Using Valve covers with no baffles - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

nesmithp8 · 06-11-2025, 04:58 PM

Good afternoon,
First post here but have been on for around a year. I'm completing my build and need to know the best course of action. The Holley tall valve covers I have will not clear my shaft rocker system at full lift. I bought a set of proforms in hopes that they will clear. I'll also use the yella terra thick valve cover gaskets. I believe the combination of parts will clear but in case it doesn't my last resort is removing the baffles. Since this is an LS3, I only have the fresh air fitting on the passenger side going to the intake between the throttle body and MAF. The driver's side is capped. Would I be fine removing the baffles? Or will this cause issues? Thought about this for 2 days, and everything is telling me it should be fine, because there's no PCV system routing through the valve covers. I also have a catch can between the valley cover and the intake manifold vacuum port. Thanks for the advice/guidance.

acutron42 · 06-12-2025, 06:18 AM

Can you provide more info on your build including what can you are using. The stock rocker setup is very adequate in most builds here.

larry_g · 06-12-2025, 06:52 AM

Also curious what rockers you are running as I have the Yella Terra and they fit under the Holley tall covers without the extra thick gasket.

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nesmithp8 · 06-13-2025, 06:40 AM

Build is Radical. Top end is nowhere close to stock lol. Solid Roller Cam & my required spring pressures to turn the RPM I need (8k+) will break the stock rocker arms after a few startups. I learned this the hard way lol. As strong as people say stock rocker arms are that isn't the case for me. The heads I have are Promaxx performance large bore, and the shaft system compatible with them are Wilkes performance shaft system.

larry_g · 06-13-2025, 06:59 AM

So I guess the real question is do you even need the vent in the valve cover or are you handling it elsewhere. I know when I was doing my build I bought a set of tall valve covers that looked like they were custom fabbed but ended up not using them because they weren't vented. I may still have them in my garage for all I know, but I can probably find the brand if you want to look into them.

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nesmithp8 · 06-17-2025, 03:58 PM

Just updating the post in case anyone wants/needs to run valve covers taller than Holley. The Proforms work with the Yella Terra gaskets for my shaft system. The passenger side was easy. The driver side was a beast to get on. Mostly because of the AC line going into the firewall. Scratched my knuckles up getting it seated and making sure nothing knocked the gasket out.

TheBrightSide · 08-16-2025, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nesmithp8

Just updating the post in case anyone wants/needs to run valve covers taller than Holley. The Proforms work with the Yella Terra gaskets for my shaft system. The passenger side was easy. The driver side was a beast to get on. Mostly because of the AC line going into the firewall. Scratched my knuckles up getting it seated and making sure nothing knocked the gasket out.

Isn’t the driver’s side engine valve cover supposed to be the EASY one?? My passenger side engine valve cover is so crowded, on that side of my engine bay…

06-11-2025, 04:58 PM	#1
nesmithp8 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Jul 2024 Location: Charlotte NC Posts: 3	Using Valve covers with no baffles Good afternoon, First post here but have been on for around a year. I'm completing my build and need to know the best course of action. The Holley tall valve covers I have will not clear my shaft rocker system at full lift. I bought a set of proforms in hopes that they will clear. I'll also use the yella terra thick valve cover gaskets. I believe the combination of parts will clear but in case it doesn't my last resort is removing the baffles. Since this is an LS3, I only have the fresh air fitting on the passenger side going to the intake between the throttle body and MAF. The driver's side is capped. Would I be fine removing the baffles? Or will this cause issues? Thought about this for 2 days, and everything is telling me it should be fine, because there's no PCV system routing through the valve covers. I also have a catch can between the valley cover and the intake manifold vacuum port. Thanks for the advice/guidance.

