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roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 6:08 am
by dj_joker_2002
I recently received free a 1994 chevy 30 series van with a 350 and 700 series trans. Is this a roller cam style engine?
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:47 am
by Rebel
Probably not. It will have the bosses in lifter valley but not drilled and tapped. It will have the early Vortec heads unless they have been changed out to later model. If newer Vortec,,4 bolts for intake.
It does have a one piece rear seal and bosses can be drilled and tapped for roller.
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:51 pm
by Smiliesafari
Don't know about the truck engines. I have a 88 Camaro 305 that is a roller. Only way to know for sure is to remove the intake and take a look.
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:28 pm
by SafariRob
DJ, I'm presently rebuilding a '94 350 Chevy Suburban engine that is very much like what Larry is talking about--the block was made for a roller cam, but it came originally with a flat tappet. In this block's case, though, the spider bosses were all drilled and tapped, as was the cam retainer plate mount. So, I rounded up the missing roller cam parts and have installed a roller cam from Comp. (By the way, I was surprised to find that the cam retainer plate for my 350 was like the one in the LT1 engine; not like the one from a 4.3 V6, like I had expected. The cam plate from a 4.3 has the mounting holes spaced too wide to fit on my 350.)
Since the EPA has deleted the use of cam lubing oil additives, I believe the day of the flat tappet cam is over. Roller cams are certainly expensive, but wear is negligible from what I've read.
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:50 pm
by SoCalli V8
My `92 4 bolt V8 block is a roller.
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 7:17 am
by 6spd_monte
You could probably get away with just pulling the distributor and looking in there with a flashlight. You should be able to see enough to answer your question.
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 10:53 pm
by SoCalli V8
With a small mirror glass also....
Good Idea, 6spd.... Slapin` you a High Five.... Right Now !
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 8:32 pm
by 6spd_monte
Hey Thanks!
We need a High Five Smiley!
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:11 am
by blacknome
run the number off the back of the block with Mortec, you may get lucky.
I think all the 5.7 motors had the provision for the roller set-up after 1989. Late 80's and early 90's blocks were the bastard years with castings set up for roller rockers and camshaft but the holes were not drilled or tapped. They also had the fuel-pump block-off plates in those years. When I was looking it seemed that every motor I went to see is this one ( 2 bolt mains and roller setup with the Vortec Heads )
14093638...350...87-95...2 or 4...Roller or flat tappet cam, one-piece rear seal
http://www.mortec.com/
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:43 pm
by dj_joker_2002
Thank you for the info
Re: roller cam? what year did they start making them?
Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:24 am
by dj_joker_2002
OK I pulled the engine removed the intake and it is drilled and so on for the roller but its using a non roller cam from the factory, it is however a 4 bolt main block. good starting point for a hi out put engine specially since I got it free. And I loaded the van it came from with all the scrap metal, batteries,
and plastic parts from the other van I am stripping before the junk man came and got it. Yes I know junk metal & batteries are worth a few bucks but since I have no way to haul it so be it. Mark