well, i noticed that the pushrods for non-roller and roller cams are different lengths but i'm not sure if both years use the same rocker arms...

visually, the rocker arms are the same, but are the ratios equal? i'd like to get this motor back together tonight, it'll take all of tonight for me to get the '89 rocker arms all cleaned up if they are different..

thanks again,
Colin

(boy, I'm glad I was meticulous when taking apart both of these engines so everything is still ordered)

------------------
Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

 

btw: i am using an '89 305 engine with '86 cylinder heads...

sorry about the lack of info..

ie. roller block with non-roller (non-centerbolt) heads..

 

As far as I have been told there isn't really much difference. You should be able to use the same rockers.

 

Colin,

The '86 used the older style heads and rockers, with the push rods guided by the head holes. The '87 and later engines used self-aligning rocker arms, so the two should not be interchanged. With the '89 rockers, you should have noticed an indentation at the valve stem end of the rocker, where it straddles the valve stem tip.

This is of course for automotive V-8s. The trucks and V-6 engines had different years for the change to self-aligning arms.
------------------
Later,
Vader
------------------
"What a Day..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

[This message has been edited by Vader (edited April 22, 2001).]

 

damn, so what should i do?

ooooh man, i knew i would run into this kind of a problem..

this is what makes mechanics fun..

SO, question is: i have an '89 roller motor downstairs in the garage with a set of freshly rebuilt '86 heads on them.

obviously it's nearly too late to put a non-roller camshaft in it (i can get one cheap at AutoZone, where I work) but I'd like to get this motor done as quickly as possible..

what should i do?

thanks Vader,
Colin

------------------
Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

 

Since you are swapping the 86 heads on it shouldn't be a problem, just don't use the 89's rockers if they are of the self aligning type, get the regular rockers. Some 88 cars didn't have self aligning rockers for some reason but I'm not sure about the 89's.

 

Wouldn't you want to use the 86 rocker arms on the 86 heads? If the 86 heads are designed to have the pushrod-aligned rockers...

------------------
1983 Firebird
TH700R4 Auto
Small Block 400
LG4 ECM, Intake, Carb, Distributor, etc.
Soon to be non-computer.
Clarion Head Unit 45X4
2 Pioneer 400W 12" Subs
Third Gen Performance
"A four cylinder is half an engine."

 

i set the lifters last night using the self-aligning '89 rockers..

i'm not sure if that's the best thing to do, but i wasn't 100% sure which ones would be best. i figured since i'm using the '89 pushrods and lifters that it would be best to use the matching rockers...

so, to get this straight.. if i am using the '86 heads (which are non-self aligning) i should use the '89 roller lifters, '89 shorter pushrods, with '89 self-aligning rockers?

i compared the '89 head to the '86 head and the holes for the pushrod guides were the same size so I do'nt think it should matter?

thanks for the help guys

------------------
Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org

 

^ttt

 

With the 86 heads, use the 89 roller lifters, 89 shorter pushrods and 86 non self aligning rocker arms.

I'm not sure what problems will come about by using aligning arms on a guided pushrod, but I don't think it's recommended.

 

crap..

alright then, i'll reset the lifters with the '86 rockers, thanks for the heads up

------------------
Webmaster: www.IROC-Z.org