I'm finishing up a rebuild on a 66 289 and wanted to install some roller Rockers, but there seems to be some problem installing them on these heads without doing some machining work or a push rod guide kit. Does anyone make a set that I can just install without modifying the heads? These heads are clearly marked 66 and have pressed in stids, but the book I have (motors Manual) said they should be screw in studs? also what is a rail type rocker arm Ive seen them on a 6cyl but not on a V-8 and all the catalogs call for both? Confused !!!
Roller Rockers for a 66 289?
- Thread starter yooper
- Start date
taylor4g63
Founding Member
you just have to get pedastal mount roller rockers. You wont have to do any modifications, no guide plates or machine work, no hardened push rods. They'll work fine on a mild performance engine.
You cannot use pedestal type rockers on 289 heads. Period. The early 66 heads ( pre april 66) had the slots in the heads to guide the push rods. The later 66 heads had rail rockers. As far as I know , there are no rail type full roller rockers available for these heads. There are kits from Crane and I think Comp Cams to install screw in studs on these heads without removing them. The only 66 heads that came from Ford with screw in studs, were the Hi-po heads, none others had them.
LMan
Founding Member
you "Hearne" it here correctly! 
guideplates are necessary to align the P/R...the 66 P/R holes, if yours came with rail rockers, are too wide for that on their own. You'll have to look into machining for screwin studs, or, by the time you price all that out, you may be looking into aftermarket heads...depends on what you are looking to get out of your heads.
guideplates are necessary to align the P/R...the 66 P/R holes, if yours came with rail rockers, are too wide for that on their own. You'll have to look into machining for screwin studs, or, by the time you price all that out, you may be looking into aftermarket heads...depends on what you are looking to get out of your heads.
