DonLuiso

I am replacing the stock roller camshaft on my 1987 carbed 305 for a hydraulic flat tappet cam. I have the lifters with the cam. Do I need to get different pushrods or will the stock ones be the right size? Thanks.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

You need different ones. The roller version will be too short.

ljnowell

One question, why?

RB83L69

I think he means (pardon me if I'm putting the wrong words in his mouth) the same thing I was thinking; which is, why are you downgrading your car like that? That's a mistake; you should stick with the roller system. It's MUCH MUCH better. It's worth the price.

ljnowell

Nope, no wrong words in my mouth RB, in fact you hit it right on the head. Its like rebuilding a 305, just not worth it.

DonLuiso

Thanks, five7kid.

DonLuiso

RB,

Is the ZZ4 cam appropriate?

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

"Appropriate" is a pretty wide-open question.

As long as your valve springs/heads can handle the lift, it'll be a good cam with a stock LG4 control system. How well it will work depends upon what else you do (exhaust, air cleaner, porting, etc.).

Stekman

I'm not sure the ZZ4 cam will fit under factory heads as far as clearance between the retainer and the guide boss is concerned.

DonLuiso

Could you recommend a roller for a 305 with headers, hi-flo cat, intake and maybe a little head work? Thanks.

Token

The LT1 cam is probably the best bang for the buck... $50 or less and you'll notice a lot of power.

DonLuiso

Can I use the stock lifters with the LT1 cam? Do I need new springs? I had already bought springs for the flat tappet cam. Thanks again fo rthe help.

Token

Double check the springs, most can work. I used flat tappet springs just fine in my car, however I've heard of the aggressive lobe design being too much stress on some of the cheaper springs. Otherwise, you'd want to replace the springs when doing a cam swap just to cover your ***.

Yes, stock lifters are absolutely fine as long as you use the roller lifters and they are not damaged.

DonLuiso

Will the LT4 cam work for me, instead of the LT1? Thanks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

RB83L69

It's about the same as certain years of the F- and Y-body LT1 cam. It would work well.

Depending on what springs you bought, they may work OK. Yes you can use the stock lifters.

THat's one the beauties of the whole roller system.... you get to re-use the lifters you already have if they're not damaged or worn out, which they usually aren't. And even if some of them are, it's cheap to replace a couple.

The other great thing about rollers, which is something that factory roller cams entirely ignored (and why ANY other cam besides a stock one will run harder even if the "specs" look the same), is that they allow FAR higher ramp rates and spring pressures than flat tappets do, for a given level of reliability. All of that results in aftermarket cams opening the valves farther and longer for any given "spec" duration, than factory ones. i.e. for the same gas mileage and the same overall level of "too much cam" penalty, an aftermarket one will outrun a factory one, every time; sometimes dramatically. Or, to turn it around the opposite way, an aftermarket cam will give better gas mileage and less "big cam" behavior than a factory cam that gives the same power.

That's why you can buy take-out factory cams so cheap.... they suck, compared to good cams. But alot of them are still a VAST improvement over a 305 TBI cam, which is about the worst there is.

DonLuiso

O.K, so I bought the LT1 cam, but as I compared it to the 305 cam, I noticed it doesn't have the lobe to drive the fuel pump. What are my 'real' options (besides getting a third cam)?

RB83L69

Electric

DonLuiso

Electric shock? Were there any carburated LT1s? Am I the only one who's screwed this up? What would be cheaper, an electric fuel pump or a diffferent cam? I paid $35 for this one.

Thanks, /L.