Engine rebuild, looking for opinions, cam, etc..

[87 WE2]

Going to rebuild the motor out of my Malibu since it has a rod knock in the #1
Car is a street car only: TA-60 turbo, xp plus red armstrong fuel pulp, adj reg, hotwired, 009 inj, intercooler and a half w/big neck. 3" THDP. 2800 stall converter.

Planning to reuse the block, stock crank, stock rods, with new billet #2 & #3 main caps.

My hope is to stay with a standard bore and go with forged pistons, I am not sure which make yet, opinons as to which are best for my plans?

Going to leave the heads stock and just over haul them if I go with a flat tappet cam.

Cometic head gaskets

Really want to go roller, looking into the kits Mike has at Full Throttle. If I go roller, I would have the exhaust guides milled down as the intakes are and have seals installed, and modify the pedestals for roller rockers now or future. Not sure yet...

My questions are if I go with his 206/210 do I need to run roller rockers or can I stay with the factory style? Any pro's or con's here? same question for the following:

Also looking at weber racings 206/206 billet roller which I think would be a better street cam but the $ is much steaper for there kit.

Any thing I am missing?, Any info, opinions would be great.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

If you are still using the stock exhaust valves, no seals are needed. I would have the bowls cleaned up at the very least. I like the 210/215 roller, but a 206/206 would work great too. You can get the 206/206, 212/206, 212/212,etc grinds in a ductile iron roller as well.
Roller rockers are not needed, but stronger rocker shafts are needed for the extra spring pressure the roller uses. Roller rockers make pushrod selection alittle easier.

 

[bison]

Id save the money for ported heads instead of a roller cam if you want the most for your $. Just reuse the stock cam and put the lifters on the same lobes they came off of. JE and Diamond have nice pistons for these engines

 

[aminga]

I'm in the middle of a build myself and what I was told was the roller rockers aren't really necessary but it makes getting the valvetrain geometry perfect easy.

 

[87 WE2]

Well I plan to over haul the heads, with new stock valves, guides, etc... I was reading that with the higher lift roller cam's 210? that the exhaust guides need to be cut down same as the intake. Maybe I read that wrong?
Either way I will check with the vendor when I pick the cam package to be sure.

I do not think that the cost in ported heads will really justify the gain with running a ta60 turbo and I do not plan on going bigger, its fast enough on the street as is and I don't race it.

Whats the difference in the ductile rollers vs billet rollers?
I am trying to avoid the bs of a flat tappet going bad. Not to say it will with the zddp additive out now but I like the new tech of the roller cams, it seems to be the way that everyone is going, the roller stuff is all new to me. We usually run flat tappets and never had a problem with them.

I am currently doing more research on roller cams, If anyone has any informative threads saved please post a link to them.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

A roller with stock heads is a waste, but I see your point on wanting to go roller. Heads and cam make a huge difference. You can make more power on less boost. So more power on pump gas for street driving. The Cutlass in my sig ran 11.74@114 on 18psi with the stock turbo with ported heads and a 210/215 roller.
The billet rollers are more expensive. The new ductile rollers have proven to be reliable, cheaper, and they install almost like stock.

 

[HOT ROD-GN]

id save the money for ported heads instead of a roller cam if you want the most for your $. Just reuse the stock cam and put the lifters on the same lobes they came off of. Je and diamond have nice pistons for these engines

x2