3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Topic: 3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters? (Read 1390 times) previous topic - next topic

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

January 08, 2009, 03:11:24 PM

Got one of my crazy ideas, And went looking into a possible Roller Lifter
swap for the T-Bird while i have the intake mani off.

So after some research it looks like a any 94-98 or so 232/3.8 hydr roller lifters will fit, But im unsure of the oil holes lining up... any ideas on that?

Then i could get some of these:

To line them up.

And use some 94-98 pushrods to make up for a probable length difference.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? And anyone know about the holes lining up in the housings on the block?

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #1 – January 08, 2009, 03:20:30 PM

You have to change the cam as well.
You cannot use roller lifters on a flat tappet cam.

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #2 – January 08, 2009, 03:34:08 PM

Ah yea, Thanks.
Need to figure out what will fit now, I assume a 94-98 232/3.8 'stang roller cam would work. Am i wrong?

And not sure how the springs will handle the swap...
Also, Will i be needing to use a retainer plate?

Well now its looking like i wont be doing this any time soon, But something i would like to do eventually.

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #3 – March 01, 2009, 08:39:50 AM

Humm, I'm wondering if the mid/late 80's-90's V8 hydr roller lifters would fit (are possibly the same)?

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #4 – March 01, 2009, 08:57:02 AM

I did a search on oreillyauto.com compairing an 88sport with a 96 v6 mustang and the part numbers matched for the roller lifters. here are two different brands available, sealed power HT2205 and Melling JB2205

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #5 – March 01, 2009, 09:26:00 AM

I dunno about 3.8s but the 5.0 blocks were modified for the roller lifters, cannot use factory roller lifters in a non-roller block... No doubt there are aftermarket $$$, lifters that would work... Why bother?? kinda like polishing a turd...

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #6 – March 01, 2009, 09:53:51 AM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;259006

I dunno about 3.8s but the 5.0 blocks were modified for the roller lifters, cannot use factory roller lifters in a non-roller block... No doubt there are aftermarket $$$, lifters that would work... Why bother?? kinda like polishing a turd...

owch and owch... :flame::hick:
I've got a bad lobe on my camshaft.

This would be a Junkyard swap, Could be done for less than $50 this route (only reason i'm considering it right now).

How were the blocks modified for them? Do you know?

I do know that a "Rail" will need to be installed in the top of the block, But this only requires drilling and tapping 2 very small screws to hold down the plate (i assume this inst going to be a problem).

Otherwise as far as i can tell, If i can find a donor car i can just swap over:
roller camshaft x1
dog bones x6
rail x1
shorter roller pushrods x12
and possibly the springs.

Heres a list of potential stock 3.8's running the roller setup:
*94-04 3.8 Mustangs
*90-97 V6 Thunderbird Base & SC
*89-97 3.8 Cougars
95-03 3.8 V6 Windstar
89-94 3.8 Continentals
89-95 3.8 Taurus'
89-95 3.8 Sables
(Asterisked ones are my best bet.)

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #7 – March 01, 2009, 10:22:29 AM

The lifter bores on roller blocks are longer (deeper), to accomodate the longer roller lifter. Trying to fit a roller lifter into a non-roller block MIGHT work for a short time, but the lifter will wobble and beat itself to death.

I say MIGHT work because the oiling holes would probably not line up anyway (they'd be higher up on a roller block, so putting roller lifters in a non-roller block would have the oil passages in the lifter too high)

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #8 – March 01, 2009, 10:29:58 AM

I was going by this pic:

But now i assume thats a retrofit roller.
Need a pic of stock roller next to stock flat.

All in all sounds like this will end up in fail, Unless i spend big $$$ on retrofit lifters.

Thanks guys.

**If you look up stock rollers for 89 up 3.8's on oreilly's~they say they fit 85 and up t-birds, cougars and stangs?
Whats the difference between an 84 and 85 block...
Also found this:
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Article/2393/rebuilding_the_ford_38l_engine.aspx
Doesnt mention any lifter guide changes, Does bring up that a cam chain tensioner was added though.

Its just going to come down to a side by side/test fit at this rate.

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #9 – March 01, 2009, 12:35:34 PM

Well the stock camshaft isn't a direct swap, And they don't appear to make a roller cam for 88 and under 3.8's, So...
Looks like a no go. :(

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #10 – March 06, 2009, 10:39:04 PM

Had some thoughts and looked around on O'Reilly's site.

Stock 84-87 3.8 Ford/s Camshaft:

Stock 78-88 3.8 Buick/s Camshaft:

I'm sure it still wont work, But kind of interesting... And Buick has a larger V6 aftermarket (Obviously :hick:).
They do have a roller version of the 3.8 Cam.

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #11 – March 06, 2009, 11:49:20 PM

it was GM's idea as was the 302 in the first place.

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #12 – March 07, 2009, 10:09:45 AM

Quote from: jcassity;259970

it was GM's idea as was the 302 in the first place.

The first 302 was in FORD HD trucks in 1956... No it wasn't the same 302/5.0 most of us know, but they were still ahead of Chevy that only offered a 302 '67-'69...

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #13 – March 07, 2009, 04:00:53 PM

Oh and BTW...the larger V6 Buick was a 4.1 liter or 252ci It was factory and used through early 80's. They can be found in the junkyard. You may have seen one as they were the V6 buicks with a 4 barrel Rochester Q-Jet carb.

3.8 Hydraulic Roller Lifters?

Reply #14 – March 07, 2009, 06:08:16 PM

You weren't thinking a Buick cam would work did you?