i have an 87 up l98 motor, im gonna change the cam with cranes high energy cams 268H, will this cam work with my roller lifters, or do i have to use hydraulic lifters, and if i have to use the hydraulic ones will they just fit into the block without any modification, thanks


Kevin

 

i don't have a crane catalog handy, but if it's a flat cam use regualr hyrdolic (or solid) lifters to match, if it's a roller use roller lifters, basically match the can to the lifters. also the push rods are differant length between a flat and roller cam.

 

i was pretty set on using this cam, would it make a big difference in the motor, if i used the hydraulic lifters, and will those lifters work in my roller block, thanks



Kevin

 

sure you can use and type cam and lifters in the factory roller blocks, just make sure everything matches.

 

Crane doesn't make "High Energy" cams. That's a Comp trade name.

If the cam is not a roller cam, then using it will require that you replace the lifters and the push rods, because the ones you have won't work with it.

Your existing cam and that cam both use hydraulic lifters. However, your factory lifters have rollers, and the cam you are talking about may or may not be designed for roller lifters; if not, then you have to change the other things.

Why are you "set on using this cam"? Do you have a carb, TPI, TBI, or what? If it's the Comp High Energy 268H, it's completely wrong for a FI car, it will cause you major PROM headaches. If you have a carb, other cams will work better / run stonger / use less gas / idle better than that one. It was a great cam 20 years ago, we've learned a thing or 2 since then. If it's a Crane cam of some sort, then I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

Sorry i didnt mean to put set on this cam, and the car will be carbed, and i also notice i got the names backwards , i just need a good cam suggestion,

 

OK, what's the rest of the motor (intake, compression); and your converter & gears; and what exhaust?

 

If you have a Hydraulic Roller type camshaft in your motor now.
you would be able to swap in a new Hyd Roller camshaft with out replacing the factory hyd roller lifters.

Switching to a hyd flat tappet cam would require changing to new hyd flat tappets for the new hyd cam you have in mind.

Why not pick a simular grind in a hyd roller profile and
retain the power and low friction benefits of a hyd roller system.
A simular comp cams hyd roller would be
#12-420-8 Grind # 270HR specs are 270/270 215/215 110 .500 .500" lift

or #08-442-8 grind # XR270HR-10 specs are
270/276 218/224 @.050" .495"/.502" 110

Or a simular Crane Cams Hyd roller would be
#119821 grind # HR276-2S-12 IG specs are
276/284 214/222 @.050" .488"/.509" 112

The popular GM LT4 Hot Cam also falls into this category of camshaft.

 

the intake will prob be a edelbrock performer, compressions is about 10:1, it will be getting a set of longtube headers and dual exhaust fairly soon, it will also be a manual, with 3.42 gears

 

The Comp XR270 would be a good choice, it would be on the edge of what would match a Performer intake well. The XR264 might be another one you'd want to look at. Those are both roller cams, that you can use with your existing other valve train, except the springs & retainers. They are very aggressive designs, with very high valve acceleration and speeds; the stock springs are utterly incapable of making the valves follow their profiles. Get the 981 springs and the retainers that go with them.