FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: cattleFEeder on September 14, 2016, 08:38:42 AM
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Are there any reasons to run a flat tappet lifter over a solid roller lifter on the street?
The block is not drilled for a hydraulic cam, its a factory block being stroked to 482 cubes.
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Flat tappet cams need a break-in, but after that it will give you miles and years of good service (unless the cam is wild). Solid roller lifters will not survive for long periods of time, especially in a block that's can't put pressurized oil to the lifters.
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Thanks Brent , that's what I had heard , so I thought ask the experts on here.
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Not to mention the "Buy in"for solid rollers and the related pieces to go with them is MUCH higher. I was talking to a guy I know at a show last week, and he told me that he had the "little"520 CI BB Chev in his 65 Impala, after 5000 street miles, his 632 CJ BBC had a roller lifter shed its needle bearings, and pretty much ate up every rotating or recipricating piece in his big buck big inch big block. Funny thing is, he never took it over 6200 RPM, which is well within the parameters of a solid flat tappet.
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......or a hydraulic roller if you didn't want to fool with breaking in a cam.
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Like everything, depends on what you'd want to spend. Lots of solid rollers on the street - not cheap, figure at least $750 up for pressure fed units. As Brent said, if the block can't feed it - that's a real issue on a street car. Nothing wrong with hydro rollers either. I've "lost" my last flat tappet, I'll sit before I buy another for any performance application. "Oh, but flat tappet is cheaper" - well - one solid flat Crane about $240, $140 for a set of good lifters. Spend that twice because of a failed break in and you've overpaid for a set of hydraulic rollers. That can be reused if you pick another cam, by the way.
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The bosses are there in the block. We drill the oil galleys in the old topoilers, connect the crossover, and then the block is open for any application.....the hydraulic roller is the best for longevity if you can stand the cost. I agree with the above post that it only takes one screw up with the flat lifter cam to cost more than the roller.
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Thanks for all the replies,. but we will not be able to use this block, this is the 2nd factory block we have found this way. I am putting money down on a BBM iron block that hopefully we will have in 30 days