Well my fellow thirdgen friend is doing me a big favor. HE is sending me one of these cams for the cost of shipping. I just want to make sure its okay and will work alright with my set up.

638 block flat tappet 350
World Industries S/R Heads (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WRL-043640/)
Edelbrock Performer RPM Intake
Edelbrock 600 cfm 1406 carb

So what do you guys think? He's also sending me the lifters.

Also, I just found out that my motor is actually 4.030".... Do I need special head gaskets? If so point me in the right direction of decently priced gaskets. Not looking to spend more than 30 bucks for just the headgaskets.

 

The information does not say how much valve lift those World heads will take. Comp recommends 1.6 rockers arms and the lift is about .570" with those rocker arms. With 1.5 rocker arms the lift would be .535". So you need to do some homework.

 

Don't forget lifter links and a cam button. You've gotta have something to hold the lifters straight, and something to keep the cam in the engine haha. This is all on the fact that you have a flat tappet block and the cam in question is a roller. BTW, that camshaft is made for fuel injected engines, so you wont have that choppy, muscle car idle if that's what you're looking for.

 

638 blocks are '87-up roller blocks, so it depends what nose is on the cam.

 

http://www.worldcastings.com/product...ron-heads.html

Casting ID Number: I-052, I-058
Material: High density cast iron
Valve Seats: Intake (integral), exhaust (hardened)
Valve Guides: Integral cast iron
Spring Seats: Machined for 1.560" and 1.250"
Valves: Manley stainless steel valves in assemblies (inconel exhaust valves on marine applications)
Valve Diameter: 1.940" intake, 1.500" exhaust (11/32" stem)
Rocker Arm Studs: Screw-in style
Rocker Arms: 1.5 ratio (use of 1.6 ratio will require elongation of pushrod holes)
Intake Runner: 170cc, standard port location
Exhaust Ports: 65cc, standard location
Combustion Chamber: 58cc, 67cc or 76cc, straight plug orientation
Spark Plug: 14mm 5/8" .460" reach tapered style
Valve Job: Multi-angle intake and radiused exhaust
Valve Cover Rail: Raised w/ perimeter and center bolt pattern
Valve Angle: Stock 23°
Accessory Bolt Holes: Stock
50-State Emissions legal
Accepted by most oval tracks and sanctions as stock replacements. Check with rule book.
Spring Specs
1.250": 100 lbs. @ 1.810", 300 lbs. @ 1.250", coil bind @ 1.200", max lift @ .560"

Head Flow @ .500 Lift
220 intake, 151 exhaust (Super Flow 1050)
232 intake, 161 exhaust (Super Flow 600)
All heads flowed with a standard .750" intake plate, without exhaust tube, and 28" of water.

 

Alright, I am still learning bare with me. My block is an 87-94 block. My friend said that it was once a roller block but someone converted it to a flat tappet. He could tell because of this picture:

I am not really sure how he could tell from a picture but he did. Maybe someone could shed some light on that.

What does lifterlinks and cam buttons do exactly? Why are they necessary? How much are they gonna run me?

To be honest I would love a choppy idle BUT really I'm just looking for something to add some horsepower. I have been thinking about converting to TPI for mpg so that will be even more of a good reason to possibly convert? How much horsepower would you say I would gain with a carbureted set-up?

Also, would this head gasket work with my 350 (bored .030 over)
Bore (in)
4.125 in.Bore (mm)
104.775mmGasket Material
PermaTorqueMLSCompressed Thickness (in)
0.039 in.Compressed Volume (cc)
8.700ccLock Wire
NoQuantity
Sold individually

 

You have a roller block but is missing the "pieces". They can be had cheaply enough. You need to find out what version of the XFI268 cam he is sending you. Is it set up for a factory roller setup or not? Also from the post above you will need to stick with the 1.5 rocker arms unless you do some carefull measuring on the coil bind.

