I've been reading a lot for last couple of days about solid roller cams and more important about solid roller lifters and their premature wear or failures when using them on street engines. I know about pressurized oiling systems and even newer style lifters, like Isky e-z roll, that don't have needle bearings. What I'd like to know and hear from you is what is your opinion on using solid roller on street. Some manufacturers even name their series of camshafts as "street rollers", so how big cams would fall into that category?

I have the Crower HIPPO lifters in my motor. They work great. A little more coin then the Iskys though. I drive mine to local car shows and small cruises with the cam in my sig. Smaller rollers like under .260 @ .050 on a wider lobe sep would be fine.

There are some pretty tame solid roller cams out there that are designed for street use - some under 230 deg duration @ .050...

Solid cams can be hard on the valvetrain, depending on the grind, and of course you have to adjust the lash periodically.

A small solid cam is a very good alternative to a big hydraulic cam though, you will get similar power without the chunky idle and poor vacuum that a big hyd cam will give you. Obviously, a solid cam in similar spec to a big hyd cam will give you similar idle/vacuum characteristics, but will make more power.

It all depends on what sort of power you are after, and what you intend to use it for. For a 400hp 350 for the street, stick with a hydraulic, going over 450-ish hp in a 350, then start looking at solids.

Remember, too, as far as selecting duration, that when comparing a HR with a SR you need to choose a SR that's 8 degrees longer in duration than the HR. Has to do with the lash.

So a SR rated at 224/230 @ .050" will be comparable to a HR at 216/222 @ .050".

Jake

West Point ROCKS! Nation's TOP COLLEGE per Forbes Magazine!! Graduation Day Parade 20 May 2010!!!

I have not heard that before - what characteristics are you comparing with that? Are you are saying that a 224/230 solid cam with have the same drivability as a 216/222 HR? The solid will make a ton more power though.

87TA was running a solid roller on the street for thousands of miles and most of that was hard racing miles. Ran fine, no problems til one link bar screw came out and caused the lifter to spin in the bore and thus trashing the lifter. He had a lot of miles on them and many years of operation, they were comp cams lifters but not sure what model if they have different models.

Solids can be fine on the street as long as its all setup right. Solids have more aggressive lobes than hydraulic rollers for the most part so the duration at .050 can be higher for the same duration at .006 advertised. Thats why a solid roller will usually have more duration at .050 when compared to a similar advertised duration hydraulic roller. This leads to more overlap at .050 with a solid roller, valve open longer over the entire cycle and thus it should perform better at higher rpms. With the same total overlap at .006 advertised, the idle quality will be similar to the hydraulic but the solid will kick its butt.

So I would think you should end up choosing the solid roller with abit less duration at .050 than hydraulic rollers for same rpm range. But not always the case, depends on how aggressive the lobe is I suppose. Just looking at some cam catalogs, comp cams for instance, there extreme energy 282/288 230/236 hydraulic roller cam is suppose to go to 5800 rpm but its actually closer to 6000-6200 on a 350. The solid roller version is only 268/274 advertised but same 230/236 at .050 and its advertised to 6000 rpm but again its closer to 6200 rpm on a 350. That solid roller would be more streetable I would think based on total overlap.

For comparison, the solid roller with about the same advertised duration as that 282 hydraulic roller is 242/248 at .050 and is spec'd to go to 6500 rpm

Here is the combo that I'm planing to build.
I allready have some parts, but not all.

- splayed mains block
- Callies 4340 crank 3.750" stroke
- Carrillo 4340 6" H-beam rods
- JE forged pistons
- AFR 210 eliminators
- Super Victor intake
- carb or 4bbl TB efi (haven't decided yet)

My goals are close to 550 hp at the crank and 7200 rpm redline.
This will be street driven car but also road race car.

I'm still not 100% sure about what kind of cam/lifters should I go
with, but I'm leaning towards solid roller. It'll definately make most power,
but I'm worried about longevity.

I've posted on some other forums as well, and it looks like there are more than
a few cars running on the street with solid roller, with even more aggresive cams
than what I'm considering.

Here are a few cams that I'm looking at:

http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1994&gid=290

http://www.compcams.com/Cam_Specs/Ca...?csid=307&sb=2

What do you think?

I was going to suggest a mid 240's duration cam if going solid roller. I like that lunati grind. Run 1.6 rockers and those 210 heads will love it.

My friend Tom (87TA) has a 242/242 on his 406 and its up over 550hp but I think he shifts 6300-6400 on motor. On a 383 it would be closer to 6500, but I'd expected it to pull alittle higher than that. Doesnt matter tho, it makes the power wth older version 195 AFR heads.

I think your setup will do well.

Hydraulic roller can be done for about 550hp. Something in the mid lower 240's intake duration as well with tight LSA will rev up to 6800 rpm. Just need good strong springs to handle those rpms as well as a good lifter. LS7's should do fine, the Caddy race lifters even better. Morells are great too but more pricey
My 383 used a 230/245 cam on a 109 lsa and peaked at about 6300 rpm but held peak to 6500, so i shifted 6600-6800 on occassion. Estimated near 500hp on motor, it dyno'd 400whp. I had 195 heads and stealth ram. Bit better top end and better cam it would be close to 550hp

One way, and probably the best way, to improve lifter durability when running a SR on the street is to install a rev kit.

In case you're not familiar with that kit, it basically consists of sixteen short, low pressure/tension springs that fit between the lifters and the underside of the cylinder heads and has retaining bar, etc..

The short springs apply constant pressure on the lifters keeping them in constant contact with the camshaft lobes. That prevents the lifters from jumping on and off the cams's lobes as the engine operates, eliminates the added stresses to the lifters' bearings and improves their longevity.

Once installed, the kit requires no adjustment or maintenance and normal valve lash adjustment is maintained. When used on a HR cam, its said the kit increases the RPM range of the engine before lifter pump-up.

Hope this helps.

Jake

West Point ROCKS! Nation's TOP COLLEGE per Forbes Magazine!! Graduation Day Parade 20 May 2010!!!

The kit isn't too expensive but you must sure the kit you buy is designed for the lifters you're running. I suspect all cam companies sell them as well as AFR, etc.

If you check GM HIGH TECH PERFORMANCE mag's website you'll find a cylinder head shoot-out using a 383. A couple of the engines made power close to what you're looking to make.

The winner, AFR 195 Eliminatos, IIRC was at 525 HP or so. Article may give you some ideas on how they did it.

Jake

West Point ROCKS! Nation's TOP COLLEGE per Forbes Magazine!! Graduation Day Parade 20 May 2010!!!