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My 85 ran okay and started off suffering from a bad intake gasket and as a result it used oil. I removed the plenum, runners, etc..then the intake, and said...you know, Im right here at the timing chain, might as well replace it. Then I said...well I might as well replace the cam. Then Isaid..no sense replacing the cam with stock heads as they are so restrictive on an 85.
Then I got to thinking...no sense adding a cam with the TPI as it wont rev, so I might as well port it all out...then I got to thinking about how it would be making more power but on a stock bottom end...not good.
So I pulled the engine..and planned on freshening it up with new heads, pistons, and rings..cam, roller rockers...
Then I got to thinking, its a 2 bolt main block, what if it broke..and If Im replacing the bottom end, why not go 383?
So then I had plans of buying a 383 prepped block and building it up, custom TPI, etc..
Now...a year later, Im looking at Crate engines and Dual Quad carburetors...
while replacing the stock intake manifold with the Edelbrock/SLP combo on my 91 L98, and adding headers, the 1.6 RR were a while-i'm-at-it thing. the 1.6 RR's are definitely worth while, but had to trim the drip tabs on the factory center-bolt valve covers to clear the poly locks, etc. i went with regular SBC non-self-aligning RR (not "narrow-body") with hardened pushrods and guideplates, ARP rocker studs. i don't really care for the self-aligning stuff.
Do it,
I did them when I had to replace the head gasket.I had valves done, then put GM Performance LT4 valve springs in.
I used 1.6 self aligning Scorpion roller rockers. Runs great!
Haven't had enough time with the car to be sure, but it actually appears to run rich until it goes into closed loop, Venom doesn't have a 22lb so what ever they are may close but not stock.
An no, the lady at Python says they are flow matched and the box is labeled with the flow.
As for getting them flowed, that will cost nearly as much as some re-man'd Bosch's from FIC and I don't imagine these Venom's can quality match a Bosch III unit.
I have the FIC Bosch III, they are great. I installed an adjustable fuel pressure regulator while doing them and the BLM and INt are in more than acceptable limits. Most cells read +/- 4
As far as I know, they are flowmatched.
Got everything off the motor and found a couple of things. This will produce some groans I am sure, but I found that this 87 uses non self-aligning lifters. Web suggested either (actually, neither).. According to the web, you are to use self aligning on L98's above 87 and non below 87, just no where says about 87 itself.
I did verify however (through the try to file it method) that the rods are hardened and the factory guide plates are also. Maybe a switch mid 87? But the lifters are flat across the tip, no raised edges so not self aligning.
Also discovered my oil leak but need to sort that one out in my head, maybe a crack in the base, not sure. There was oil in the egr passage, mostly on the blocked off side of the base (this has 90 intake so only 1 egr tube, drivers side is just blocked off). Since the egr has no point I can see where it is exposed to the lifter valley, I am not sure how oil found it's way there. Oil also was sneaking passed the base to head gasket at the passenger rear which sounds common.
Anyone ever pull their intake and find oil behind the blocked off side of the base?
Forgot to mention, I am following nickpe's lead on this. Can't see the hassle of fitment issues for full roller worth the possible gains on a near stock motor so once I determined the type of rocker involved, ordered a set of roller tip steel 1.6's to go in it.
You are correct. My 87 did not have SA rockers. The 1.6 roller tips will do the job. I did the same swap on my 86, then on my 87. Never even bothered with the springs as both cars were low mileage at the time. You will not feel the results driving but you will see it on time slips.
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