I am rebuilding an 350 TPI motor out of an 89 Trans Am GTA with 88,000 miles on it. I am planning on putting in a Comp Hydraulic Roller camshaft. My question is, what else do I need to buy with the cam? Valve springs, etc. I am also planning on getting the heads reconditioned. Is there a K-Kit for a roller camshaft? Thanks.

 

springs and retainers for sure. you may want to change lifters too, but don't have to with a roller.

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-=ICON MOTORSPORTS=-
1st & 3rd

 

Where can I get the retainers? Do I need valve seals, too? Thanks.

 

According to popular rumor, your stock springs and retainers should be good for up to .500 cam lift. However, if your heads have a lot of miles on them, and it's in your budget, I'd probably replace the springs just to be on the safe side. You have to replace them if you exceed that .500 lift on the cam. As far as the valve seals, replace them for sure. These heads are famous for having bad valve seals, and they're cheap enough that it'd be asinine not to change them while you're right there.

 

You should always change lifters with a new cam because of a wear pattern. Roller lifters aren't cheap but you should definetly do it.

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'89 Formula 383 TPI

 

Roller lifters don't form a wear pattern. You need not replace them.

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'83 Trans Am. 400 CID, 224/234 crane cam, Summit aluminum roller rockers, hand ported intake, home bored 2.09" (53mm) throttle bodies, MSD 454 injectors(75 lb/hr), Holley 255LPH fuel pump, custum modded FPR w/Vacuum port added, Edelbrock TES headers, empty cat, SLP 3" stainless steel cat back, stock ECM & chip. Borg/Warner T-5 World Class, 12" Corvette rotors and clipers, GTA 16" wheels, South Side Machine subframe connectors, 1LE sway bars, 3.45 ring and pinion, Alpine sound.
Best E.T. 13.532
Best MPH 102.24

 

you need not replace roller lifters unless they show wear...everything wears...take a look at them, if the rollers are visibly ****ty, then replace them. a k-kit from comp cams for a roller cam is like $700...and I said screw that...i think it was cheaper to buy everything separately. also most places dont carry the k-kit. remember if you buy the kit, and dont use those expensive lifters, you probably cant return them. check it out.
you can probably get a set of rebuilt heads from a machine shop for just a little more than the cost of rebuilding them yourself, and they think of everything you might not have, like vavle guide wear...i was gonna rebuild heads till i found out about this. but if you want to do it, valves, retainers etc are all available through summit and jegs etc. or maybe even stock stuff at your local parts store (but i wouldnt trust autozone/pepboys/strauss etc. for that kind of stuff)

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350, Comp 262, Edelbrock Performer intake 600 cfm carb and exhaust, headers