so ive gotta say that this was my first engine build , and i didnt notice something rather dumb but here it is

i got a newer style block(86-up or whatever it is) and its casting number states it had roller liftera as far as i could find. my hyd roller cam went in nicely and ive been told that if its not a roller block this kind of cam wouldnt fit?
the biggy that i should have noticed before i got everything in, that there are no bolt holes for a lifter spider for my hyd roller lifter that i put in...

the guys a my local speed are a lil baffled and frankley im feelin pretty boned

can i use the retro lifters with shunt bars? ill try and post some pics in a bit

my engine casting is 10054727

im using comp cam 7-304-8 with hydro roller lifters, comp rods and eddy perfomer rpm heads 60899

really feelin like a dummy here guys, any help wold be appreciated

 

A lot of truck engines came with hydraulic cams in the "roller" castings, which didn't have the machine work done to save costs.

You can use retro lifters. If the front of the block isn't machined for the cam retension plate, you'll have to find a cam button that will fit.

 

 

so the retro lifters nwill work in here?

 

Yes

 

alrighty, lets hope all goes well, 500 bucks... sigh

 

so ive got conflicting opinions here, every guy at my speed shop says thats "incorrect" to clean up theyre laugage. the main question posed being how a roller cam fit in(not being a retrofit cam) when it doesnt have the provisions for roller lifters.

 

Why wouldn't it fit? It's identical to a retro-roller cam, except for the nose.

 

Sounds like you need to quit listening to the guys at the "speed" shop, and let them stick their heads back up wherever they normally them and go back to putting fart pipes on Honduhs and 30" wheels on Escalades.

There is no difference whatsoever in how a roller cam "fits" the block. The journals are the same diameter and in the same places, the lobes are in the same places, etc. You can stick a factory-roller cam in ANY block. The timing set however, is a different story: the cam sprocket for the factory-roller setup is expecting a retainer plate that's about .080" or so thick, and if that's not there, the cam will go into the block too far by that much. Plus, there will be no retainer if there's not a retainer (duh), which means that you have to do 2 things: make a spacer to take up the space that the retainer otherwise would take up (easiest to do by just getting a retainer and grinding the ears off), and using a cam button to keep the cam in. Only problem with that is, the bolt pattern in the factory-roller cam nose is MUCH smaller than the pattern in a real roller cam nose, which doesn't leave enough room for a cam button to fit down in there. But you should be able to whittle one of the nylon ones down enough to where it will fit among the 3 bolts.

If your block has the bolt hole bosses and the holes to accommodate the retainer plate, then you could just use that and be done with it.

Then of course, use the original style roller lifters, with the link bars joining adjacent lifters together.

 

well....i guess im pullig everything apart :\ i knew 90% of what i needed and everyone who offered to give me a hand that had exp building engines screwed me big time. i didnt know about this retainer plate/ cam button deal.

looks like the cars off the road for another year, sigh*

 

http://www.lingenfelter.com/mm5/merc...egory_Code=C30

 

All is not lost my friend. Look at this article: http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...cam/index.html


The only drawback to A/M roller lifters is the cost. Lunati has a budget set of roller lifters for about 360.00 bucks. http://www.lunatipower.com/ProductGr...1&cid=28&pid=2

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-91164N/

Summit sells Howard's Cam retro rollers for just under $300.

 

anyone have some pics of the cam buttons and such? just kinda want a idea of what im lookin at, ive gotta call comp tomorrow and figure some stuff out but im probably gonna have to order those lifters, buy a THIRD set of pushrods... sigh...(theyre different sizes with retrolifters correct?) and start pulling the engine back apart cuz i definatly did not have a retainer/button

 

How much lift on that cam? You could mod the block for a spider plate and clean up lifter bores for the dog bones and then use 60deg. V6 lifters for your roller setup

 

so of its not a roller block, my roller cam isnt gonna work is it, do i need to pickup a retrofit roller cam??

 

Your roller cam will work fine, if you use the cam button and spacer.

 

does it make a difference if its not factory stuff? its all comp cam stuff, well the cam, lifters and rods at least

 

No

 

alright, so i basically need the spacer, cam button, and some retro lifters?

 

also just wanna make sure, i need a different sized pushrods with the retro lifters correct?

 

Right. Pushrods should be ordered separately after everything is assembled, and you've measured to find the length you need.

 

theres no just general length they should be using the retros?

 

The nominal length is 7.3", but you'll measure and get the exact length your combination of parts needs.

 

how do you measure that ?

 

With low tension checking springs and an adjustable-length pushrod. You turn the engine over by hand and adjust the pushrod to find the length that gives you the narrowest mark across the valve tip.

 

sigh....mh heads came pre assembled.. i dont have the tools to change them...

does it effect it that much? if i just used a general idea of how long they shoudl be

 

You don't have to do anything to the heads, unless you are using a really aggressive cam. If you are using a meaty cam, then you may have to go with different springs to avoid coil bind. Here is an article that will help you with proper pushrod selection, for your given valvetrain geometry. This becomes really important if you are using roller rockers:

http://www.compcams.com/Pages/417/va...-geometry.aspx

 

so i actually ended up talking to a guy from comp cams and theyre telling me it HAS to be a retro cam :|