Roller CAM -FE

[Excaliber]

Special Note: Solid roller lifters are designed for use in racing applications; however if used in street applications precautions should be taken to avoid excessive idling and certain engine builder modifications are required. Low RPM usage may result in a lack of lubrication from windage, premature wear and ultimately extensive engine damage.

Well that pretty much says it all right there. There have been no significant advances with "long life" in the solid roller category. Same now as it was years ago, use on the street as your own risk.

...your left with the "I like solids!" argument without any other reason than "it sounds cool."

You left out the WAY LESS expensive part of the argument. You can do a flat tappet for a fraction of the cost of a real quality hydraulic setup. For some of us, THAT is a very valid reason indeed!

[undy]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

You left out the WAY LESS expensive part of the argument.

That argument might wash if we were exchanging thoughts on, say.. a Nissan Sentra forum, where the vehicles we're discussing are the ones that we rely heavily on for our very day-to-day existence. The very nature of our sport somewhat reeks of self indulgence with a dash of exorbitance. Not a darn thing wrong with that 'cause I are one 2...

Asside from that... Don't forget about the possibility of an engine that's forever "prescription drug" addicted to Zinc additives, not to mention forever living in fear of a dead cylinder miss with thousands of pretty shiny flakes in your oil. There seems to be more and more talk about wiped cams, well after the break-in period these days.

[patrickt]

Ernie's cost saving argument is pretty much bogus. But the zinc/phos availability is everywhere now. Every car catalog I get now seems to have their own "house oil" that is "extra rich in zinc & phos" -- I think the Summit catalog that came yesterday was the most recent with their own house brand. If you run the right oil, and if you haven't wiped a lobe in the first 1000 miles or so, your SFT will be around a long, long time.

[undy]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Ernie's cost saving argument is pretty much bogus. But the zinc/phos availability is everywhere now. Every car catalog I get now seems to have their own "house oil" that is "extra rich in zinc & phos" -- I think the Summit catalog that came yesterday was the most recent with their own house brand. If you run the right oil, and if you haven't wiped a lobe in the first 1000 miles or so, your SFT will be around a long, long time.

The jury really hasn't reached a verdict on this additive thing either. I've heard some reports on the Chebby forums of wiped FTs, even after reportedly using said additives in subsequent oil changes. Don't the additive ppm quantities diminish in the oil with age?

As said countless times before, it ends up being a personal choice kinda thing. To me it's an unnecessary risk with a comparative cheap $400 buy-in, not to mention that "roller cam" bragging rights..

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by undy

The jury really hasn't reached a verdict on this additive thing either. I've heard some reports on the Chebby forums of wiped FTs, even after reportedly using said additives in subsequent oil changes. Don't the additive ppm quantities diminish in the oil with age?

As said countless times before, it ends up being a personal choice kinda thing. To me it's an unnecessary risk with a comparative cheap $400 buy-in, not to mention that "roller cam" bragging rights..

I wonder whether the additives work or not, too. I just use Brad Penn, which is really the same old hi-level zinc/phos oil that you could get decades ago along with a bottle of the old EOS. I haven't heard of too many lobe wipes any more. It seems like everyone has caught on and maybe the bad lifters have all died by now. Some of the smarter builders seemed to think there were some weak metal lifters that were the main culprits.

[undy]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I wonder whether the additives work or not, too. I just use Brad Penn, which is really the same old hi-level zinc/phos oil that you could get decades ago along with a bottle of the old EOS. I haven't heard of too many lobe wipes any more. It seems like everyone has caught on and maybe the bad lifters have all died by now. Some of the smarter builders seemed to think there were some weak metal lifters that were the main culprits.

Don't forget the massive in-rush of inferior Chinese cam cores too... I also believe a lot of these failure can be attributed to poor materials and off-shore produced performance products.

[FUNFER2]

What company's are they ?

[FUNFER2]

Undy- I forget what valve train you're using ?

[undy]

Originally Posted by FUNFER2

Undy- I forget what valve train you're using ?

2.19"/1.74" Stage 2 KC Ebocks, KC sourced Crane Hydraulic Roller lifters with his custom grind Comp Cams cam. 242/252 .638"/.646 (best I recall). Erson rockers (The only thing I'd ever put on a set of Eboks ... plug and play rockers) Smith brother's pushrods.