Roller Cam how-to
Pro
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 721
Likes: 1
From: Charlotte NC, behind someone going 10 under the speed limit
Depends on your block. If the lifter valley was prepped originally for them, it's easy to add the lifters, retainers, and spider. If not be prepared to shell out close to a grand for the cam, retrofit lifters, cam button, hardened dist gear, pushrods, valvesprings...and you'd probably be better off to do roller rockers too.... Then you need to check for coil bind @ max lift and piston to valve clearance. Not worth it under a TPI intake.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,624
Likes: 431
From: Dale City VA
Some of the 86 year blocks already have all the provisions for a roller cam.
That means it has
1. It has cut lifter bores, ie they are machined flat on top.
2. The lifter guide bar retainer plate towers are cast in the lifter galley and they are drilled/tapped.
3. It has provison for a small nose cam retaining plate on the front.
If you have one of these blocks its a very easy conversion. All you need to buy is a factory/aftermarket small nose roller cam of your choice, factory roller lifters and guide bars (dog bones), a lifter guide bar retaining plate (spyder), a cam retaining plate (thrust plate), the required 6 bolts, the correct length pushrods and a melonited distributor gear.
Be aware that GM also made blocks for a time that had the towers but they were not drilled/tapped. They are mostly out of TBI trucks and vans but one could show up in any GM car/truck. In that case you will have an additional step of drilling and tapping the towers.
GM also made blocks that did not have any of these features. In that case your better off trying to find a factory roller block or converting using retro fit hyd roller lifters.
Will
That means it has
1. It has cut lifter bores, ie they are machined flat on top.
2. The lifter guide bar retainer plate towers are cast in the lifter galley and they are drilled/tapped.
3. It has provison for a small nose cam retaining plate on the front.
If you have one of these blocks its a very easy conversion. All you need to buy is a factory/aftermarket small nose roller cam of your choice, factory roller lifters and guide bars (dog bones), a lifter guide bar retaining plate (spyder), a cam retaining plate (thrust plate), the required 6 bolts, the correct length pushrods and a melonited distributor gear.
Be aware that GM also made blocks for a time that had the towers but they were not drilled/tapped. They are mostly out of TBI trucks and vans but one could show up in any GM car/truck. In that case you will have an additional step of drilling and tapping the towers.
GM also made blocks that did not have any of these features. In that case your better off trying to find a factory roller block or converting using retro fit hyd roller lifters.
Will
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 14
From: Stafford Connecticut
The cost would be $1,000 dollars or so.You will need a roller cam,retro fit roller lifters,shorter push rods,a cam button,and a melonized distributor gear and a cam gear wear plate.You wont see much difference if you keep the stock heads,they have terrible flow numbers.GM sells a roller short block for around $1,100.
Last edited by steven mack; Feb 22, 2009 at 05:14 PM. Reason: add info
