As underdog said, the cam bearing can be changed in the vehicle. You may have the advantage actually, with the engine being in a truck. I knocked mine in with a peice of soft wood before, with no issues. Just follow the directions, oiling holes at 7 and 3, and try to get the bearing as centered in the bore as possible. Yes, the TA_1559S is the correct number for the single bearing, hardened, dual groove, dual feed. Above all, just make sure you get the correct lifters.
Thanks Steve So the crower kit for the level 3 cam, this one right? - https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/cro-84150x3 50 dollars more expensive than from crower..but I have to do summit because of shipping through the shop..hey ho! anyway... just to double check, the guys earlier said I had to get specific hydraulic lifters because of my engine being 1969 and the way the its oiled, not doubting your advice, but just double checking you aware I have the 69 and that this "special" model apparently that needs different lifters... Will this kit be ok for my engine? if it is, then I'll just buy that saves me buying individual parts. In regards to the stall converter, I think I'll leave that for the future if I need to. this is already turning out more expensive than I thought... Can get the engine running and then fit the converter next summer as I won't be booting it around during the winter. thanks for the advice. Yes, being in the truck I have loads of room, just remove radiator and front grille and it's a world of space in there. Will the directions come with the bearing? or you talking about a sort of haynes manual? I have no manual for the truck..... impossible to find here in the UK. thanks!
Bearing should come with a little piece of paper telling you how to orient the bearing. All it says is install it with the oiling holes in the bearing at 7 and 3 o clock. I'd use a silver sharpie or something to that effect and mark the 7 and 3 o clock positions on the face of the block. Tamp er on home, or if your friend with the shop has the tool. Try not to mar the surface, but I imagine that'd be kinda hard to do as they're hardened. Make sure the hole it's going into is free of debris. You do need 68-69 specific lifters. Buicks from 70 on up use normal lifters with an oiling hole in the plunger because they use hollow pushrods. 99% of the aftermarket kits come with the shorter later style lifter. I think TA is really the only place that sells/makes that type of lifter anymore. The older lifters are physically taller, so you'd run into severe fitment issues, among other things. 68 and 69 350s oil through holes in the block, heads, and rocker shafts. Make sure the gaskets don't cover up any of the oil holes. ALWAYS test for oil pressure before firing the engine. Always.
What about rock auto? http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...7l+350cid+v8,1022870,engine,valve+lifter,5548
Thanks MrSony. So buying the kit that Underdog suggests is out of the question. I'll have to buy the parts in separately, with the lifters from TA. and I had put together a little table, yes I'm weird like that and I'm at work on a friday with no much to do 1PM here, showing all the different options and cost. How does this look? hope I'm making this easier for people to look at...? I'm almost tempted to just go with level 2 cam. cheaper, not have to mess with machining heads.... would I really see that much difference from a level 2 to a 3? is that much noticeable? EDIT: just seen your 2 latest posts. Rockauto would be the same as buying from TA, my friend doesn't use rockauto. I need to pull one of the lifters off my truck and check for that oiling hole, see if I have that. which I should. i'll do that when I leave work at 4pm today as need to go to workshop to soak the exhaust headers bolts in more WD40 in preparation to get the heads out during the weekend. Option 1 - Level 2 Crower cam with crower recommended springs/retainers/seals bought individually and TA hydraulic lifters Option 2 - Level 2 Crower cam with crower recommended springs/retainter/seals/lifters - not a kit as one not available Option 3 - Level 3 Crower cam with crower recommended springs/retainers/seals bought individually and TA hydraulic lifters Option 4 - Level 3 Crower cam with crower recommended springs/retainter/seals/lifters bought individually Option 5 - Level 3 Crower cam with crower recommended springs/retainter/seals/lifters bought as a kit (more expensive than buying individually option 4??)
You shouldn't have the oiling hole in the plunger of the lifter. The 68 and 69s used solid pushrods and lifters without the hole. Aftermarket lifters (and just about every V8 from the mid 1960s and up) used lifters with the hole in the plunger to pump oil up the hollow pushrods to lube the rockers. Plus the later style lifters are a bit shorter than the older style if I remember right. It sucks, but your only option for lifters looks to be TA. You wouldn't notice the discrepancies between a level 2 and 3 all that much, especially since you just put-put the truck around.
haha, I like the way you describe that! put-put the truck around! love it! yes indeed I do put-put the truck around, its my toy for myself and my 6 year old girl, but she does love a little burnout and keeps shouting "daddy, do it again!" hahaha I dont need the huge amount of power for top speed and going nuts, but do like to floor and go now and again.. or leave some other car behind when flooring from 30mph.... if the concensous is there won't be that much difference then I'll probably end up going with level 2 for the reasons described above (cost, no machining required, etc) Probably going with Option 1 on my list of parts table above.... that seems about right? gotcha on the oil lifters! don't know why I didn't get that in my head yet.. I'll check for no hole on the lifters I have.
