I was going to add roller rockers to my 305, but I have a friend who says you shouldnt ever change anything on the upper side of the engine because all of the parts mate together and it will cause damage all over. Is this true, and if so how true is it? I think its kindof crazy to be this paranoid about upgrading, but what do I know.

 

Tell your friend to get a life and stop believing everything he hears.

Changing to roller rockers won't affect any other component in the engine. As long as they are the proper rockers for the engine nothing will happen except a few more HP will be made from the lack of friction with the new rockers.

Going from 1.5 to 1.6 rockers will give about another 5HP. Going from factory stamped steel 1.5 to 1.5 roller rockers is the best. Make sure you get the proper ones for your engine. Some heads need self aligning rockers. Others don't. DOn't waste your money on something like Crane Golds on a street engine when Blazer or Energizer's will do fine. Stay away from roller tip rockers. They still produce a lot of friction on the pivot just like factory rockers do.

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Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block

Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.89
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 125.89
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 497.9
Best 60 foot: 1.546

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

I have heard the same type thing (also from the same guy), that you shouldnt change a camshaft unless you rebuild the engine, and camshafts cannot be reused in another engine. Is that also flawed reasoning?

 

...and you shouldn't walk under a ladder, and you shouldn't follow black cats around, and if you throw salt over your left shoulder you'll cut 5/10ths from your ET...

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Later,
Vader
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"Let the bodies hit the floor!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Are those all old wives tales or to they have some kind of logical backing? Cause if they are old wives tales it opens me up to a LOT more options with my car, as well as putting one of my engines in my dads truck.

 

Nothing wrong with swapping cams in an engine or even to another engine. When reusing an old cam you either need to reuse the old lifters (on the same lobes) or purchase new lifters.

Chosing a new cam for an engine depends on what you want to use the engine for. You're not going to put a .600 lift 320 duration cam into a stock engine and expect it to run.

I'd say you should start getting advice from people who work on their cars or build engines. Your friend sounds very unknowledgable. I suppose he thinks a new battery will discharge if left on concrete too. Most of the old wives tales about automotives don't apply to anything after the 70's.