Charlie.  The new rocker stands for the aluminum heads were not really designed to use the factory tubes and as such, I’ve never installed the overflow tubes on the aluminum headed engines.  I do still use the overflow tubes on stock rocker equipped iron heads but have quit using the tubes on the roller rocker arm equipped iron heads.  Part of this is simply to insure some degree of pressurized oil to those rockers as I've been putting the shaft clearance at 0.002".  As an alternative, I have been putting the ‘Tim McMaster’ oil holes behind the cam thrust plate and that seems to be an alternative to the overflow tubes in regards to getting more oil to the timing chain and gears.  But not all engines get the ‘Tim McMaster’ oil holes either and those engines simply rely on whatever amount of oil bleeds out of the front cam bearing and/or trickles down from the front valley. 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

That’s the problem with screen names and real names as it’s easy to lose track of who is who on some of the various communications.

The HS roller rocker arm assemblies I supply are shipped with the locking set screws already installed in the tops of the #1 and #8 stands.  If you have extra set screws included with the assemblies, then there should have been a sheet or card giving instructions for their specific use.  In short, the instructions cover the two extra screws as being restrictors for the bottoms of #2 and #7 stands in the event the block was modified at the center cam bearing hole for improved oiling to the top end.  Those two extra screws will have some small drilled holes in them which will help to identify them.  With the rockers set up at 0.002” clearance to the shafts and even with the extra oil mods performed to the block, I’ve found that the restrictors are typically not required.  But in the event there is too much oil to the top end, then simply install the restrictors. 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted, is there a reason you don't use the tubes?  I used my tubes because I want to be sure that the timing chain gets oil.  I have crushed the outlet of the tube so that the cross-sectional area is about 1/2 of stock so it is as if only one tube is installed.



Lawrenceville, GA

Aluminum heads. Rocker assembly came from you set up for the aluminum heads so I am assuming I do not use the tubes and bolt them on without any further modifications. Thanks.

For the Harland Sharp roller rocker arm assemblies, I do not use the overflow tubes and rely instead on the full pressurization of the shaft to oil the rockers.  You didn’t say if you are working with aluminum heads or iron heads as the rocker arm orientation is specific to each.  If dealing with the aluminum heads, the supplied rocker stands are already threaded for a locking screw so as to lock the shafts in place at the #1 and #8 stands.  If working with the iron head stands, then I tap the #1 and #8 stands at their tops for a 5/16-18 machined bolt that locks the shaft in the correct position.  I'll add that it's important that the shafts are diagonally grooved at their lower rocker oil holes prior to any roller rocker arm installation to insure that oil gets to the oil slots or grooves within the rockers.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Do you use the oil return tubes from the factory rockers? There are two 1/4" allen head plugs, Do they go in the top of the rocker stand on the opposite end from the funny bolt on the #1 &#8 rocker stands? I am thinking it is to lock the shaft in place?