The reality is that rollers won't make any meaningful difference in 90% of use cases.

But bolting modern tech into our old toys is fun so the real question is whether you'll get another $500-$1000 of satisfaction out of this build by installing a link bar and some rollers.

TexasRebel said:

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Retrofit kits have lifter pairs linked to keep the rollers parallel to the lobes.

I've had a few cams go flat and wished I'd've gone roller, but that was 20+ years ago. I'm sure I can still get a flat-hydraulic cam set and broken-in.

This is going into a Samurai. Not trying to get the idle too high, but wouldn't mind a mild lope.

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Pics of the project?

TexasRebel said:

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Retrofit kits have lifter pairs linked to keep the rollers parallel to the lobes.

I've had a few cams go flat and wished I'd've gone roller, but that was 20+ years ago. I'm sure I can still get a flat-hydraulic cam set and broken-in.

This is going into a Samurai. Not trying to get the idle too high, but wouldn't mind a mild lope.

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My mother had a Samurai as a high power golf cart down at her beach house until a hurricane took a last minute turn and washed it away. That thing will be insane with a 305 in it.

Clearly a fun project and not a daily driver so go have fun and build the engine you want. I've had pretty good luck priming tappets in a heavy weight oil and then not waiting months to start the engine. The last part is probably the hardest part for a DIY project.

Nothing to look at yet.

Rear axle is locked up. Had to drag it onto a U-Haul with a come-along.
While power is fun, I'm also worried about cooling the thing. Trying to get efficiency up so waste heat goes down. Might have to pull out some old college books to pick a radiator.

TexasRebel said:

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Retrofit kits have lifter pairs linked to keep the rollers parallel to the lobes.

I've had a few cams go flat and wished I'd've gone roller, but that was 20+ years ago. I'm sure I can still get a flat-hydraulic cam set and broken-in.

This is going into a Samurai. Not trying to get the idle too high, but wouldn't mind a mild lope.

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I've got an 80s 305 I'll give you once you wipe this one out trying to use a flat tappet cam, so you can make a better decision on build #2.

Ag for Life said:

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TexasRebel said:

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Retrofit kits have lifter pairs linked to keep the rollers parallel to the lobes.

I've had a few cams go flat and wished I'd've gone roller, but that was 20+ years ago. I'm sure I can still get a flat-hydraulic cam set and broken-in.

This is going into a Samurai. Not trying to get the idle too high, but wouldn't mind a mild lope.

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I've got an 80s 305 I'll give you once you wipe this one out trying to use a flat tappet cam, so you can make a better decision on build #2.

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Probably the same engine. This block was cast in 79.

That Fram filter tho.

BrazosDog02 said:

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That Fram filter tho.

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I wondered if anyone would notice that.

We pulled this engine out of my buddy's '82 C10 in 2002. It's been sitting on a garage floor ever since. "Ran when removed". …but apparently just barely.


That filter put up a fight during teardown.

I'm just messing with you. Looks like a fun project.

People actually rebuild 305's? Were they out of 307's?

Yes.

The floor of my garage did not have a very large selection, and the price was tough to beat.

TexasRebel said:

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Yes.

The floor of my garage did not have a very large selection, and the price was tough to beat.

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If the price is right

I don't have a lot of room to pick on anyone. I just rebuilt a Jeep 6 cylinder.

The comment I hear a lot is if you're going to rebuild a 305, 307, or 4.3, you may as well do a 350 because the money will be the same. Of course, if you already have a 305 long block, that saves a big part of the cost.

Silvy said:

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Yes, I'd go aluminum heads and a roller cam. Too many stories of new flat tappet cams instantly wiping out a lobe.

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Same. Although I still wonder even with the consolidation of camshaft manufacturers and all the Chinese crap out there if a lot of flat tappet cam failures are the result of shade tree hobbyists just doing a bad job breaking them in .

Silvy said:

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Yes, I'd go aluminum heads and a roller cam. Too many stories of new flat tappet cams instantly wiping out a lobe.

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Go roller tips on the rockers also, get a little more duration out of the cam