my valve cover wont fit

[wsrxstar]

my valve cover wont fit i'm using stock rockers with LS1 valve springs does anyone know of an easy solution besides hescos spacer?

[SilverXJ]

First, find out where the cover is hitting. If it is hitting the rockers and you are using stock rockers, you also may have a valve train geometry problem in addition to the cover not fitting. Or did you space the rockers up enough and use correct length pushrods? If it is just the springs hitting you can bang it out if you have the steel cover, or grind some out if you have the aluminum cover.

[wsrxstar]

it is hitting on the rocker arms. i'm using stock push rods.. i hope its not a valve train geometry problem since all the valve train was installed by the machine shop that that did most the work on my motor .

[SilverXJ]

What cam are you using? I think something isn't right as there should be no good reason that stock rockers won't fit under the valve cover. Do you have a picture of your rockers installed?

[wsrxstar]

i'm using a comp 68-232-4 cam .. ill post pictures of the rockers installed tomorrow

[wsrxstar]

hers pics of the rockers

[SilverXJ]

Its hard tot ell from the image, but the valve stems do look a little bit taller than stock which can push the valve end of the rocker into the top of the valve cover. You should also google valve train geometry and make sure that the rocker tip is correctly positioned on the top of the valve stem. Also, do you know what your preload is?

I can't tell for sure but judging from the fuel rail you are using an aluminum valve cover. You could try to use a steel cover instead.

[wsrxstar]

ill check all the geometry tonite when i get home.. im using the steel valve cover... do you think it is possible that the stock push rods are to long?

[SilverXJ]

If the pushrods are too long you have to worry about incorrect preload more than a valve cover that doesn't fit. Also, that isn't the correct gasket for the steel valve cover. The steel cover has a sort of steel waster/spacer that goes into a rubber bushing in the valve cover. That is whats sets the load on the gasket. The gasket in your pictures show little rings where the bolts go through. That wont work with the steel cover's washers.

[Wild One]

Looking at the first picture, it looks like the rockers themselves are not torqued down. Did you "set the lash" at the valves or torque them to the factory spec? I'm only asking since the rockers should be torqued down and they appear to all be in line, none appear to be depressing any valves. If this is the case, the rockers will sit too high and interfere with the valve cover (ask me how I know this, I did the very same many years ago with a 302 in my 86 GT mustang ).