I've asked several mechanics, they say the only way is to look at the lifters.

Is there another way, I have a 351w MFI ( Manifold Fuel Injection)

1996 Ford F-150.... How do I tell if it's a Roller or Non-roller. Or some way I can find out?

 

If that is the original engine,it is a roller block. I am not sure the exact year the change over happened,but all 5.0 or 5.8 trucks had roller blocks by 96.

 

The 96 should be a roller , you can take a valve cover off & look down the push rod hole with a flash light & look at the top of the lifter , if you see a dog bone its a roller cam ...Lew

 

I believe the change was around 94, possibly earlier for the 302.

 

cool. I was thinking it was a non-roller. Which is better? hp and durability?

 

Roller cams use a lifter with a small, very hard wheel on roller bearings that follows the shape of the lobe. Roller cams are more expensive than flat-tappet cams but offer more lift for the same number of degrees of duration.

This also reduces friction between the lifter and camshaft, so the parts don't wear out.

 

Happened to be snooping around this morning trying to figure out when 351's (5.8L's)went to roller blocks. Near as I can tell, '94-up were roller capable blocks (not necessarily equipped with a roller cam from the factory though..aka Lightning). Block ID # of F4TE-AA. While not the point of my search, I do believe that the 5.8's had roller cams installed after about 95 or 96.

I think this info is correct, but can someone verify this for me (as well as the OP).

Thanks, Mike

 

I just rebuilt the the heads on my 94 302 and I have rollers. For some reason I thought all the 302/351 motors from 89 on were rollers.

 

i think the 302 got it sooner, but I didn't think it had the roller in 89.

 

I know that 302's were roller equipped in Mustangs like my '87 GT (think '85 or '86 were the first.) I don't believe truck 5.0's were roller cam equipped until at least '92 and more likely the '94 model year when they got a higher performance cam and definitely (at least for the 5.0) changed to roller.

 

I have a 87 truck block and it is a roller.... my cast # is E7TE..
E=80's
7=87
TE=Truck Engine

 

Sniper, e7te are the heads

 

Conanski or Greystreak once told me the 302 became rollers in the truck model 89, and the 351 from 94 (Cali) and 95-96 for the rest.

 

Get the casting number off the block, not the heads

 

The casting # is right where the starter would go. My # is E7TE
The heads that were on it are E6SE