Chevy roller motors

[larknut]

What year did chevy start using roller 350s in their cars and trucks? I am trying to price out Factory roller VS. Retro-fit roller. Thanks.

[Samckitt]

1987 GM started using factory roller cams in small blocks.
1987 GM started with the center bolt head valve covers
1986 GM started using the one piece rear seal crank seal

[larknut]

Thanks. Is there a way to identify a roller motor without removing the intake?

[Lowend]

I suppose you could pull the valve covers and use a dentists mirror... you can't really trust external inspection as lots of later truck motors still got flat tappet cams

[Samckitt]

Like Lowend said, you will have to take something apart. Take the valve cover off & look down the oil drain hole, around the push rod hole & see if you can see one of the anti-rotation brackets around the lifter. If you can see that, then that would tell you it is roller cam. Or if you can see the "spider" that holds the retainers around the lifters.

[larknut]

Thanks guys. Now is one (as in factory or retrofit) better than the other? Pros and Cons? I know the retrofit will end up costing about $1000 after the lifters and such. So I would say cost is a pro for the factory set-up. Anything else that should be known about either type?

[Project69]

Ones just as good as the other i think, They did a retro-fit engine build in a magazine awhile back to show that if you dont have a roller block, you can still get the same hp.

[BonzoHansen]

Using a factory roller, you might still have some costs associated with changing to 1-piece main blocks. Things that are possible off the top of my head may be new flywheel/flexplate, intake, balancer, valve covers. Depends on what you are starting with/have to work with.

[Lowend]

The 87-newer blocks are all 2-bolt mains if I recall...

[Project69]

The 87-newer blocks are all 2-bolt mains if I recall...

if thats the case then my 4-bolt roller block is rare. Not sure what year it is but its got a roller cam provisions (spider attatchment) and 4-bolt main, 1-piece rear seal.

[Samckitt]

I am not sure that the 87 & newer are all 2 bolt motors. I think the truck motors got 4 bolt mains. Again I am not 100% sure. I do know the Vette LT1 motors from 93 on were 4 bolt.

[Tealm0nsta]

In the trucks you didn't see the roller blocks until the vortec years. The camaros/vettes went to roller in 87.
Most 3/4 ton and all 1 ton trucks got a 4 bolt block and steel cranks in this same time frame.

[Samckitt]

Weren't the truck blocks machined for the roller cams, but still got flat tappets?

[Project69]

My 94 GMC has a roller cam in it.