roller lifters with 2.8

[veekuusi]

Hello everybody!
Is there any problem installing roller lifters to 2.8 engine 1987-1994.

http://www.crower.com/lifters/roller/mechanical/gm-chevy/roller-lifters-chevy-2-7-v6-60-degree-set-12-375.html

Crowers sells them for 2.8 engine.

I been studing this forum of yours and did not find answer.
I am planning to put a GM 2.8 engine to my race car here in Finland.
The engine is now a Ford 2600 cc V6 in a Capri.



I will change engine because I want alumium heads and roller lifters.
We can make here (near north pole) camshafts of any kind,
that is no problem.
But need to know if there is problems with the roller lifters with the block.

Any links to 2.8 race engines would be nice.
I mean companys that have built full race engines....

Thanks , I appreciate your answers.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

Its not a direct swap, but it can be done, there is a guy on TGO running rollers on a rwd block, but I don't remember who, if you ask in the v6 section he'll probably pop up, pretty sure it was one of the more prominent members in that section.
No one builds "race" engines on these platforms that I know of, falconer(I think thats the name) built a couple a long time ago, but pretty much on your own these days, unless of course you pay a shop to do the work.
At any rate, a 2.8 isn't the best place to start, spring for a 3500 if you can, if you are placement limited, then build a hybrid, ie. a 2.8 with ideally 3400 or post model yr 2000 3100 heads, can't run 3500s on a 2.8 though due to the bore difference being too big.
As far as making the roller lifters work, Idk the details, but something like welding anti-rotation bars to the block I believe, like I said, find the guy with the camaro that did that and he'll tell you, he might be on these boards, but I don't remember, cause I don't remember which guy did it, I think it might have been "bl85c".

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

On 2nd thought after looking at those, they might actually be direct drop in o.O In which case, I'll have to get some for my 3.4....but wait until you hear from someone that knows for sure.

[Superdave]

Those are drop in solid roller lifters, you need a cam designed to work with solid rollers though. I'm sure you know that already.

Curtis ran those on his turboZ with good success. You'll need custom pushrods and some good rockers also make sure to get a really good timing set.


Not a lot of 2.8's get built any more, mostly 3.4's and larger because of the better head selection.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

Didn't even notice those are for mechanical, if these blocks weren't known to be structurally weak at the lifter valley, I would probably go N/A, crower makes a pretty massive mechanical cam if memory serves, though I think it was flat tappet, but they probably have or could do a mech version of it...But that makes it really tempting, just not worth it to go mechanical though unless you go high rpm...I'm planning to try to aim for 6k max power 7k redline, for block reasons, and stock rod limits.

[veekuusi]

Thanks for your answers .

The race regulations limits me to 2800 cc max.
Plan is to get something like 270-300 horsepower out of 2,8.
That needs a wild camshaft ( = roller lifters) , compression ratio 13:1 , strong short block,
good heads ( = big valves) and so on.....

We have here Chevrolet Cavaliers , Buick Centurys .... in jankyards , with a 2,8 V6-engines.
Can get one easy.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

That is a lot of compression, a turbo or super setup might be a better route to go, 270-300hp is about the absolute max you could get out of a 2.8 N/A, and it will take all the bells and whistles.

[pocket-rocket]

He's probably limited to NA if he's limited to displacement.

I wouldn't doubt 270-300hp is achievable on a 2.8 with the right setup. Look at the aftermarket for the 2.3 Lima engine in my Ranger. It's ridiculous the stuff you can get for it from Esslinger Engineering. If I wanted to I'm sure I could hit 270-300hp no problem NA with it, it would just be a matter of how much I wanted to spend and how radical I wanted to rev it.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

Oh it is doable, falconer did it, it just takes a lot, but this guy already has ITBs, so I wouldn't doubt he can pull it off

[pocket-rocket]

Those ITBs look like 3 down draft carbs with velocity stacks to me. I could be wrong though, after all, it does have CNP ignition.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

Same idea, diff fuel delivery, though it does only look like 3 on a v6, which seems odd.

[bob442]

how about using a 2.8 crank in a gen 3 3100? would it lower the displacment? if so it would get you way ahead of the game with roller lifters, rockers, and better flowing heads and intake. just a thought... i'd like to look into that idea my self just for shits and giggles.

[Superdave]

how about using a 2.8 crank in a gen 3 3100? would it lower the diplacment? if so it would get you way ahead of the game with roller lifters, rockers, and better flowing heads and intake. just a thought... i'd like to look into that idea my self just for shits and giggles.

Yep, a high compression "2800" would be perfect in this situation.

you'll need a year 2000 or newer 3100 V6 (has the best large port heads)
2.8 MPFI crank from a 89 or older Cavalier/Beretta
2.8 pistons for a S10/Camaro (almost flat tops)
Stock rods

With that, and a healthy cam with headers 300 HP would be easy since it's a full race application. You can go even further if you add a set of wot-tech's best ported heads.


The Gen 2 heads on the Cavalier 2.8's and 3.1's will not get you near your goal without a lot of porting and a completely custom lower intake.. and even then 300 will be a stretch, the gen 3 heads are so much better.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

Ditto on the 2800 hybrid, thats the perfect motor for his application. Any reason the crank has to be from a cavvy or beretta?

[pocket-rocket]

Just shave the numbers on the plenum so the judges don't start questioning you and demand the engine be torn down for inspection, lol.