I was looking at valve covers for my sbc and it appears that all the two piece ones are the tall covers. I know clearence is tight once in so has anybody used tall two piece covers or even regular tall covers? I have a junk set of short ones I was tossing around making into two piece and using a whole stock valve cover gasket to seal the two halves once cut and flanged. Thoughts or ideas?
The SBC swap I am currently reworking came with tall valve covers and the passenger decklid hinge box was trimmed significantly due to the covers and the installed height of the drivetrain. As part of the rework shorter valve covers will be installed.
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 08-06-2013).]
Originally posted by jaredmurray88: I guess you couldn't measure or take a swag at how tall the ones pictured are for me could ya?
The 2 piece ones above are about 3" tall. The two bolt holes on the heads are 4.2" apart, so calipers to the screen and ratio'd the screen distance between the holes and the height of the valve covers.
The tall 1 piece valve covers shown above are 3 3/4" tall.
Depending on mfg, there are short valve covers down to 2 5/16" and tall ones up to 4 5/8"
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 08-06-2013).]
just curious as to how much you can raise or lower the motor in the cradle to help with valve cover clearance.I havent delt with the V8 swapping yet. also has anyone used the dry sump system on a build yet?
just curious as to how much you can raise or lower the motor in the cradle to help with valve cover clearance.I havent delt with the V8 swapping yet. also has anyone used the dry sump system on a build yet?
The lower you go, the more things you will have to modify. The one I am working on right now is a typical setup and is 9 1/2" from cradle bottom to crankshaft centerline. I have installed several at 8 3/8" and this one I am targeting 8". It requires modifying the front engine mount, trimming the edge of the adapter plate, reworking the transmission mounts and possibly notching the cradle for transmission (depending on transmission) and AC.
Going lower also places the coolant inlet ports below the top of the frame rail, so access to the bolts as well as room overall for the coolant hoses gets very, very tight... but completely doable if you are motivated to have the engine as low as possible.
You can go to 8" and keep the oil pan flush with the bottom of the cradle, so no need for a drysump and not sure there would be room for it.
At 8 3/8" on an 88, you can install a SBC with stock stamped steel valve covers w/o any trimming to the decklid hinge box, dogbone bracket, passenger frame rail or wheel well sheet metal... with the right selection of parts.
Sorry to be a pest but how much of the hinge box is removed? I know a bit has to be cut to clear the covers to begin with and the torsion rods removed.
Sorry to be a pest but how much of the hinge box is removed? I know a bit has to be cut to clear the covers to begin with and the torsion rods removed.
Depending on how low and the distance forward you mount the drivetrain and the valve covers you use, you can install the SBC w/o any trimming of the hinge box.
Now if you install the engine at typical height (around 9 1/2" from crankshaft centerline to the bottom of the cradle) and use the 3 3/4" tall valve covers, most of the hinge box is removed and the valve cover is within an inch or two of the top bolt holding the hinge to the hinge box.
Entertain this idea for a min. If the rear frame rails were spread 4 inches (2 each side) and frame extended say 3 to 4 inches. taking measurements off the Northstar motor valve covers that would leave enough room for a BigBlock Chev. provided that the oilpan can be modified to stay up inside the cradle. My family is a bunch of old school gear heads and BB's arent in short supply with them. I know a adapter can be built for trans or use a FWD cad trans. water pump wouldnt be that much of a issue. Cooling is a big issue but remote mounting a few smaller Rads could solve that prob. a wide body for sure. lol
[This message has been edited by dematrix86gt (edited 08-07-2013).]
Originally posted by dematrix86gt: Entertain this idea for a min.
Anything can be made to fit with enough time, $$$, skill, and determination - but you must have all 4.
Russ Fiero has a transverse BBC in a stock wheel base/track width fiero (he took it to fierorama 3-4 years ago). He also was fitting a transverse BMW V12 into one (engine is in, just needs wired up).
BBC: V12:
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 08-07-2013).]
The SBC swap I am currently reworking came with tall valve covers and the passenger decklid hinge box was trimmed significantly due to the covers and the installed height of the drivetrain. As part of the rework shorter valve covers will be installed.
On my sbc install I use tall covers to clear the roller rockers. I had to cut a lot out of the hinge box and notch the end of the valve cover So I could get it off with the engine in the car.
