Rocker shaft replacement????????

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604

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Any one happen to know if the new replacement rocker shafts meant for the stamped rockers will work with the old 273 adjustable rockers? Trying to get my engine together and noticed my factory 273 shafts have some pretty deep gouges in them. I smoothed them out OK, but would rather replace the shafts if I can. I would think they are interchangeable but not sure. Thanks!
 
if i remember right i think they are different but might be wrong
 
I looked at them side by side with a set of old factory stamped shafts. Looked the same to me. Except maybe the oil holes were a little bigger on the stamped shafts. I would not think that would mater much. But I am not sure.
 
thats what i remember now the oil holes r a little different but they should work good luck strokerscamp would know for sure
 
If the shafts you have now look pretty much the same as the 'stamped' shafts it means you have the wrong shafts in it now, that's probably why they are so beat up, the 273 type adjustable rockers wont oil properly with those shafts.

the 273 shafts have what everyone calls 'banana' grooves in them, this means every oil hole has a groove cut in the shaft to oil the WHOLE width of the rocker. Bit hard to explain and I don't have any pix, someone may chime in with pix.

Not only will the rockers starve for oil but you will probably smoke your pushrod cups as well, better try and scrounge the right shafts.
 
The latest (April '12) issue of Mopar Action has a great article on Rocker Shafts and Arms .
 
Very interesting. Before the above comments, I would have said "should work", based on what I know of journal bearing lubrication. I'll look at the set on my extra engine. I don't recall "banana grooves", but never looked close. If that is required, I wonder why. Aren't the forged rockers the same width as the stamped ones?
 
i put a set of 273 rockers on a stock shaft many years ago....and raced them for several years....never had any problems..
 
raymond said:
If the shafts you have now look pretty much the same as the 'stamped' shafts it means you have the wrong shafts in it now, that's probably why they are so beat up, the 273 type adjustable rockers wont oil properly with those shafts.

the 273 shafts have what everyone calls 'banana' grooves in them, this means every oil hole has a groove cut in the shaft to oil the WHOLE width of the rocker. Bit hard to explain and I don't have any pix, someone may chime in with pix.

Not only will the rockers starve for oil but you will probably smoke your pushrod cups as well, better try and scrounge the right shafts.
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I might be wrong,
But I know these are the original shafts. Came off a family members 273 that was 100% original. No groves. I added groves as I thought they would be a good idea. But every thing I have read, tore apart or seen says that the 340 TA shafts were the only ones with the groves. At least that is my experience.
 
Chrysler's Rocker Shaft rocker arm arrangement is the best , bar none .
Easy to work on , and hard to screw-up .

They were fully-pressurised-oil-fed , and they would retain a spank of oil in order to avert dry starts .

The so-called "Banana Groove" was an oiling trough .

From what I remember from the Mopar Action article (read it at lunch yesterday at work) , only the 1970 Trans-Am 340 and '70/'71 Hemi had different-material rocker arms (i.e. , not stamped steel).

The *only* thing to watch for (other than the usual application of break-in lube on the pushrods' tips , valve stems' heads , pushrods' seats on rockers shafts , and the rocker shafts themselves ) when installing new shafts , is to make certain that the oiling holes point the correct direction (!) , and that the retainers are properly torqued and in sequence :cheers: .
 
look at all aftermarket shafts from crane, comp..harlen sharp...none of them are grooved...

so if grooving was necessary for proper oiling of the rockers ..why doesnt the aftermarket come grooved.
 
70aarcuda said:
look at all aftermarket shafts from crane, comp..harlen sharp...none of them are grooved...

so if grooving was necessary for proper oiling of the rockers ..why doesnt the aftermarket come grooved.
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The reason that none of the aftermarket shafts are grooved is the fact that the rockers themselves have an oiling groove machined 360* inside them which lines up with the oil hole in the shafts. this provides oil to the whole inner bore of the rocker.

This is not the case with the 273 shafts the entire inner bore of the rocker is smooth and it sits tight over the oil hole in the shaft and very little oil can get out of the shaft. The stamped rockers have a small groove built into them that lines up with the oil hole in the shaft so they get plenty of oil.
 
i have about 6 sets of crane aluminum rockers arms..and none have grooves in the arms themselves...
 
I have personally seen where someone used some type of sealant on every bolt that goes to a 318 and the siliceno had gone through every cooling and oil passage in the motor clogging the radiator and the oil passages in the head not allowing oil to the rockers . I would suggest that you check the oil passages with a priming tool ....better safe than sorry . Just a different angle on things .
 
Yep oil priming is always a good idea, for more than one reason.

Boy that article in Mopar Action mag is about funny. The only engines he could think of with out stamped rockers are the 70 TA 340, and the 70 -71 Street Hemi. Dam that is funny!!! I want to see a hemi with stamped rockers, since 64 threw 69 Hemi's must have them (LOL LOL). Not to mention all the solid cam 273's and early 340's. Boy one would think they would do there home work before publishing an article. But I did learn a lot about the slant six rockers!
 
70aarcuda said:
i have about 6 sets of crane aluminum rockers arms..and none have grooves in the arms themselves...
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This is a hughes rocker, note the oiling groove inside it. I think you should have another look at your 6 sets of Crane rockers, I think you'll find they are pretty much the same as the hughes ones. how else would you ever get oil to the pushrod cup and to the roller?
 

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You can also add the groove to the shaft with a 3" cut off wheel if you are careful. I have done this in the past and polished the shafts afterwards to debur the grooves. You do not what the groove to extend beyond the width of the rocker. You want it to end a little inside the rocker arm.
 
Ok..i Looked you are right the cranes do have that groove...give yourself a cookie
 
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