87 cylinder head

[rseibenick]

Did the 87 Ranger head come with the roller camshaft and 4 plug head. Or did the roller cam start with the 88 and the 8 plug head. Thanks.

 

[stx4.0]

This is a good question on the cam part as the roller cams were only supposed to be factory installed in 8 plug heads.However a few months ago I bought a 1 owner 87 ranger that had never been apart and upon pulling the valve cover I was shocked to find that it had a roller cam.I have had alot of early 80s rangers and worked on alot of them for other people and never before had I seen or expected to see a roller factory installed in a 4 plug head and no idea really why this one had it as it was a full 2 years before they were "officially" factory installed.The other issue is the 8 plug head started in 89 as all 88s are supposed to be 4 plug.I have argued this point before as I have been into it with fel-pro over there gasket set for 88 rangers.If you go into a parts store and get a set for an 88 you will get a set made for the 8 plug head.One of my 88s was built in early august 88 and its a 4 plug head so the possibility of early or late 88 to me is mute and every 88 I have ever looked at or seen for sale online all had the 4 plug head but there are still people that claim alot of 88s are 8 plug and fel-pro claims all 88s are 8 plug so I just buy the 87 and back gasket set to get the right ones.

 

[rseibenick]

Thanks, thats what I thought . I see some on Ebay that are rollers and 4 plug and the info states big springs , whatever that means? But they are 4 plug heads. Even some of the head builders have the roller and 4 plus. So I think you are right.