to change a cam in a 87 and up roller motor do you have to take the oil pan off?If you do then i dont want to mess w/ it. how much more lift does 1.6 ratio rockers give?is it worth 150$ I just want a little more power

 

If you just want a little more power, the place to start is with the exhaust. Headers, cat, cat-back will run you somewhere in the $400-$750 range, to do it right, but will give you the best return on this and future investments.

(Oh, you don't "have" to drop the pan to change the cam, but it's the best way to do it.)

 

Yes the front of the pan has to be dropped unless its a 2piece cover.


As for the difference in lift, what cam is in there?

Its not hard to figure that one out once you get the cam lobe lift number.

x 1.5 or
x 1.6...

So lets say you have a cam lobe lift of .30

x 1.5 = .45 valve lift
x 1.6 = .48 valve lift

 

i have all that stuff exept the cat but the head i have are rated at 475 max lift "vortec"would it hurt to put in a 480 lift?

 

as five7kid you don't "have" to drop the oil pan, but it's alot easier to do it that way. I swapped mine without dropping it and believe me i would have probably had it done sooner if i would have dropped the pan.

Also if your buying a new cam just get the cam with the lift you want instead of buying rockers. Rockers get changed usually when you pick the wrong cam and want a little more lift. But if you get the right lift the first time you just saved yourself $150

I'd stick with a tad under max lift. The limits there for a reason, may it be the springs or the valve.

 

Probably. Exceeding max lift is a great way to break pushrods.

 

 

If you want, you can always machine your valve guides for the extra lift.

 

From your original post, one would assume you had a stock LO3. Telling us what you've got is a good starting point. Tends to affect the usefulness of the response.

Most lift capabilities assume something on the order of .060" more travel than valve lift. To know for sure you'd have to check the travel of each valve. Reducing the travel vs. lift is, as stated above, a receipe for breaking things.