Again, you can convert to push rod oiling if you want. That would entail replacing your lifters, push rods, and rocker assemblies. You would also need to block the oil holes at the block holes, so the heads have to come off. Not saying you want to do that now, but it can be done.
You can get hybrid pushrods from TA . I checked with Matt on his 68. He used the cam saver lifters. But didn't convert to pushrod oiling.
I read about it earlier on this thread, the fact of replacing rocker assemblies and block holes put me off from that conversion, but something to keep in mind, who knows in the future, if I have to get into the engine again. thanks Alec, do you know what the part number for that? I had put a link for cam saver lifters, but then was told as it's a 69 engine I can only use the specific lifter for 69-69 that TA has. these ones - http://www.taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA_1406 I'm also guessing that using hybrid lifters but converting to pushrod oiling then there's not much advantage of actually getting hybrid lifters?
JP, all you need to do to view the entire current TA catalog is to download a pdf. of the catalog off the TA website. http://www.taperformance.com/catalog.htm http://www.taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA_1427B
The natural torque the 350 has will be more than enough for your needs. Doesn't need to be a screamer to light the tires occasionally.
You may be able to convert new lifters to the style you need by using the parts from your original lifters installing the guts in the new ones if those parts will fit? Don't see any reason they won't though, but the old style was designed over 50 years ago so I can't say for sure. Maybe someone has some of the old style lifters sitting around to see if the guts can be swapped out?
I would have to see underside of rocker but I believe with hybrid pushrods he can run later lifters. You would just have 2 sources of oil pressure into rockers.
right gents! I have news.. been down the workshop this evening and pulled one of the heads out - I don't know the bolt sequence though, so just crossed, does anyone know the bolt sequence for when it's time to bolt down? anyway... Found out that the only lifter that comes out easily is one of those that oil through the lifter..it has a hole in it...and so does the pushrod that was on it. So I have 15 correct lifters and pushrods and 1 wrong one.... someone been in that engine before. Bores look ok and not scored...but someone earlier said they would like to see the pistons to see if they are GS, so I took a photo of that there's some grey gunk on the head and a hole further away is blocked, haven't poked it yet.... what the hell is this grey gunk?? I think I will forget about hybrid lifters, pushords with holes and conversion as that is just going to add more cost, looking at the list Larry posted, the ones with holes are really expensive, more than double the price of stock. Also discarding level 3 cam to avoid the cost of machining heads. here's some photos, because everyone likes photos. Lifter and pushrod Head and grey gunk As requested, bores and pistons thanks for that Larry. I think I will go with the stock pushrod, no hole as the cost of those you show is more than double. I think from what I read people say level 2 cam will be ok with stock lifters and stock type pushrods, can't remember if stock length pushrods though, need to read back. here you go sir: thanks!
Also, did you get the exhaust bolts out without breaking any? That's quite a a feat! Get new bolts, and use anti seize putting em back on!
thanks for the pattern, I'll save it on my phone. I've tried to get a manual for the Buick, but only available in the US and its so heavy that postage is a fortune! when I bought the truck I was going to get it shipped to the seller and he would put in the truck, but I wasn't in time. yes! all bolts off without breaking any.. I was only going the workshop today to soak them in WD40 but then decided to give it a go and they all started to come out.. Even the ones on the left side are coming loose, can't get to 2 of them though as need to get alternator out the way first. I'll do this tomorrow. new head bolts?.... hoping summit has some, can come in the order I'll put in eventually.
You can use new style(1970) lifters with solid pushrods. Works fine. Or tap a plug into the rocker stand that oils the rockers and convert to modern tech (1970) using 70 and newer rocker sets. We all have a few sets setting around our shops. Looks like you already have a bit of a hybred. Go with the level 2 to save some bucks. The performance gain is not a big difference.
