i have a 82 z28 and it has a vortech 350 and im thinking about re building the top end do i need to look at rolling lifters or is is aflat tapper i know its a new motor but how can i tell what year this motor is i now its vortec and how can i tell if it came out of atruck or car it has no tbi.however it got a hei dist and a eldabrock intake and a rochester 4bbl so what parts do i need to get

 

Vortec 350 didn't come out till 96. If your 87 engine is out of a truck, then it would have a flat tapper. If it came out of a car, it more likely has a roller cam.

 

how can i tell if it come out of a truck or car it has not got a tbi on it any more it as eldebrock intake and carb and a hei dst

 

how can i tell if it come out of a truck or car it has not got a tbi on it any more it as eldebrock intake and carb and a hei dst

 

The block number will tell you, if it was a truck motor or not, and it will tell you if it orginally came with a flat or roller cam.

 

weres the block # on back

 

Usually on the side of the block. Look above the oil pan on the side.

 

A picture says more then a thousand words:

 

do i just call chevy when i get the numbers and do i need both

 

post them up here and people can tell you what they are

or go to www.mortec.com

 

thanks guy all have to pull my valve cover to get were i can see them but thanks alot i just post them when i get a chance thanks alot

 

No, it won't. It may tell you if that particular casting was flat-tappet only, or could have been roller lifter, but it won't tell you if a potentially roller lifter block was used as a roller lifter or flat tappet engine. Trucks and passenger cars used the same block castings.

 

so would it be that i will just have to pull it apart to find out now im just wandering if a 305 or a350 the one i got it from said it was a 350 i wish there was another way to tell without cking the cast #

 

350s and 305s are externally indistinguishable. There is no way to tell. newer blocks have the displacement stamped on the back of the block (see the pic that was posted?). I would bet if it doesnt say 5.0 or 5.7 on the back of the block it's llikely a flat tappet block. Where's the dipstick? Is it a 1 pc or 2 pc rear main seal? If you dont know, look at the back of the oil pan hwer the crankshaft comes out and see if it has a perfectly round flange for the flexplate to bolt to, or whether it has a weird rectangular tab on one side. If it is the latter, then its most likely a 2 pc RMS block which isnt a roller block.

Get the head casting number. If it's been rebuilt it wont tell you much, but it can be a big hint. All those things should point to something.

 

thanks guy yall been a lot of help i just pull the covers so i can see the block # since the motor still in the car

 

You can tell a 305 from a 350 externally by the block casting #.

(BTW, we are talking about whether or not this is a "Vortec" engine, right? Not whether it has a "Vortech" supercharger?)

 

The O.P. is wondering if he needs to buy roller lifters or flat tapper lifters, since the 87-99 engine blocks could have used either.

 

Only way to really know is yank the intake mani. if it's carbed that's like 20 minutes and 20 bucks in gaskets.

 

I hope somebody has a map, because I've completely gotten lost in this thread.

Do you want to know what lifters your engine has now? If it came from an '87 truck, it's flat tappet (and not Vortec). If it was a Vortec engine, it had to be from a '96-'99 truck (a few '00's as well), and it would have roller lifters.

What lifters you might be able to use in it is a completely different question. . .

 

if I'm not mistaken, can't you go from roller to flat tappet just by ditching the spider and dropping in flat lifters?

Not that you'd want to, just curious if I'm correct.

 

i guess i just pul it when i can get a chance and get the block number then i guess will know all then thanks guys sorry for the the wild goose chase but its a my only daily driver so it may be a while before i know i was triying ti find out what size and what type upper rebild kit i would need thanks for all your help im still new on this site

 

Uh well unless you plan to replace all the lifters it wouldn't really matter I dont think. Getting any valve train noise? if not, I'd say just stick with the lifters you have.

 

yea they rattle alot when on the 4bbl and the valve seals gotten to were they leak and cause it to smoke i even use 89 octane and they still rattle and use 20w50 thats why i put the trend up so i could find out what i need to buy to repair it in one day because and can't be down long its adaily driver and my only one so thats why its important that i find out but thanks for all the advice everybody