85Special

Ok so through process of elimination I have a roller cam and lifters. Through the same process I squished a lifter. Cyl 8 exhaust valve no longer opens and I'm pretty well screwed. I have a good wrench 350 in an 85 and had no clue, or still could be wrong, that I have a roller cam. 3/4 turn on the rockers, engine does not want to idle and backfires above 2500 rpm. 1/4 turn and it's better but I still have cyl 8 blowing back through the plenum because the valve won't open. So just from the 1/4 turn from 0 lash I'm guessing I'm hydrolic roller. Still iffy... good wrench motor pre 86 valve covers (outer 4, not centerbolt) with a roller cam and lifters??? Motor swap was done before I bought the car... 14 years ago...car ran like a dream than went into storage for 12 years. Now it's my only vehicle... It was burning oil so I decided to do stem seals... That was the beginning of the end.

I've done an engine flush, oil change, and myrical oil trying to see if I can treat the lifter and no... It's shot. Valve mabe opens a 1/8" at best and the rest seem ok.

So my delema is what cam is stock? I need a melling number so I can order one at work and our computer shows carb and FI cams together, no grind numbers, and no specs of any kind accept the cams power band. I tried a google search and basically it sent me to auto parts stores... So anyone know a Melling number for a TPI cam stock or computer friendly? On a tight budget... Much tighter than I'd like for a cam and lifter swap.

85Special

Also, I was told that with a my problem was lifter or lifter and cam both. I found no metal in the oil. What's the chances my cam is good and the lifters are bad? I want to do both I just can't afford this right now.

midias

Hard to say, take off the intake manifold and look at the bottom of the lifters for damage. If the bottom of the lifters are good AND they are roller then you should be able to replace the bad lifters and start again.

85Special

Nice. Is there a way to find out if I have roller or flat lifters without tearing the motor down? That's my main dilemma, I have to order the cam but both types of lifters are in stock. Or... Are the flat and roller interchangeable? If I get a roller set and tear down find out its flat can the roller set go in. I can't afford to be without a car for 3 days waiting on a cam.

I was able to find the stock cams... Took a lot of searching but I finally got Melling numbers. CCS-40 87 roller CCS-37 85 flat

midias

If the dipstick is on the passenger side then generally it is a roller but I don't know what previous owners put in the engine.

They are not interchangeable so get the correct parts, pull the manifold and look not like you should be driving a car like that anyway.

85Special

I know I shouldn't be driving it. Just have no choice, I am doing my best to limit my driving. To and from work only and my commute is like 7-8 min. Too hot to walk or bike... It's Arizona after all.

I guess I have a 50/50 shot.

midias

what side is your oil dipstick on?

whats the casting number on the heads?

85Special

Dipstick is drivers side. Casting numbers I think are 333882 under that is 1044. I expected to see more numbers. Those are the numbers under the valve cover, i had thought the numbers were on the front of the head but found nothing. I'm getting a hell of an education doing this... Just wish it wasn't so damn expensive lol.

85Special

And I'm not liking what I'm reading about the 333882 heads. Decided to punch the # in and see what happens. Just from the generation of the heads and my dipstick being driver side I'm saying hydraulic flat though I have not seen it specifically stated in the many posts and listings I have dug through. Prone to cracking, **** combustion chamber, bad exhaust flow... Though I have seen posts to the contrary, decent overall flow, got 100,00 miles out of them, not moddable but ok on a budget.

midias

You have flat tappet unless someone did a roller conversion.

Chances are someone swapped in the "260" hp crate GM 350.

Use Rotella T or some other diesel oil with lots of zinc (go to walmart it is cheap)

Pull the manifold because if you ruined the base of the lifter you will need a new cam and lifters. Pull them out ONE AT A TIME and check for damage making sure they go BACK IN THEIR ORIGINAL HOLE

Good luck.

midias

The heads are low combustion truck heads. They are probably the best of the smog heads but a long way from a performance head. Don't sink any money into them.

MoJoe

iTrader: (5)

It sound like you have a flat tappet cam... with a flat lobe.
Since it sounds like you will be replacing the cam and all lifters, you can inspect the lifters as you remove them for wear and/or damage to indicate other problems in the engine.... Right before you throw them in the trash.
Roller lifters do not wear against/with the cam, so can be moved around and used with a new cam. Flat tappet cams and lifters wear together. No moving lifter to other holes/lobes. No re-using lifters.

Midias suggestion only applies to rocker arms+*****+pushrods which wear together. The rocker nuts don't have specific wear patterns, so can move around.

That replacement engine is probably low compression, so you need a mild (stock) cam or it will be a bigger dog than it is.

85Special

I have a stock 85 hydraulic flat Melling CCS-37 cam on the way, 16 new hydraulic flat lifters, and all the gaskets I need. Had no intention of replacing just a lifter or two if it was a flat system. Also got a few pointers from a co worker if I have trouble removing a lifter. Cylinder 8 exhaust valve just flutters so I'm sure I'll be pulling out junk.

I did get Valvoline max life 10/30, and have Lucas assembly lube, and forgot to buy but was going to use Lucas oil stabilizer. Never thought about Rotella... Standard 15/40? Just for cam break in or use from now on because it's just better for the engine because of the zinc?

Tear down is planned for Wednesday, weather channel says 112 for a high that day. God help me...

midias

I use this for break ins and get it at pepboys

http://lucasoil.com/products/engine-...e-tb-zinc-plus


After break ins I run Rotella T 15W-40
I asked shell and all of their rotella contain about 1200ppm of ZDDP which is decent for flat tappet cams.

Maybe I am just lucky but it works for me. I also use it in older motorcycles

I would also get a magnetic drain plug just to be sure.

naf

iTrader: (7)

In the future you can check for the presence of a factory roller cam by measuring push rod length. Roller lifters are taller and use a 7.2 inch pushrod vs. the 7.8 inch flat tappet pushrod.

Be prepared to have some difficulty removing the failed lifter. You may have to tap it down and remove from underneath.

85Special

Got lucky, cyl 8 exhaust lifter did not mushroom. Was able to remove them all from the top. So far so good, cam is swapped. Timing chain was shot so that's replaced as well. Finished buttoning up the motor this morning. Just have to adjust the valves and time it. Already have had it running just ran out of time before work. So far un timmed and valves unadjusted it runs better than it has in a long time.

FYI anyone changing a cam, can be done with motor in. Remove the radiator and the cross supports in front of the radiator and you just have a plastic pice to push down. Pretty easy.

I couldn't find the break in addititive from Lucas, so I'm running Rotella and the heavy duty oil stabilizer from Lucas.

midias

Probably not the best idea, did you at least break it in correctly?

85Special

Ya I agree, got to thinking about it after the fact. I have ran it for 20 min varied the rpm. Just need to set the valves and change the oil. Cool down takes forever at 100+