Roller-Flat Tappet
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5 Year Member
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From: South West CT
Roller-Flat Tappet
I am new to this era of engines (89) and have seen these two terms referencing cams. Back in my day we had hydraulic and solid lifters. I was going to do some mods to my 89 but after seeing someone mention leave it close to stock to make it more dependable I decided to go that route. Cams seem to be a power adder and that is when I saw that converting to roller is advised.I guess 89 is roller block but uses a flat tappet. 
Thanks. Jim
Thanks. Jim
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5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 122
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From: South West CT
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An 89 302 is roller cam compatible but they didn't actually put roller cams in the trucks until late 92, 93.
You can install one into your block.
A roller lifter is the same as a flat tappet hydraulic lifter but it has a wheel on the bottom where it rides on the cam. This reduces internal friction (horsepower) and also cam wear.
The wheel has to be kept lined up properly so there are locks (dogbones) and a big central plate with little fingers that hold those down (spider plate).
That's about it - the roller block has longer bores for the lifters to fit into and a couple of bosses in the center of the lifter galley to bolt the spider plate down. Usually those bosses are already drilled and tapped for a bolt but sometimes they're not; in which case you would have to do that.
You can install one into your block.
A roller lifter is the same as a flat tappet hydraulic lifter but it has a wheel on the bottom where it rides on the cam. This reduces internal friction (horsepower) and also cam wear.
The wheel has to be kept lined up properly so there are locks (dogbones) and a big central plate with little fingers that hold those down (spider plate).
That's about it - the roller block has longer bores for the lifters to fit into and a couple of bosses in the center of the lifter galley to bolt the spider plate down. Usually those bosses are already drilled and tapped for a bolt but sometimes they're not; in which case you would have to do that.
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Thread Starter
5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 122
Likes: 4
From: South West CT
An 89 302 is roller cam compatible but they didn't actually put roller cams in the trucks until late 92, 93.
You can install one into your block.
A roller lifter is the same as a flat tappet hydraulic lifter but it has a wheel on the bottom where it rides on the cam. This reduces internal friction (horsepower) and also cam wear.
The wheel has to be kept lined up properly so there are locks (dogbones) and a big central plate with little fingers that hold those down (spider plate).
That's about it - the roller block has longer bores for the lifters to fit into and a couple of bosses in the center of the lifter galley to bolt the spider plate down. Usually those bosses are already drilled and tapped for a bolt but sometimes they're not; in which case you would have to do that.
You can install one into your block.
A roller lifter is the same as a flat tappet hydraulic lifter but it has a wheel on the bottom where it rides on the cam. This reduces internal friction (horsepower) and also cam wear.
The wheel has to be kept lined up properly so there are locks (dogbones) and a big central plate with little fingers that hold those down (spider plate).
That's about it - the roller block has longer bores for the lifters to fit into and a couple of bosses in the center of the lifter galley to bolt the spider plate down. Usually those bosses are already drilled and tapped for a bolt but sometimes they're not; in which case you would have to do that.