427 FE dumps roller lifter and eats camshaft

[RICK LAKE]

Ernie I ran solids 20 years ago and spent every week end in the valve covers with adjustments. I went back to hydro, smaller cam, matched runners on the intake, heads, and header. Made a little less power but no problems. Motor is in the backyard in my 72CJ5. Solid rollers are ment for short racing 1/4 mile in my feeling. This is why hydro rollers came out. Most enduro motors run about 600-650" lift. Triple valve springs are not needed. If you want to run them then you need a rev kit that keeps the lifter wheel in contact with the cam surface, other wise a bouncing problem. even a .015" will damage the surface of the cam lobe and the roller wheel. You can still run your setup, just change a couple of things, Lighter springs, watch your rpm banging off the limiter. Check the valve lash every 500 miles. Having the oil temp and the right wieght in the motor is important but not what cause this problem. My bet is $20 on the shaft broke first. The rocker was twisting and ate the roller on the bottom of the lifter by bouncing on the cam and the push rod finally bent or snapped. I have to look at the oiling system on a SO motor, there most be some oil to lube the lifters in the bores or a splash effect. I will get back to you on this. You didn't say what gears you have in this monster? Build more tork, drop the ratio 10% and the car will be just as fast without the maintance problems. I have a 360hp motor 460 tork 9.2 compression, 501-533 cam from crane, idle is 700 rpm with a glass of water on it and not spill. runs 12.5 in the 1/4 with 3.31 gears, I can smoke the pilots in second gear at will, the tires are 2 years old and kept in the dark on a rack when not racing. Do you have Alum heads?? 12.5 is not bad if you watch the timing and good fuel. I have to do some research and get back to you. Rick Lake