06-12-2025, 06:18 AM	#2
acutron42 Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS AGM Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: WNY Posts: 919	Can you provide more info on your build including what can you are using. The stock rocker setup is very adequate in most builds here. __________________ 2013 2SS GPI built & tuned 415, spec'd by Andrew Cammer. GPI ported intake/tb/heads, Tooley springs, CHE trunnions, Callies rotating assembly, Diamond pistons, GPI SS3 VVT, ATI 10% ud damper, Circle D 3800, Kooks ceramic coated lt's with green cats, Mishimoto rad & oil cooler, Derale trans cooler, Holley efi rails. DSS driveshaft, trutrac with 3.91's, G-Force renegades, Hendrix solid cradle bushings Bmr: poly diff bushings, Strange adjustable coilovers, sub frame connectors, ZL1 npps, controlled with a vac pump & mac boost control solenoid.

06-12-2025, 06:52 AM	#3
larry_g Drives: 2014 1SS/1LE Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 875	Also curious what rockers you are running as I have the Yella Terra and they fit under the Holley tall covers without the extra thick gasket. Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk __________________ 830 WHP 700 WTQ, Whipple 2.9 @ 13lbs Boost, Flex Fuel Tune by Blevins Tuning, LSA SBE, 3.5 GripTec, ATI LS3 Damper, AFR 260cc Mongoose, ARP Studs, Yella Terra Ultralites, Johnson 2110R, BTR PDS Stage 3, Melling 10355, Improved Racing Baffle, ID1050X, DSX Triple Fuel Pump, RotoFab CAI, NW 103mm TB, Stainless Works 1-7/8" LTH to 3" Speed Eng w/ X-pipe to NPP, Powermaster 9509 XS, Detroit Speed Motor Mounts, MGW, Monster LT1-S, ZL1 Calipers, DBA Rotors & Pads, Bilstein B6 Struts & Shocks, BMR 1.25" Drop Springs & Adj Rear Bar, Pegasus Solid Bushings, Z/28 Wheels, other misc parts.

06-13-2025, 06:59 AM	#5
larry_g Drives: 2014 1SS/1LE Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 875	So I guess the real question is do you even need the vent in the valve cover or are you handling it elsewhere. I know when I was doing my build I bought a set of tall valve covers that looked like they were custom fabbed but ended up not using them because they weren't vented. I may still have them in my garage for all I know, but I can probably find the brand if you want to look into them. Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk __________________ 830 WHP 700 WTQ, Whipple 2.9 @ 13lbs Boost, Flex Fuel Tune by Blevins Tuning, LSA SBE, 3.5 GripTec, ATI LS3 Damper, AFR 260cc Mongoose, ARP Studs, Yella Terra Ultralites, Johnson 2110R, BTR PDS Stage 3, Melling 10355, Improved Racing Baffle, ID1050X, DSX Triple Fuel Pump, RotoFab CAI, NW 103mm TB, Stainless Works 1-7/8" LTH to 3" Speed Eng w/ X-pipe to NPP, Powermaster 9509 XS, Detroit Speed Motor Mounts, MGW, Monster LT1-S, ZL1 Calipers, DBA Rotors & Pads, Bilstein B6 Struts & Shocks, BMR 1.25" Drop Springs & Adj Rear Bar, Pegasus Solid Bushings, Z/28 Wheels, other misc parts.

06-13-2025, 06:40 AM	#4
nesmithp8 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Jul 2024 Location: Charlotte NC Posts: 3	Build is Radical. Top end is nowhere close to stock lol. Solid Roller Cam & my required spring pressures to turn the RPM I need (8k+) will break the stock rocker arms after a few startups. I learned this the hard way lol. As strong as people say stock rocker arms are that isn't the case for me. The heads I have are Promaxx performance large bore, and the shaft system compatible with them are Wilkes performance shaft system.

06-17-2025, 03:58 PM	#6
nesmithp8 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Jul 2024 Location: Charlotte NC Posts: 3	Just updating the post in case anyone wants/needs to run valve covers taller than Holley. The Proforms work with the Yella Terra gaskets for my shaft system. The passenger side was easy. The driver side was a beast to get on. Mostly because of the AC line going into the firewall. Scratched my knuckles up getting it seated and making sure nothing knocked the gasket out.