How to tell roller cam or not

[78C10BigTen]

You can look at it like this too, pretty much everyone went roller now and have gas engines going over 300k flat tapper is hard pressed to make it to 200k. Not saying impossible but with today’s crap oil not likely.

Not sure whats in my 94 burban but shes been beaten the whole 8 years ive had it and its past 300k with lil to no issues.

 

[rpcraft]

That I am aware none of the truck motors came with a stock roller rocker/cam setup until the L31 Vortec 5.7 motors, I think around 1995 or so. I believe what happens is a lot of guys see the center bolt valve covers on the junk TBI motors and confuse it with a Vortec roller block. Wishful thinking as it may be pretty much any truck motor that had those TBI heads was never a roller rocker until someone put a roller rocker in it, and unfortunately if they put those old "swirl port" heads back on then it was a waste of money and a roller rocker, aside from the extended wear of the cam and lifters (which would be like more of a curse than a gift). I may be mistaken but I think those heads were such junk that they never even made an intake to throw them on a roller motor with the Vortec 5.7 FI still intact.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Not sure whats in my 94 burban but shes been beaten the whole 8 years ive had it and its past 300k with lil to no issues.

And it’s still running?

 

[twinturbo427]

Not sure whats in my 94 burban but shes been beaten the whole 8 years ive had it and its past 300k with lil to no issues.

You must be super lucky. Late 94 and all of 95 saw a spike in engines replaced under warranty. Most had spun main bearings, rod bearings, and unusually high wear.

 

[78C10BigTen]

And it’s still running?

Not well but it starts and runs. Smokes like an ol ***** and cant go over 40 but yes it runs. Hence why my square became my daily driver.

 

[78C10BigTen]

And it’s still running?

When i get a chance ill snap a pic of the odometer

 

[yevgenievich]

You must be super lucky. Late 94 and all of 95 saw a spike in engines replaced under warranty. Most had spun main bearings, rod bearings, and unusually high wear.

interesting as my 94 one ton has 260k miles on it. Wonder if the motor has been replaced before, but it seem to be all stock.
I did have 88 one ton before with a stock 454 pushing 300k miles as well(290k when I sold it)

 

[fussfeld]

That I am aware none of the truck motors came with a stock roller rocker/cam setup until the L31 Vortec 5.7 motors, I think around 1995 or so. I believe what happens is a lot of guys see the center bolt valve covers on the junk TBI motors and confuse it with a Vortec roller block. Wishful thinking as it may be pretty much any truck motor that had those TBI heads was never a roller rocker until someone put a roller rocker in it, and unfortunately if they put those old "swirl port" heads back on then it was a waste of money and a roller rocker, aside from the extended wear of the cam and lifters (which would be like more of a curse than a gift). I may be mistaken but I think those heads were such junk that they never even made an intake to throw them on a roller motor with the Vortec 5.7 FI still intact.

Pretty sure the v-6 truck engines DID get rollers from 87 on up.

My theory is because they had so many v-8 flat lifters and v-8 flat lifter cams left over that it was cheaper to keep using them. Whereas the 4.3 had only been out for like 2 or 3 years at that point and thus it was just as cheap to come up with a new roller cam. But that is just a theory and it's strange how the 6 got it first in trucks vs. the 8. Seems like it should have been the other way around?

 

[twinturbo427]

interesting as my 94 one ton has 260k miles on it. Wonder if the motor has been replaced before, but it seem to be all stock.
I did have 88 one ton before with a stock 454 pushing 300k miles as well(290k when I sold it)

Probably a sign of the attention to maintenance and being cared for that gets that longetivity.

I pulled apart several 200k+ mile 454s from commercial vehicles and a few were spotless inside, many were normal wear, and some were slap worn out. Always amazed at how different they could be. Fuel injected engines were always cleaner inside than carbureted.

 

[rpcraft]

The 4.3 v6 was in sqaurebodies at least as early as 1985, but probably even earlier. I know because my dad had a 1985 c10 with one.

 

[yevgenievich]

The big block one was absolutely not cared for that I could tell. For some reason I painted it before selling.

Probably a sign of the attention to maintenance and being cared for that gets that longetivity.

I pulled apart several 200k+ mile 454s from commercial vehicles and a few were spotless inside, many were normal wear, and some were slap worn out. Always amazed at how different they could be. Fuel injected engines were always cleaner inside than carbureted.

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[CSFJ]

The 4.3 v6 was in sqaurebodies at least as early as 1985, but probably even earlier. I know because my dad had a 1985 c10 with one.

I believe '85 was the first year. The Astro vans may have had it earlier (not sure on their production dates)

 

[rpcraft]

Yeah and that little 4.3 was a beast of a motor in the light trucks, Astro vans, and S-10/1-15 trucks and blazers too. I recall my dad towing me in my ranger once with a really short chain and it had no problems doing 80 down the interestate. it scared the hell out of me but I guess he figured I had it handled well enough.

 

[78C10BigTen]

You can look at it like this too, pretty much everyone went roller now and have gas engines going over 300k flat tapper is hard pressed to make it to 200k. Not saying impossible but with today’s crap oil not likely.

There ya go. Mine made it over 200 lol

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[Honky Kong jr]

There ya go. Mine made it over 200 lol

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Why don’t you drive it?