Well if you get arp main, rod and head bolts you should be fine. RPMs, heavy/lean doses of NOS and boost with bad tunes kills most engines. You will be fine for the hp you will have but if you have the extra coin go ahead and get some fored parts. FYI Diggler went low 9s on stock LT1 rods and crank and that 92' is doing 10s with a stock crank and rods. imo

 

Ill keep it in mind when the time comes to pick insides, I was looking at an eagle kit so far. So far no luck finding a roller block either

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ESP-B13402E030/

 

Got my 88 poncho emissioned with an edelbrock carb swap and passed fine. Right now in PHX if it's newer than '80 they will not perform a rigorous visual inspection to look for egr goodies, they just want you to pass the sniffer.

No idea if this is changing or not, it's just what I dealt with when I was there, just so you know. Also, you can fill out the information informing them of the swap. Or...you could not... just saying.

400 bucks is a really low budget. Save your cash, or surf craigslist for a motor/700r4 tranny combo. They can be found out here, but it's slim pickin's. Don't think I'm attempting to dissuade you, but I'd say set aside 2 grand for the whole deal. A junkyard 350 and transmission probably wont cost you nearly that much all told, but it's nice to have some cushion money to pick up bits and pieces with, especially if this is your first swap.

Fuel injection will need the harness too. Trying to make one talk to the other or just kinda haphazard guesswork is a nightmare waiting to happen. On the other hand, carb is easy, but harder to dial in just right and less driver friendly, also harder to be sneaky about that big shiny double pumper under the hood.


**EDIT** noticing your other post, yeah, a roller block is tough to spot here in AZ, Most of the cars in the JY are crappy minivans or beat up 80's smoggers. If you're willing to settle though, find a 4 bolt main out of an 80's truck. A flat tappet wont be as quick as a newfangled roller, but f/t sticks are muuuuch cheaper and you can still make plenty of power out of a f/t mill. Not to mention if you put a more aggressive cam in you get a lovely lumpy nasty sound .

 

Flat tappet cams Will not make the same hp/trq with the same size cam as a roller due to the nature of it's limits. To make the same hp you would have to have a more aggresssive Flat tappet cam that would hurt you on the smog testing. Lope is overlap and that means more hydrocarbons coming out. Also you run a higher risk of killing lobes on flat tappet cams. The only plus I see a FT block has over a Roller one is the cam/lifters are cheaper. But for perfomance roller rule hands down. FYI you can get roller cam blocks out the yards down here for $200 if you pull it yourself and roller short blocks for $350 at A&A midwest. I get mines for $175. A stock TPI or TBI wire harness goes for $50 if you take it off yourself. If you just have to pass ther sniffer then a set up like that 92' is hard to beat for the price and what it does. imo

 

No real arguing the superiority of roller over flat. Sometimes it's all you can find though, and if you're looking to do it quick and on the cheap flat tappet will take adequate care of you. BDC is right though, if you go with a new cam, you will need new lifters as well, and the breakin period is much more crucial.

The GOOD news is, even if you **** your first cam up completely, you can probably buy the same one 3 times and still not be out what it costs to get new roller guts. Just gotta put in the time

Cheap Flat
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LUN-10001LK/

Cheap Roller
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-CL08-420-8/

Not that either of these are right for what you want, just kinda making an example.

 

So set it up as a 92? That'd be speed density right? And a 92 harness? I'm still looking around for a roller block, and I keep reading people pick up l31 heads for under 500 a pair assembled, new, I haven't bee able to find them for under 650-700.

 

I have a 4bolt main out of a 79 c10, its a good block 010 020, if I absolutley can't find a roller, ill get the retro fit stuff for my block

 

I'm in tucson, so if that's how emissions is done there, I should be alright here

 

As for the cam, the one listed is comp cam 08-304-8, but would a hotcam increase performance?

 

That's a strawman argument.

The real comparison:
Cheap Flat
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LUN-10001LK/
Cheap Roller
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-08-420-8/
Unless an engine has been abused or neglected, you can reuse hydraulic roller lifters. Can't reuse flat tappet lifters.
Yes, but a Hotcam is hydraulic roller.

