Why are roller cams sooooooooooo much more expensive than the hydraulic and flat tappet non-roller versions? Can I put on of these cheaper styles in my car and still run rollers on it? I'm running tpi and I don't want to confuse the stock computer setup, so I figured runnning rollers is my only option. Will rolllers work with a non-rolller cam in a roller block? I'm confused....If anybody knows why/whynot to do this I would be glad to listen, thanks.

 

It makes no sense to run rollers on a non-roller cam. The ramps are optimized for a flat tappet lifter. A roller cam has much more aggressive ramps that bring the lifter and valvetrain open much faster. If you used a roller cam with flat-tappet lifters, the lifter would dig into the cam surface and ruin it. The lobes are also ground differently: The roller lobes are flat across the top whereas the flat-tappet lobe is designed to make the lifter rotate. you do not want to rotate a roller lifter or the roller itself will no longer roll! That's why the rollers are typically tied together with a bar or held in place with a sheet metal spider in the lifter valley.


[This message has been edited by ws6transam (edited February 13, 2001).]

 

Roller cams cost more because they're the "hot new thing" and they can charge accordingly. But roller cams are definitely worth the extra money. Dont put a non-roller cam in your car if you have a roller cam now, thats a downgrade.

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Rollers cams have been around for decades. Supply and demand curves.

The roller cam is of a harder material that non-roller cams, harder to produce and machine. Roller lifters are more complicated that non-rollers. That drives up cost to produce.

Roller is "tricker" and that also adds to the price.