Hey all! Has anyone done a roller convresion on a 1985 C4 with L98?

I would like to not re-invent the wheel or make the same mistake twice if it is not a good idea.

Thanks :cheers:

 

Yes, I went with retro-rollers from comp cams ( $$$'s and can take a month to receive) with the accel 74219 on my new 383 stroker. The use of a roller cam thru off the machine shop a bit, until I ordered a kit from Lingenfelter that includes the button and spacer required.

I do not have the car running yet, no time - this is tax season.

Jim

 

Houston Bob, what is your goal here. If you are just switching to a roller cam, it is an expensive swap. Are you going to do a complete rebuild? What is your budget? You might do better to find a roller block that would allow the use of the stock roller lifters. Go to the Delmar street meet next week. There was a vendor at the recent Traders Village swap meet that always has blocks. He had a 383 stroker block combo for sell. It might be a bargain for you.

 

Roller cam? It's the same as any Gen I SBC. You need a retro-fit roller cam, retro-fit roller lifters, appropriate length push rods, and the springs recommended by the cam grinder for your cam profile. There are many desireable "options" but this will get you started. I am assuming a hydraulic set up. Otherwise, all solid roller setups are "retro". Be sure to bring planty of money. Those lifters are starting to get expensive. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

:iagree: Crane Retro Roller Lifters $389, Comp Pro Magnum Retro Rollers Rockers $259, Cam can be as low as $150 and as high as $375.

 

Thanks all.

HW asked what my goal is, and BTW, thanks for the heads up on the Delmar Swap Meet. I will try and get there.

Looks like from your pics HW that you may come form the same neck of the woods!

Anyway. My goal is to have reliability and be able to push the car some without a constant concern of blowing something up. I know that if you push you break, but not all the time.

I want to go to some autocross meets and maybe down the road, (next Vette perhaps), join a SCCA type group.

So, the motor is out right now, I intend on going through a rebuild, top to bottom. I enjoy the low end torque, but want to be able to keep it winding up if need be without burning something up, (aside from tires). Hence the roller question.

AS far as budget, like most people I know, what I spend will determine what I get to eat that month!


From the sounds of it though, I may just shoot for a Crane PowerMax set-up, Crane anti-pump up lifters, good set of springs, 1.6 roller-tip rockers, and new pushrods. Bottom end, I think I will go for a set of Keith Black Hypereuctectic pistons, normal rings, Clevite bearings, and a high volume oil pump.

I already have the Hypertech chip, TBI foil, TBI bypass, and after market exhaust.

Maybe headers?????????????


Thanks for the help. I hope someday I will learn enough about Vette performance to return the favour.

Cheers!


:flag

 

The retro-fit roller cam is not necessary if you purchase a $35 kit from Lingenfelter. I just installed the standard Accel 74219 roller cam into my 1985 non=roller block.

 

But you will still need the retro-fit lifters?

 

Yes I do agree :yesnod:

 

I just went through the same delema, I was on a budget so I used the older style block that I had. I would say to find a new block before buyin the retrofit lifters, I've seen a few go bad and when that happens your out $300 for the cam and $400 for the lifters. Replacement lifters for the newer style block are cheap, I think speedpro sell them for anbout $90 a set. Also, you can find a new stlye block cheap, there everywhere. Some didnt come with the roller cam but it still have the bosses to mount the spider tray(what holds the lifters down) Compcam sells a kit I think its around 200-250 that has everything you need to install a roller cam in a newer block that did not come as a roller.

 

I agree that a retro cam is not necessary. But the price difference between high performance retro and high performance origional fit hydraulic replacemant cams is minimal.

Unfortunately, YES. A roller cam in a non-roller block requires retro fit hydraulic roller lifters. Any HiPo roller cam is expensive, compared to a flat tappet cam, but the retro hydraulic lifters are triple (or more) than OE hyd. roller lifters. I am not saying they are not worth it. I am simply warning those who may be unaware. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!



[Modified by CFI-EFI, 7:36 PM 3/18/2003]

 

If I understand this right you will have to chose a solid roller cam and solid roller lifters if you want roller cam in a non roller block. If you don't want to buy retro-fit lifters?
Am I right? :crazy:

 

A solid roller cam and lifters will allow you to avoid buying hydraulic roller lifters. Retro or otherwise. *I* know of no solid roller lifters that adapt to the GM hydraulic roller retension system. Therefore any solid roller lifter is retro in any SBC block. To sum it up: non roller blocks require retro roller lifters (solid or hydraulic). Factory roller blocks can use factory hydraulic roller lifters on any hydraulic roller cam. Factory roller blocks use retro (any other kind?) solid lifters on a solid roller cam. Whew! Good luck and ...

RACE ON!!!

 

Perhaps I am stupid but I don’t understand...

When looking in a performance parts catalogue I will find both retro hydraulic roller lifters, hydraulic roller lifters and mechanical roller lifters (same as solid??). I thought that I could fit a mechanical roller cam (solid?) and mechanical roller lifters in my non roller block?

Thanks in advance.
:cheers:

 

The answer IS in my last post, but maybe it was too convoluted. First: Solid and mechanical are different terms for the same thing.
You absolutely CAN! I probably over complicated this above. It isn't really important, but all solid roller cams and lifters are "retro" in all these engines, whether thay came with hydraulic roller cams, or not. I made a simple issue difficult. I appologize. You were under the correct impression all along. Proceed as planned. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

Usually, yes...but again the semantics of engine parts suppliers....if they say mechanical roller cam, it is the same as a solid roller. If they say mechanical cam (no mention of roller) it is a flat tappet (i.e. non roller) cam.

 

And if they say "solid cam" it is ALSO a flat tappet. Flat or roller should be specified for clarity, but the terms mechanical and soild are interchangable.

 

Thank you very much for making this clear for me. :cheers: