Rocker drip rails

[classical glass]

Hello, we have a 65 427 side oiler in our shop stock heads. WE started to replace the leaky valve covers gaskets and noticed that there are no rocker drip rail baffles that mount under the rocker shaft supports. I think this would help divert the oil much better if they were installed. Now the car has "Ford Motor Sport aluminum roller rockers on it but I don't thing there will be a clearance issue. Any input would help.
Thanks...

[blykins]

I've never used a set of drip rails and I'm on triple digit numbers of FE's built.

Back in the 60's, when there was no detergent oil, the area under the valve covers became caked with sludge. The drains in the heads would be stopped up. The drip rails/tins would be the only way of getting oil successfully back to the oil pan.

These days, we have clean oil.

You can leave those tins off (as well as the crank oil slinger and lifter valley pan) and never know any different.

[classical glass]

Thank you.

[Joey.S]

Hi,

If you leave the drip rails out wouldn't that effect the push rod length ? The reason I ask is i'm doing the top end on a 390 fe.

Thanks
Joey.S

[blykins]

It would give you either .015” more lifter preload or it will change your lash.

[Joey.S]

Originally Posted by blykins

It would give you either .015” more lifter preload or it will change your lash.

Hi,

Should I be worried about an extra .015 preload?
Thanks for your advice.

Joe

[blykins]

It depends if you need more or if you need less.

Feel free to use those drip rails. Its your discretion whether or not to use them. However, my point was that they are the byproduct of 50 year old technology and not using them on a modern FE won't result in any bad ju-ju.