'87-up trucks usually have roller-capable blocks. Sometimes they are the correct casting, but haven't been machined for the roller stuff. Only way to know is to look in the lifter valley. Of course, if you're starting with a roller-capable block that came with flat tappets, you'll need the lifters, anti-rotation dogbones, spider retainer, cam retainer plate, and the shorter pushrods used with the roller lifters.

 

Yup it is speed density. I just got the car back in the shop yesterday. Getting it ready for some grudge matches. you can use any TBI harness, you should be able to find them a dime a dozen. As for the heads we get thos for $50-$100 bucks out the yard then put $200 into them after a mild port job.

 

You also had the big cars that came with the 5.7 roller blocks but they are two bolt mains. The 4 bolt caps can be bought for $60-$80 bucks and then the machine shop can do the rest. Five7Kid is right about re-using the stock roller lifters, that's what I did with that 92'. Just took them apart cleaned them and re-used them with the new cam. And you can get stock replacement roller lifters from the auto parts store for $30 -$40 a set.

 

Well if I can't find a roller block in time, ill buy the stuff to make it roller capable. I wonder what kind of performance gains id see with a hotcam over the one specified

 

You have to remember, A block that came from the factory with a flat tappet cam must used the retro cam, lifters and pushrods which will cost a lot more than factory roller stuff. Example, chevy oe roller lifters for roller block at Summit are $120. Retro roller lifter for a non roller block are $490 plus the matching push rods.
Hot cam might give you 20-25 more hp up top as long as the intake system you use can keep up. imo

 

Not completely accurate. As stated above, many (perhaps most) '87-later trucks had the roller-type block casting that were machined for the roller provisions, but had flat-tappet cam/lifters. If it has been machined, you can put the roller parts right into it. In fact, I used '87 LB9 roller lifters et al in the ZZ3 shortblock I got back in '05.

If you get an older block ('86-earlier) that predated the factory roller lifters, then, yes, you need to use retrofit roller lifter parts. If that was the case, though, I'd stick with flat tappet (unless building an all-out race engine).

 

I'm gonna use the sd vortec tpi manifold, large tube runners stock plenum, but I want to siamese them, and the l31 vortec heads, ported too. I think that'd keep up with a hotcam

 

So if I find a block out of an 87 or up chevy, it'll be roller ready? or do I need to look for special casting numbers

 

Okay, once again: '87-up will be the roller type casting, but it may or may not be machined for the roller lifter parts.

 

Ok thanks for clearing that up

 

You are right about that.

87RSman call up some junkyards or check on ebay to see if you can find a roller block. It seems like you want power and this is your chance to get it right.

 

Will do, there are some good ones around here, I've had to shop before. But it sounds like finding one is hit or miss, how exactly would I ask for one or find one, say if it were a full motor they had to offer. Are there specific chevy I could find a 350 roller in

 

Off topic, I re did my headliner, it was dirty grey and hanging in places. It turned out great for my first time
My girlfriends 13 year old cousin helped, he's in the background, him seeing me working on my car inspired him to start saving for a 'maro

 

Later model 5.7 Roadmasters, Caprice, Pickup trucks, 5.7 vans etc. You can start buy looking at the valve covers, you want the center bolt ones then the casting number. You could tell them you want a roller cam short/longblock. If not check how much it would be to ship from South holland IL. to your place and you can get one from me. lol

 

That's an interesting proposition haha, do you have a roller block

 

I can get them all day long around here. But right now all i have is a 400, two 305s, and one solid roller 383 that I just sold.

 

Well, if you come across a good one pm me, I might have to take you up on it.

 

FYI, I had that 92' in my shop all week working on the tune, change the radiator and added some trick shift trans fluid. Went to the dyno yesterday, new numbers are 408whp and 406wtrq with the converter locked. Had to turn the fuel press up to 60psi cause the 35 pounders were maxed out. Just got in from the track where we were fighting traction problems, only was able to run 12.0 at 112mph on a 1.66 sixty.

 

That's not bad, that was the first build you posted here?

 

[quote=87RSMAN;4722406]That's not bad, that was the first build you posted here?


Yeah that was that 92' RS. Those injectors are too small now so he needs to get bigger ones and some better tires. The car was faster with less power cause it was able to hook up better. Spun in first and 1-2nd shift pretty good.