I am considering going to a roller cam and notice prices can vary widely. I would like to know if anyone has info on any of these:

First, Comp cams (Jeg's part no. 249-847-16), Cost $451.99
Look here:

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...88&prmenbr=361

Second, Crane cams (Jeg's part no. 270-11515-16) horizontal bar lifters for $229.99.
-&-
Third, Crane cams (Jeg's part no. 270-11519-16) vertical locking bar lifters for $289.99. Both Crane parts on this page:

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...58&prmenbr=361

Finally, Lunati (Jeg's part no. 638-72840) for $259.99, appear to be similar to Crane's horizontal bar design.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...29&prmenbr=361

The specific questions are:

Why are the Comp cams liftersso expensive?

All the pictures of the horizontal bar lifters look like they are not hydraulic. Are They? If not, do solid flat tappet cam "rules" apply--i.e. set lash every so often, extra noise, etc. Are they bad news for the street? I mean, if the Crane $229.99 ones are adequate I'd like to use them, & by adequate I mean typical mild SBC reliably & longevity, not screwing with lash settings & such.

What are the benefits/pitfalls of horizontal v. vertical bars?

Will be going in a mild flat top 383, cam will be no more than ~230 deg. at 0.050" with max lifts no more than about 0.550," mildly ported world S/R's, intake to be determined but will be FI. Heck, while I'm at it, will I see a worthwhile benefit from going roller for such a mild setup? Cam will be chosen based on ported head results, I don't expect more than 230/170 CFM intake/exhaust. I ran searches & they helped alot but I'm having a hard time applying the info I found to my planned combo. Car is just a weekend driver, not for racing or anything--and I'd rather not spend more than I need to.

Thanks in advance

 

Per one of the linked Jegs pages, "The spring-loaded horizontal locking bar lifters have the unique feature of permitting cam changes without intake manifold removal (providing a rev-kit is not used)."

 

Are you looking for hydraulics, or solids?

I'm not sure what a Comp 847 is, although I think it's their high-endurance type product. I've usually used their 818 http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...05&prmenbr=361 or for small base circle cams their 891 http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...11&prmenbr=361 neither of which is on that page.

The horiz bar ones with springs allow the lifter to spring upwards when the rockers are backed off, which allows you to change cams without pulling the intake. Other than that, there's not a whole lot of difference in their effectiveness; except that the horiz kind don't take well to small base circle cams, and a rev kit voids their "pop-up" feature; and the vertical link bar type are usually a little heavier. I know of no horiz bar hydraulics.

Yes you will see a benefit from a roller. A hyd roller would be entirely adequate with a mild street cam like that, unless your FI is a MiniRam or ProRam.

Yes you will have to lash them now and then, but not as often as flat tappet solids. Instead of 12,000 mile intervals you'll probably get 18-20,000 out of them with good lashing technique (assuming you're experienced with solids and can get 12k out of an adjustment on a flat).

 

OK I went and looked it up for you at http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Ca...ML/282-289.asp You don't want 847s unless you have Little Chief or Brodix heads or some such, they're offset on the intakes.

 

Please accept a late thanks for the replies guys, I've been suddenly having trouble logging in to this site from work.

RB, as usual your reply in particular basically makes the issue crystal clear and I really appreciate the complete answer. I had done a number of searches on this but didn't quite find what I was looking for. I am looking for hydraulic roller lifters and will be using one of the sets you have recommended; I wasn't sure which ones were or weren't hydraulic (and was guessing based on their appearance) as I find the ads unclear sometimes.

I think I will go hydraulic roller despite the $500 or so extra expense of doing so as I don't want to mess around with flat tappets (I think in the future I'll regret not going roller).

The FI is to be determined--heck the block still needs to go to the machine shop (this Saturday hopefully) to get decked. As it is now the L2256 flattops would be 0.038" in the hole--if I have zero deck height, ~0.040" gasket, ~70cc chamber (haven't cc'ed yet; their supposed to be 67cc--I will be polishing the chamber & deshouding) I should squeak right under about 10:1; hopefully I'll be able to run pump gas with a mild cam. Can't get too wild--the rods are factory pieces.

Thanks again guys.

 

The part #s I posted aren't hydraulic rollers; those are solids. The 818 is yerbasic solid roller lifter, for stock dia lifter bores, stock diameter cams, yada yada yada. The 891 is the same thing except with the oil band up higher on the lifter, so that it doesn't fall out of the bottom of the lifter bore and create 16 massive internal pressurized oil leaks with small base circle cams.

If you go with hydraulic rollers, Comp's basic hyd roller lifter is the 853.

Comp's and Crower's catalogs (and to a lesser extent, Crane's and Lunati's) are much clearer and more descriptive than Jeg's especially. Summit's is a bit better than Jeg's about showing complete tech info. I find it incredibly stoooopid that neither of those part #s I gave you are shown on that page from Jeg's.

You'll probably really like the behavior of an engine with a real roller setup, especially if you step up one notch higher than the minimum recommended on the valve springs.

 

Finally can post from work again.

I looked in the catalog and it does indeed say 'mechanical cams only' under the solid ones--my mistake.

thanks again