• Welcome to For Trucks Only !

    We are a community of American Brand Pickup Truck and SUV owners. Join now! Its Free!

'87 318 w/ rollers?

Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Location
Corbin Ky
I've got an 87 w150 with a 318/727. Ive heard that around 84-85 the small blocks went to rollers. Anyone have any idea as to whether this is true? Ordering a cam soon and would really like to find out before I have to tear it apart to see. I have a fsm, just won't be able to get to it for the next couple of days. Thanks in advance
 
The trucks didn't get switched over till later. You will have to pull the intake anyway. Pull it and see. If it was a car engine it probably is a roller. Truck, probably not. They even used the roller blocks with flat tappet cams in the trucks. You can tell by pulling a pushrod. 7.5 = Flat-Tappet 6.75 = Roller I don't think trucks and vans got rollers until 88.
 
1985 went to the roller cam. I had an 87 van with a 318 the previous owner changed the cam to a non roller one. NO OIL PRESSURE WHEN HOT. If it has the bolt bosses for the roller lifter retainers, you had better put a roller in.
 
Why would one not want to use a roller cam in an engine designed for it.
There are to many advantages to a roller. One is oil selection ( no need for zink additives )
 
Why would one not want to use a roller cam in an engine designed for it.
There are to many advantages to a roller. One is oil selection ( no need for zink additives )
I have no idea why the previous owner changed it. probably major stupidity. I did get it cheap because of it.
 
Amazing what the under educated will do just to not have to learn about something new.
 
The engine in my 80 is from a tbi van,87 if i recall. Never noticed it was a roller when i dropped intake on. Any way to check with an assembled engine? Likely not. Even with a borescope.....
 
Back
Top