Valve Cover and Air Cleaner height.

[muddpile]

My truck has the stock 350 out of an 86 suburban and I when I paint the truck I want to do a little under hood detailing as well. Like the topic says, there are tall and short valve covers available and I was just wondering if I should stick with the stock height valve covers (short I believe) or should I step up to the tall?
Also, will my hood clear a 14x3 air cleaner? It looks like it should. I would like to get a matching 14x3 air cleaner to match, likely adding a higher flowing filter (K+N or something).

[doc_rock]

Unless you're building enough horsepower to require stud girdles, the short valve covers are the way to go. Tall ones are really only to clear stud girdles, and nothing else, unless you just like the look of 'em.

[68w/sbc406]

Originally Posted by doc_rock

Unless you're building enough horsepower to require stud girdles, the short valve covers are the way to go. Tall ones are really only to clear stud girdles, and nothing else, unless you just like the look of 'em.

i belive that if you do roller rockers and a bigger cam you need taller covers too. but if you have a stock valve train then the shorties are fine. mine are tall for the looks. as far as the air cleaner you should have more than enough

[muddpile]

Thanks guys! I think the ones I was looking at were actually tall, but I'm not too certain. I don't plan on making this truck into a race ready machine, so short ones will work too. Thanks for the help!

[doc_rock]

Originally Posted by 68w/sbc406

i belive that if you do roller rockers and a bigger cam you need taller covers too. but if you have a stock valve train then the shorties are fine. mine are tall for the looks. as far as the air cleaner you should have more than enough

Mmm. you're probably right on that. I've never built a roller motor that I didn't put stud girdles on it, but now that you mention it, I bet big old fat roller rockers will get in the way of the valve covers.