Does anyone have any experience with the Comp Cams 4609 roller tipped fuel pump push rod?
After the demise of the fuel pump eccentric on my roller cam, I want to be safe with the new cam and have opted for this part.
I'm wondering if I'm getting myself into some other kind of trouble with this.
I've used a light weight bronze tipped push rod (also from Comp) however I think that the OEM part that I used previously had already worn through the hardness on the cam face and the failure was inevitable.
I'm not into adding a can of engine oil additive everytime I change the oil nor do I care for Rotella or the ZDDP supplemented oils that are currently available (I like my synthetic).
Thanks.

 

If you were class racing where ever fraction of a HP makes a difference and you had to use a mechanical pump, it would be a good investment. For the average person, they don't need this. An OEM pushrod will work fine.

 

That's what I thought too.
Look at this destruction. This cam came out of my small block. 36 000 kms.
At few thousand kms ago, the engine started laying down at the top end. I figured the fuel pump was going away (pressure was perfect at idle). Installed a 110gph part and things improved then steadily became worse. Eventually it barely ran at all with 0-1 psi at idle.
This is the result.
The roller tip is the cure, I hope.
And if it frees up a horsepower or two....that's a bonus.

 

Thats not good at all. Any chance of just switching to a electric pump or belt drive?

 

There's usually always some reason something like that happens. Incorrect parts, binding or damaged parts or lack of lubrication. Fuel pump lobes don't normally wear out under normal operation.

 

I'm using an old Holley Blue pump presently, fitted to where the original EFI filter was. I can't stand the noise (and I've isolated it about as well as I can).
I prefer the mechanical style mostly because it's more like the original equipment. I've invested in the installation too so I'm going to carry on. Hopefully this push rod and cam will survive.

Lack of lubrication is the key phrase there. Further to that, it's the newer formulations of oil that's the real culprit. Just like a flat tappet, there's an area here that could benefit from the missing ZDDP.

I'm suspicious of the locating pin that's part of this push rod package. Is this going to be another area of potential failure? It relies only on some residual oil that drains away from the cam. I've tried the soft tip push rod prior to getting this roller but the old cam was already wiped out and I never determined how much the push rod tip would wear.
I guess this will be another wear item to keep an eye on with periodic inspections.

 

I would ditch the old noisy holley pump too, use a better, quiet newer one.
I helped a friend take the lever out of the mech pump on his carbed car so it looks like its there but he is using a electric fuel pump.

 

Up until this episode, a mechanical pump has never given me any trouble.
Prior to this, I had my flat tappet cam go flat, directly as a result of the oil I used. That was the writing on the wall. That happened at a time when the oil formulation information was just making it's way into the mainstream. Who knew it would apply to the fuel pump too?
Should the time come when I change to an electric unit, I'd be inclined to go for an in-tank version. I'd go so far as to cut a hole for access in the floor too. Going through what it takes to drop the tank is something that I'd prefer to do only once (more).

Still, I haven't heard from anyone who's actually used one of these roller tipped push rods before. I hope it's not a piece of crap.

 

Bump to hear if anyone's used one of these.

 

Why not use a synthetic oil with zinc like amsoil?

 

I had considered that.
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produc...tic-motor-oil/
That puts the cost of an oil change at nearly 60 bucks not including the filter (6 quart pan). Considering I might change my oil a couple of times a month and it gets a little pricey. (Yes I know. What's the cost of an engine full camshaft material?)
Or adding an additive with every oil change? Another $15 which isn't too bad I guess.
I'm just looking for the least complex way of going about ....like the old days.
Still, a reasonable suggestion.
Thanks.

 

Man thats crazy what that fuel pump did to that cam. So oil failure, or oil additives (or lack thereof) was the reason behind this on your cam? I've only seen this happen 1 other time and that was due to the wrong pump on the SBC 350. The tension on the pump lever was made for heavy duty and the hydraulic cam eventually wore down due to the extreme pressure the lever required. I guess if a lifter can flatten a lobe due to over tightening rockers, wrong valve springs, or lack of lubrication anything is possible.

Hopefully that roller push rod and some decent oil will give you better luck.

 

Why do you change your oil so often?

 

I drive a lot.
I have several long distance trips in the course of a driving season (6-8 months).
Virginia, Edmonton, Chicago.
I like to change oil every 3000 miles.

 

Idk spending a little more money per oil change seems a lot better then spending a lot of downtime with the car. It may be worth it to go to an electric pump. For the record we just dropped the tank in my buddies GTA to replace the pump, really wasn't that hard with two people we were rather surprised.

 

That's the truth for sure. After the cam went away, I spent almost the entire driving season with my car in the garage. I eventually went to an electric pump so I could get some seat time but I don't care for the noise (although it was an inexpensive old Holley Blue pump so I got what I paid for).
What I'm getting at here though is that just like a set of roller lifters that don't care about oil additives or formulation, I figure this roller tipper push rod will provide the same level of durability that the lifters provide.
I just can't find anyone here that's used one of them.

 

Bump

 

How about a Stewarts Race Pump? They put very little force on the cam and flow a ton!

Or update that stone age Blue pump to a more modern quiet pump.

 

Rotella T still has > 1200ppm zinc

 

I'm just trying to use what I have my money invested in at this point. I've got the Edelbrock pump (and a new cam). I also have the roller tipped push rod.
I just don't seem to able to find ANYONE that has experience with it.
As for the modern quiet pump, my racing friend just installed the latest Aeromotive in-tank pump. His report is that it has about 0 db on the noise scale. That might be next.

I was using Rotella in my old flat tappet 305 until the transmission packed it in.
I like synthetic oil though. I'll bet there's a synthetic "diesel" oil out there but I also bet it costs a ton.There are additives too but that's more expense.

 

What keeps the roller aligned? Thats what I wonder. What keeps in from spinning? The all thread and the slot?


Your putting 6,000+ miles amonth on your car? Thats crazy! That must be a ton just in gas money.


My guess is you got a bad cam Core. Was it a Comp?

 

you could try Rotella Synthetic about $22 per gallon

 

I used Brad Penn oil in my flat tappet engines. $6.00 a quart.

 

There's a guide pin that's screws into the threaded boss adjacent to the push rod hole. It fits into a corresponding slot cut into the push rod.

 

That I didn't know. I'll check that out.

I haven't heard of that one.

 

Brad Penn used to be Kendell Brand. Very high zinc and stuff.

http://penngrade1.com/


My local machine shop swears by it. Jegs carries it as well.

 

I'll look into that too.

 

I still find it odd that no one has posted up with experience using this push rod.
Makes me nervous.
Now if I can find a full synthetic zinc added oil at a reasonable price (up here in Canada) I'd use it. Then I could switch back to my mechanical pump using the tried and true light weight push rod.
Cake and eat it too sort of deal.

 

i emailed shell about the zinc or zddp content of their Rotella T6 5w-40 synthetic and got this reply.




Shell Rotella T6 Full Synthetic Oil SAE 5W-40 contains approximately
1200 ppm of zinc. *For most engines with flat tappet camshafts, we
believe this amount of zinc should provide adequate protection.

Thank you for your interest in Shell Lubricants!

Regards,
Edward Calcote
Staff Chemist
Shell Lubricants North America Technical Information Center
www.shell.us/lubricants; www.shell.ca/lubricants
Technical Data Sheets and MSDS: *www.epc.shell.com

 

Do you buy new tires every 10K miles, too?

 

skinnyz,
Have you tried to ask on yellowbullet?

 

roller tips are ok
Used a composite from howards and love it. Super lightweight wont float the FP as easil supposedly oil impregnated also. Summit has them.