Ive been getting more and more fed up with the costs involved with converting to a roller camshaft. Lesson to anyone else out there - just wait for a roller block. Seriously. Pay more for it if you have to, its worth it.

Anyway, so I have an early 90's L05 block. I've got the pads under the timing set for the roller cam retainer. I've got the pads in the lifter valley for the spider. I've got the raised lifter bores for the dogbones.

And I'm thinking I should just try to drill and tap the front for the retainer and the pads for the spider with the motor assembled, in the car. I figure I can cover up all the important oil drainback holes and seal it off and keep it clean... it might be worth it to avoid running another flat tappet cam through it...

The only thing I'm having a hard time with is this... I'm having a hard time telling from pictures... but it appears that the surface the dog bones sit on is different for the roller vs non roller blocks.

This is my block:


This is a picture from the internets:


Im thinking this small difference will make the dogbones a bit unstable or not sit properly to begin with. Anyone have any thoughts on it?

Still wondering if a factory retainer plate for a factory roller cam might be a good idea regardless. It would mean I could use used factory style roller cams, and use my factory timing cover... but I'd have to buy a new timing set... Not sure if it'd be worth trying to drill and tap with it in the car or not.

 

Worst thing that can happen is, the lifters can drop into the bores at zero lift, far enough to disengage from the figure-8s. As long as that doesn't happen it's all good.

Yes it's probably a good idea to use the factory retainer plate, since your block has the provisions for it.

 

Yours is machined for the dogbones.
Non roller block has difference casting around lifter bores and is not machined flat on top

 

Well thats the thing, mine ISNT machined on the top surface of the lifter bores. Here's a closer shot...



Definitely different from the picture above with the machined dogbone surface.