I have a 400 SBC that I am considering switching to a roller motor.

My only question is that if I swap it can I use ANY roller cam or does it have to be one that is a "roller cam retrofit" like the ones in the Comp Cams catalog?

 

Yes, it has to be the so-called "retrofit" design, which is applicable to any small block of any year. That's what all the rest of us have been using for decades, before the factory hipped up to the notion of rollers and then put some freshman engineering student's first-semester project into production, instead of using the tried and proven, much simpler, more reliable stuff that was already on the market. The older block will not accommodate the factory's bizarre Rube Goldberg of crap they call a roller setup.

In case you can't tell, I think the original design roller system is superior to the factory's.

 

so How do I know that the cam I pick is a roller retrofit? I mean does everyone have retrofit cams? That kind of sucks that there is a limited amount of selections.

 

The retrofit lifters are really the most expensive part. Federal Mougal has a set for about 250 I think.
They will grind whatever you want/need. It is usually about 50 bucks extra. Comp does not even charge that.

 

Usually they're designated somehow that they are the original design, rather than the later thing. There are a whole lot more grinds available in that design than for the factory one. Racers avoid the factory setup because it's so unreliable. Virtually everybody in the cam business has "retrofit" cams. In the Comp catalog for example, all the roller cams that start with 12- are "retrofit"; there are probably 8 times as many of those in the catalog as there are of the factory roller ones, practically all of which are "computer compatible" (i.e., suitable for swapping into a more or less stock FI system). Plus, Comp lists all their lobes, and you can have them cook you one up from any of the pages and pages of roller lobes if you can't find one that is just what you're looking for. The other major mfrs. (Crane, Lunati, Ultradyne, etc.) all also offer a similar selection and custom service.

 

The cam companies will state that the cam is a roller, either solid/mechanical or hydraulic and for what year block. 55-86 is retrofit and 87 up would be factory roller. It's that simple

 

thanks for clearing that up guys