 

The nose is only gonna determine the timing set and the thrust device (plate or button), you can use the lifters from any '87-up roller SBC or 4.3 or LSx.

 

Oh, since your block was previously a roller block, you don't need the lifter links if you use stock lifters like atilla said. You just need to buy or find a full set of dogbones and the spider plate that bolts in the center to hold those dogbones down. I wish I could find a good picture of what ours look like so I could explain it better.

If you use roller lifters in an engine, you have to have something to keep them from rotating in their bores - the roller wheel has to be straight on the camshaft. Stock roller blocks used dogbones which went over them and used flat surfaces on the rollers to keep them straight. Retro roller kits use lifter links which sort of bolt into the side of the lifters and has a bar connecting two adjacent lifters.

 

This kit is a factory replacement and includes roller lifters, lifter guides, lifter guide retainer, retainer bolts, and retainer washers.: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NA...1042/?rtype=10

These are after market lifters and will work on any engine: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-885-16/?rtype=10

If the cam retainer is missing you will need one of these to run a roller cam on that engine. No need for a thrust button. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NA...8128/?rtype=10

I just picked these to show you the difference in the types of lifters.

 

If the cam has the earlier nose on it, then it will need a button.

 

Joining in I'm the fellow thirdgener that's sending the cam its the flat tappet 113lsa version of the cam. With him running 1.5 rockers it should be in the 470-490 lift range I can't remember off the top of my head I've done the math before. The cam was installed in a rebuilt shortblock I got from a fellow thirdgener as well but the cam had to much duration to be going in my lifted auto 4x4 truck and only 9:4.1cr. His motor is a roller block but missing pieces and I offered the cam to him to help him out since I know what its like on a budget and the cam is new I just pulled it out of the new shortblock and swaped in a 1103 cam.

 

What he said

 

Can anyone else chime in jsut to be 100% sure?

 

Heres the Cam card:

 

A word of warning. You will need to be very carefull about breaking in that camshaft. Use the proper oil and break-in lubricant. Looks like a decent enough cam. Should work well for you.

 

It's not clear to me from the posts if the lifters are new. If they have been used any amount of time they need to go back on the exact lobe they came off of. If they get mixed up you will destroy the cam and lifters.

 

I understand that this cam was free but why would anyone put a flat tappet cam in a roller block? Its just silly.

 

What is the best way to break it in?


Yes they are new.


You said it yourself. Also the previous owner had already converted it to flat tappet.

 

As I understand it you have to spin the motor fast enough to get enough lubrication and long enough for the lifters to rotate enough to "mate" to the lobe. The instructions I got were to get the engine running to 2500 rpm as fast as possible ( turn it over as little as possible), then slowly vary from 2000 to 3000 rpm for 20 or 30 minutes. Then you are supposed to change the oil. Like any other break in you have to prime the oil pump first and use an assembly lube.
A lot of people suggest using a zinc additive not only at start up but at every oil change for a flat tappet cam. Diesel motor oil can help but they have reduced the zddp levels in all diesel motor oils now. I use Rotella T and ZDDP plus.

 

RedCorvette has it correct.

 

Not everyone can afford a $700 or $800 cam and lifter set.

 

May be a stupid question but what kind of assembly lube?

 

If you do a google search on engine assembly lube you will see a thousand opinions of what the best assembly lube is. Anything that is labelled as an assembly lube for engines will probably work, I used Lubriplate 105 Motor Assembly grease since that is what an old mechanic told me to buy many years ago. This is a CompCams product http://www.jegs.com/i/Comp+Cams/249/102/10002/-1

A lot of people recommend not using moly based products.

Just coat the camshaft lobes and journals, lifters, push rod ends and rocker cups with a thin film.
Don't forget to use loctite on the bolts that hold the cam gear on to the camshaft.

 

Don't forget about the WARNING if you decide to run 1.6 rocker arms.

Jake

 

Speaking of which, how do you elongate the push rod holes?