So ive searched and searched and cant find the info im looking for. i have a 350 TBI setup from a truck which i can tune the PCM. I was wondering if id gain much in torque/grunt if i switched to a stock roller vortec camshaft setup? yes the block is set up for a roller setup. Does anyone have experience with this? Also, would i need the rocker arms down to the cam or just the pushrods, lifters, dog bones, spider, cam plate thingy? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

sidenote- this is for a Blazer. the truck forums arent near as helpful as the thirdgen family.

 

IMO if you have a stock camshaft now and switch to a roller camshaft you will gain some grunt. That being said I did not even like the Vortec cam in my 350 Express. It was one of the first things to leave the van. In its place I put a production 1996 LT4 cam and 1.6:1 rockers. LT4 cams are pretty hard to find now but F/Y body LT1 cams are very similar and offer very nice gains as well.

To switch to a roller cam you need what you mentioned plus a factory roller cam timing chain. I recomeend a cloyes single roller chain. This one has good quality compared to the chinese parts house junk, is 3-way adjustable and works well. You can use the TBI rocker arms.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CLO-9-1157/

If you do run the vortec cam, I would install it 4* retarded. If you install it straight up it will be on a 106* ICL which is 5* advanced from its 111* LSA. Advancing a tiny 191/196* @ .050 cam with a tighter LSA does not make much sense in a ~9.4:1 engine. It retains enough dynamic compression ratio to need either 93 octane or a very conservative (less power) timing advance curve.

 

I agree 100% with fast355, I would go with a LT-1 or LT-4 cam, that's what I am using in my 89 s10 Blazer 350 TBI build

 

Thank you for the info!