Here's the story. I blew the side out the block on one of my cars and have pulled the 5.0L LB9 from my parts car '87 Z28. As we pulled the TPI, I noticed that it had standard pushrods and lifters in it . I thought these came with rollers? Either way, I am putting it back together with a hydraulic flat tappet cam from summit and the pushrods that were in the engine were TOAST. I went to the parts store and no one could figure out which pushrods I should use. I took one of the decent ones from in the "new" engine for comparison and we came up with some that were nearly identical, but they were longer........ (I could only tell that they were longer by standing them up on the counter and looking at the ends straight on, and even then it couldn't have been much. I went to 3 parts stores and found nothing that was "exactly" the same?????
Any ideas????
I really need to get this engine up and going to get the car back on the road and get my nice cars back in the garage where they belong!!!!

 

'87 was a transition year. Some were delivered with flat tappet cams. It also is possible the engine was rebuilt (I have an '87 LB9 that was), and in the process a flat tappet cam was installed (mine still had the roller). Was the block prepared for roller lifters (bolt bosses in lifter valley, etc.)?

Since you're going with a standard flat tappet replacement cam, use '86-earlier pushrods. I wouldn't worry too much about comparing them to what was in there.

 

The block that I am using does have the bolt bosses in the lifter valley and they are tapped and are really clean of any sludge and oil (like they used to have bolts in them). With the heads off, there is still cross-hatch on the cylinder walls, making me think this was rebuilt somewhat recently. It was def rebuilt tho, as most of the pushrods in there had the wear rings at both ends .......
'86 and newer, huh? Well, I will be off to the parts store in the morn and will post back how it went....thanks!

 

Actually, he said '86 and earlier. If you ask for anything after '86 you'll be in the same boat your in now.

 

That's what I meant..... good catch tho....
I didn't get a chance to go to the parts store today, but hopefully I will get there in the morning....