How to tell if engine is roller ready?

[smdk2500]

Like this chunky style mess here?



340K+ miles of "not my truck", knocking (company wrecker abused by many) and just plain ready to give up.

Minus what looks like dirt thats still cleaner then the TBI 350 in my 95 looked when I did the intake gaskets couple years ago. Mine was filled with carbon build up from where the egr port was on the intake down to the valley. It was about 3 inches wide and was almost to the centerline of the valley. I still don't know how that engine has stayed running with the lack of maintenance it had before I got it.

 

[Erik the Awful]

That's actually fairly pretty. I rebuilt this motor.

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[Schurkey]

Yup.

The spider and hardware, the lifter retainers, the cam retainer and hardware, and perhaps the roller lifters and pushrods should be re-usable. The lifters should be pulled apart one at a time for cleaning and inspection.

If you had a good block, preferably with the spider bosses drilled 'n' tapped, and the cam retainer bosses having the same spacing as the core engine...you're all set.

But perhaps there's nothing wrong with the pictured block that a trip to the machine shop wouldn't fix. Bore, square-decking, maybe align-hone, following a trip through the jet-wash cabinet or shot-blaster. Check for cracks. Polish or grind the crank, check the rods and recondition as needed.

 

[someotherguy]

Minus what looks like dirt thats still cleaner then the TBI 350 in my 95 looked when I did the intake gaskets couple years ago. Mine was filled with carbon build up from where the egr port was on the intake down to the valley. It was about 3 inches wide and was almost to the centerline of the valley. I still don't know how that engine has stayed running with the lack of maintenance it had before I got it.

Blown-in insulation knocked down from the ceiling of my shop during Hurricane IKE. I thought the building was going to get snatched right off the foundation. Watched the walls and ceiling shake until the power went out. Then it peeled some of the skylight panels off and the rain started pouring in..

Richard

 

[BeXtreme]

Honestly, since you don't have any of the factory roller stuff, and you need to buy new lifters anyways... it probably doesn't matter if you have the provisions or not. If you are going to make it a high performance motor anyways, the factory dogbone setup can sometimes not provide enough clearance for high lift cams. I would just get a set of retrofit roller lifters. Its going to be cheaper than buying a factory spider setup and new roller lifters anyways. Then, since it will be pulled down for rebuild anyways, you can determine if you can use a factory roller cam plate or if you need a cam button.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Its going to be cheaper than buying a factory spider setup and new roller lifters anyways.

I picked up a complete setup for about $5 at Pull-A-Part. After running them through the parts washer, disassembling them, and cleaning them they're as good as new. As far as lift, I'm running .515" lift in WCJr on a stock set of roller lifters. What's the limit?

 

[BeXtreme]

I picked up a complete setup for about $5 at Pull-A-Part. After running them through the parts washer, disassembling them, and cleaning them they're as good as new. As far as lift, I'm running .515" lift in WCJr on a stock set of roller lifters. What's the limit?

Yeah, if you can find them at the junkyard that makes a huge difference. I've seen both .530 and .550 quoted as being the limit. Not sure if it is variable from engine to engine or what. Basically the concern is that a cam with more lift than that will let the lifter drop below the dogbone and carnage will ensue.