Hey All.
Is there anything special that you must do to run a roller cam? Its for an early style block, carbed, non Vortec, ect...
I heard you need special machine work. Do you use regular timing chain, lifters??? Tnx, HG

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Lets see, for lifters you need the retrofit style which have a tie bar between them. These are a bit more expensive then the new style roller lifters. For the timing chain you will need a cam button to control the position of the cam. That should be all really, ummmm... probaly going to need custom pushrods, but there should be some available.

... Hmm, I'm not sure what you mean. I mean, you're goign to have to use roller lifters, but other than that, it will all fit in. I know you probably know all this, you'll need custom length pushrods, and heavier springs. You also cannot allow the lifters to spin in the bore as normal lifters do (for obvious reasons!). You have two options with the lifters depending on how much you trust yourself with a drill. If you do some research, it is possible to drill slightly into the top of the lifter valley (trust me, I did it myself on an 87 360 mopar (damned thing was ONE stinking year away from having a roller cam, how's that for crap luck lol)). You can only go down about 1/4 of an inch at most, really what you're trying not to do is munch a cam bering from the top! Go to a GM dealer and get a "spider" for a late model block. The spider attaches in the middle of the block (bolts running through the holes you drilled, use loctite!) and has "legs" that arch out and sit between each of the lifter pairs (so eight legs). The legs hold down a "yolk" which is a small piece of metal that looks like an open ended wrench on two sides. The yolk goes around the semi flat surface of the lifter, and keeps it from spinning. These "stock style" lifters are probably 250 dollars a set LESS than the retrofit lifters. Retrofits can be gotten from comps or crane or whathaveyou and simply drop in in pairs with a bar connecting them, so that they cannot turn in the bores. Take your pick!

Not sure how much of that you already knew hemmi, but maybe it will help somebody reading it. It was a fun project for me in any event-

K

Killer has some good points. I just wanted to add that check the block before you start drilling. I was going to do this on a ford motor and I couldnt, one of the cam bearings was in the way.

Also something to think about, The pushrods made for "retro fit" is usually for the spider supported lifters. Even though both link bars, and spider lifters are called retro fit, they both take different length pushrods.

Ben

I don't think it's a good idea to try to cobble an older style block for the later hydraulic lifter set up. The newer block are spot-faced on the lifter bore bosses to properly seat the lifter retainers and the newer blocks have bosses cast into the lifter valley for the lifter "spider" retainer. The older blocks don't have the bosses cast into it so it's easy to drill into the main oil gallery.

It's a better idea to either use a later style block that's made for the hydraulic lifters or use the proper retro-fit set up for the early block.

Or you can use a solid grind to get the performance you are looking for.

tom

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I got a friend on another site that has a new set of TRW blower pistons n pins and an Isky Roller cam that he will sell me for 300 bucks.
I just dont want to get in over my budget to much. If I use the Roller cam and get the button on the timing chain, then if I get the lifters with the bar between them and the right pushrods I'll be OK? HG

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I was built with the body of a God! To bad it was buddah.

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I follow tom on this, since there`s been a few cases where a SBC from the factory came with the spider retainer bosses and cam retainer bosses, but came with a flat tappet cam, when the block was rebuilt and a roller cam was used, oil was flying all over the place because the lifter bores were the standard of old small block height, far as I remember the bores for the roller block are taller, in the blocks I`ve seen that would accept roller cams that had flat tappets the lifters were all the way down in the bore when they were on the cam`s base circle, so far down none of the lifter was exposed. there was a post here about it not too long ago.
Weirdest thing I seen at the junkyard was a 1988 block cast in canada, it had the 1 piece rear main seal, but the lifter valley was the same as the older blocks, there was no spider retainer bosses or anything, but I also have a 85 350 that was cast in the states that has the spider bosses, but has a 2 piece rear main seal and the lifter bore height is the same as the small blocks of old.

This cam is a roller but is designed for the older(pre87) blocks. Will that make a difference? HG

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I was built with the body of a God! To bad it was buddah.

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And most roller cams need a Bronze Distributor gear.

That depends on whether or not the cam is the right profile for your intended application. If it's not the right cam for your combo, it won't be a good deal unless you can unload it and get the right one (like maybe that's what HE is doing?).

tom

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Ya cain't fix stoopid, but ya kin TAX it!

that probably is a good idea hg.you may want to called isky with the cam specs. first and give them your motor descrition and see what they say.a reg. cam is expensive enough to have to replace .may even do a work up on a desk top dyno or something to give you better info.good luck

Hemmigremmie do you still have the Germmie?

The Gremmie is still in the drive. Im going to try and finish it by summer. Maybe no paint, but hopefully a motor. HG

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I was built with the body of a God! To bad it was buddah.

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Good that you were able to keep it in the driveway.

I have an extra roller cam set up for a GM. Complete with cam, roller lifters and reatainer. I will let the whole set up go cheap. If you need this stuff drop me a line. Keith

AusioOne@aol.com