I just bought a short block out a 86 Chevy truck, its a 355, 4-bolt main, hypernt. pistons, full balanced and blue printed and I got it for a good deal. I am considering trying to use a roller cam and valve train in it and I am now discovering the high cost of "retrofit" hyd. roller lifters. Has anyone ever used these or had problems? Is there anything I should be aware of when buying them or using them?

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Poor college student(donations welcome)
1988 5.7L TPI IROC-Z Hardtop, 700R-4, White ext. w/Gold/Black accents (soon to be silver), Black Custom Deluxe int., 4-wheel discs & G92 pkg. Car is all stock and original.
Best run: 1/4 14.90 @ 92.7 MPH

#3 Gone but shall never be forgotten. Long live the legacy of the man in black. RIP Dale Earnhardt "The Intimidator"

 

The biggest problem is getting the camshaft endplay setup right. Just takes a while to complete. Other than that, my experience has been positive.

The comp versions are significantly more expensive. Federal mogul has a set that are about 250bucks.

[This message has been edited by jcb999 (edited November 29, 2001).]

 

Im 99% sure that 86+ 4 bolts have the provisions for stock roller lifters, thier just not tapped. You could tap the engine and use a stock roller assembly or go aftermarket. If you go for an after market roller lifter there should be no problems.
Oh you will need the short pushrods either way.
SSC

 

I've been using "real" roller lifters since decades before the factory hired Dr. Frankenstein to dream up that weird trash they put in motors....

Yes, they work fine. Better than the GM bizarre drug trip hallucination. As mentioned, the only thing you have to do is set the end plaay right; you can do that easily by modifying a stock timing cover and using a roller cam button, or there are plastic cam buttons that will work with the stock TC, and some water pumps (Edelbrock for instance) have a cam button support screw if you want that. I've never had any trouble just using the stock TC, and bending it out about 1/4" for the Torrington thrust bearing style of cam button.

If I was going to buy anything, it sure wouldn't be the factory stuff, unless I could get it used for real cheap.

Get a push rod length checker and get the right length of those. IIRC the supposed "stock" length for them is 7.290", which is usually .050 - .100" short.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Thanks for all of the info. guys. I dont mind doing some tweaking to get the roller setup to work. Im just trying to weigh out my options. I already have this 355 block basically ready to go and start bolting stuff on. I have been looking at the retrofit lifters out there and they are not cheap but since I already have the shortblock, I think it might be best to try and keep it and make it work. Does anyone know how much shorter the push rods need to be? I do not know if I mentioned I was going with a hydraulic roller cam. I heard pros and cons to going mechanical and having to replace valve springs once a year. Once I tear it all apart and put it back together, I really do not want to take it apart again for anything major.

 

You don't say what heads you are using but for the price of a complete Hyd roller
cam upgrade, you could bolt on a set of
complete assembled aluminum heads and a Good
TPI compatible Hyd Cam and really wake it up.. Check out summit's deals on Edlebrock Performers or simular heads.

 

My head choice is still kinda up in the air. I have been seriously thinking about either a set of Vortec's or Fast Burns and getting the SDPC TPI intake for them. When it was mentioned about '86+ 4-bolt main blocks having "provisions" for roller cam setup, would I still have to use the cam button and modify the TC? I can check on the prices for having the block tapped. I have been looking at a L98 a guy has for sale and I am curious if I should try and get it or try to make the shortblock I already have work.