what does eveyone prefer. a roller or flat tappet cam on a 305. i'm building a good street car not a drag car but would like the best setup i can get. the heads will be ported or aftermarkets. i see alot of people putting in the zz4 cam. does it have good street manners. i can get the slp 51000 for cheap. or are there better than these to for my setup.

 

Roller, reason being, less friction, no break in time, faster lobe ramps.

One thing in consideration, doe the 305 block have provisions for a roller cam and such. If not you gotta get retrofit roller lifters, and cam button, which i would say wouldnt be very cost effiecient on a 305.

If the 305 doesnt have provisions for a roller cam, i would use a flat tappet. Use the money you save from not using retrofit roller lifters, to go towards a roller 350.

Kevin

 

depends on engine. If you have a roller block, stick with the roller cam. If you have a tappet block, its gunna cost a lot of money to retrofit.

 

its a 86 iroc 305 tpi. why would it cost alot to go roller? 1 found a new zz4 cam for 120. i'm sure i can find a good used set of lifters.

 

For one, you cant use the stock roller lifter, they stick up to far in the lifter bore. You will need lifters like these or similar.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...30&prmenbr=361

 

then a good flat tappet it is. thanks for your input

 

One thing worth noting is that a retrofit roller setup will transfer to a non-roller 350 just as easy, so IMO, saying that the cost isn't justified for a 305 might not be a completely accurate statement. I looked into this because before I found my cheap 305, I got an old non-roller 350 for free. The 350 needs a rebuild and the 305 does not. I will be purchasing parts that readily transfer to the 350 w/o an issue for my 305.

 

Thanks for noticing that, i didnt obviously. But good point.

 

i have to ask, i looked up my engine id number and it says i have this, {14093627...305...87-94...2...Roller or flat tappet cam, one-piece rear seal,} so i guess i have a roller or a flat tappet cam. i guess i can put a new Roller cam, with hydrolic lifers,

 

Not sure what year your car is but pull the intake and know for sure. Either way roller is far superior to flat tappet in every way but price

 

thanks, i will look at the lifters, i have a 1990 camaro rs, with 305L. i am pretty sure they are flat. thanks again. i believe my goal is to pull the 305 out and replace it with a 350. i want to expand on hp with headers, cam, and 350 tbi. and i can not see any advantage in waisting my money on a 305 to do this. i need to find out if i order a 350 from for that car will be ok for what i want. i hope the 350 does not come with low compression pistons, because then i will have to replace them with better comp pistions.

 

Your combo is a roller motor from the factory. However, i'd still check because a previous owner may have altered what's in there.

 

May not need to pull the intake to find out. Pull either valve cover then one easy to get to rocker and pushrod. Use a flashlight and peer down through the pushrod opening in the head.

Can you see a dogbone and the spider? If so, then roller, if not then flat tappet.

RBob.