=CSEGoogle&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&CAWELAID=1271968222&catargetid=530009170000006315&cadevice=c&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CKzot5G5vLsCFaTm7Aod4R0AAw
I actually have several sets of valve covers... if I had a better setup I could in theory cut each set in a different place and weld them together to make taller ones- that is something to consider since I could essentially make those for free or close to it for the Challenge. Don't have a welding setup myself yet though, and would probably want to make sure I had a few extra sets in case we messed one up, so I'll probably still go ahead and get the eBay ones and see about fabbing my own set up down the line.
1/4 - 20 threaded rod cut to length and add a nice stainless acorn nut on top.
72" = $4.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bolt-1-4-in-x-72-in-Zinc-Threaded-Rod-17430/202183484?cm_mmc=shopping--googleads--pla-_-202183484&skwcid&kwd=&ci_sku=202183484&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969
914Driver wrote:
1/4 - 20 threaded rod cut to length and add a nice stainless acorn nut on top.
72" = $4.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bolt-1-4-in-x-72-in-Zinc-Threaded-Rod-17430/202183484?cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-202183484&skwcid&kwd=&ci_sku=202183484&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969
Sure, that lets me attach the existing valve covers- but it leaves a non-trivial gap (but let's face it- when it comes to keeping dirt and crap out of the valvetrain and oil, ANY gap is non-trivial...) between the bottom of the stock valve covers and the cylinder heads. The fasteners aren't my problem- the covers themselves are...
Weld? Pop rivets and RTV !
Several sets? All you need are the flanges.
valve cover
gasket
valve cover flange
gasket
valve cover flange
gasket
head
