Trotb4UGallop wrote:

I have a set of 289 heads that are ported quite a bit with 1.6/2.02 valves in them on my 88 stang and looking at the guide plates they were all crooked from the machine shop and I'm straightening them out.  My question is what should I safely torque them to?

The 289 heads have machined slots for the pushrods already so I'm wondering why you feel you need guide plates?  In any case, I assume you have screw-in studs, so the torque should be specific to the rocker arm stud mfg.  Check ARP's site.
 

If your heads have the slots in them, do not use the aftermarket steel guideplates.  If your heads have the open holes for the pushrods, the guideplates will work fine IF you use hardened pushrods.  Stockers will get eaten alive.

I have looked at the alignment issues that typically result from the guideplates.  As you are doing, just get them as straight as possible.  Hopefully whoever installed the screw-in studs also milled off the appropriate amount from the stud bosses to keep all the geometry correct in the valvetrain.

As for torque...  What size are the threads attaching the rocker studs to the heads?  They could be 5/16", 3/8" or 7/16" and it makes a big difference in the torque you can put on them..You can get torque specs for any diameter of bolt on several engineering web sites.  Just look up grade 8 coarse thread bolt under the diameter of the threads on your application.  Google BOLT TORQUE.

Also, some of those studs screw into a water jacket on the earlier heads, so be sure to put sealer on them if they do on yours.

The holes are perfectly round that the rods come through and if I remember correctly that is a deciding factor in whether or not the heads have premachined guide holes.  They are already machined for them but the piece of mind is nice to know that it is right as it going to get without an expensive rail rocker setup for the heads.

I have started using the Comp Cams adjustable guide plates so I can get each rocker centered on the valve just right.