Valvetrain Components

Orchestrating Airflow: Valvetrain Components for Pontiac Engines at Butler Performance

1. Lifters, Pushrods, and Rocker Arms: The Core Motion

These components transmit the motion from the camshaft lobe to the valve tip, making their quality and geometry paramount.

• Lifters: Butler Performance stocks both Hydraulic Flat Tappet Lifters (for traditional builds) and Hydraulic Roller Lifters. For performance builds, the roller lifters (often from COMP Cams or Morel) are essential, as they allow for aggressive cam profiles and higher spring pressures without the wear issues of flat tappets.

• Pushrods: These must be rigid to prevent flexing, which can lead to valve float and power loss at high RPMs.³ Butler offers:

   

   

  • Hardened Pushrods: Mandatory for any performance application with high-lift cams and strong valve springs.

  • Mega Brace Pushrods: These are extremely thick-walled, heavy-duty pushrods designed for maximum rigidity in high-end race and boosted engines, preventing deflection under load.

• Rocker Arms and Accessories: These change the camshaft's lobe lift into valve lift.⁴ Butler supplies high-quality, lightweight roller rocker arms:⁵

   
   

   

  • Full Roller Rockers: Available in various ratios (e.g., $1.5$, $1.65$) to increase valve lift and improve performance. These minimize friction and are necessary when upgrading to higher spring pressures.

  • Stud Girdles: Essential accessories that tie the rocker arm studs together, greatly increasing rigidity and preventing stud deflection in high-RPM/high-spring-pressure applications.⁶

     

     

2. Valve Springs, Retainers, and Locks: Controlling the Action

The valve springs are responsible for closing the valve and preventing valve float (where the valve "floats" open due to inertia) at high engine speeds.⁷

• Valve Springs and Spring Kits: Butler offers single, dual, and triple valve spring kits that are precisely matched to the forces of the installed camshaft and lifters. These springs have the correct seat pressure and open pressure to handle aggressive cam lifts and high RPMs without coil bind or valve float.

• Valve Stem Retainers: Available in lightweight steel or titanium for extreme applications. The retainer holds the spring to the valve, and lighter materials help reduce the overall mass of the valvetrain, increasing the engine's safe RPM limit.

• Valve Stem Locators, Locks, & Lash Caps: Small but critical parts that ensure the spring sits correctly on the cylinder head and the retainer is securely held to the valve stem.

3. Timing Chains and Gear Drives

The timing system ensures the valves open at the precise moment required by the engine's firing order and camshaft specifications.

• Timing Chains and Sets: Butler features high-performance, Double Roller Timing Chain Sets.⁸ These are significantly stronger and more accurate than factory chains, resisting stretch and ensuring consistent camshaft timing over the engine's life.

   

   

• BOP Belt Drive: For serious racing applications, a Belt Drive System offers the ultimate in timing accuracy and is often easier to adjust. The belt drive replaces the traditional chain with a toothed belt, eliminating chain stretch entirely.

4. Camshaft Accessories and Sealing

• Camshaft Accessories: Including specialized locking plates, thrust buttons, and fasteners to secure the camshaft and manage end play.

• Guide Plates: Necessary for controlling pushrod movement and ensuring correct valve geometry with roller rocker arms.

• Valve Seals & Spring Shims: Critical for preventing oil from leaking down the valve guides and into the combustion chamber.⁹ Shims are used to precisely set the valve spring installed height and pressure.

   

   

By offering these expertly chosen valvetrain components, Butler Performance ensures that every Pontiac V8 breathes efficiently and reliably, making the most of the power potential built into its cylinder heads and camshaft.