BB roller cam guys.
Thread Starter
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
BB roller cam guys.
What cam are you using with which heads. I have GMPP Sig Series aluminum heads with 290cc runners and 2.25 valves. Thinking about going to a roller. What do I need to change? Anything?
Which is better? Hyd or solid?
Not looking for top end, low to mid range.
Oh, it's a 468 with 2399TRW pistons (LS-6 replacements)
Which is better? Hyd or solid?
Not looking for top end, low to mid range.
Oh, it's a 468 with 2399TRW pistons (LS-6 replacements)
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 34,453
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From: Republic of Texas
I thought about going w/ a roller and I still may. The only reason for the swap would be for a smoother idle A solid 300 duration cam on a 110LS has good amount of chop at idle and can be tiresome in downtown traffic. 
The question is is it worth the $300 for the cam and $300 for the litfer just to say you have a roller? If you were seeking more durtion w/ less chop the it would highly worth it. Roller cam shine on the other end, if all you after is <6000roms and off idle torque I'd stay hydraulic.
The question is is it worth the $300 for the cam and $300 for the litfer just to say you have a roller? If you were seeking more durtion w/ less chop the it would highly worth it. Roller cam shine on the other end, if all you after is <6000roms and off idle torque I'd stay hydraulic.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Pettis Performance 565 with two stages of Nitrous Supply nitrous 1.082, 4.61 at 155, 7.17 at 192
Stick to a hydraulic roller unless you want to rpm it; and run the risk of a failure (solid roller lifter). If I remember right your car is a 4 spd car. Just to be sure list your engine specs, compression, intake, rear end gears, etc.
Off top of my head I would look for something in the 235-242 at .050 range (a little bigger on the exhaust side) on a 110 to 112 LSA.
How high do you want to rev it?
Remember a hydraulic cam will act bigger than a solid in terms of duration at .050.
Don't rule out a solid flat tappet, depends on your answers to the above questions.
Off top of my head I would look for something in the 235-242 at .050 range (a little bigger on the exhaust side) on a 110 to 112 LSA.
How high do you want to rev it?
Remember a hydraulic cam will act bigger than a solid in terms of duration at .050.
Don't rule out a solid flat tappet, depends on your answers to the above questions.
Thread Starter
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
John, my intake is a Weiand Stealth, rear is 3:36, 4sp, CR is about 9.4. Probably won't rev past 5,000-5,500. I think my heads are similar to what you had on your old engine.
Dude & Corey....thanks.
Dude & Corey....thanks.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Pettis Performance 565 with two stages of Nitrous Supply nitrous 1.082, 4.61 at 155, 7.17 at 192
Originally Posted by Jughead
John, my intake is a Weiand Stealth, rear is 3:36, 4sp, CR is about 9.4. Probably won't rev past 5,000-5,500. I think my heads are similar to what you had on your old engine.
Dude & Corey....thanks.
Dude & Corey....thanks.
I would think that .050 numbers in the high 220's to low 230's would be about right. The 3.36 gears are not going to want a lot of duration. I really like wider LSA's in street cams, they don't make as much midrange tq (by a little) but they have great idle characteristics, a very broad power band, and sometimes more top end power. All modern cams in new performance cars have very wide LSA's (116-120). With your gearing and moderate performance driving (5-5500 rpms) I think a LSA of 112-114 would be perfect. Install it 4-6 degrees advanced.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 723
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From: North Port, FL
Like GDainia I am running the Comp Cams 288A-R10 sollid roller. This is a fairily mild cam but produces good mid range torque and pulls hard to 6500. I know that many feel that a solid roller is less reliable than a hydraulic roller but that has not been my experience. I went through two hydraulic roller cams with less miles than I currently have on my current solid roller ~ 36,000 miles. I also experienced valve spring failure on two occasions with the hydraulic rollers. I believe that most all of the failures were my fault for reving to valve float witch occurred at lower and lower RPM (5600) with age. Non the less, the solid roller has proven to be very reliable. I recently pulled the engine appart to check internals and found the cam and lifters to be in like new condition. I wont go back to a Hydraulic roller.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Pettis Performance 565 with two stages of Nitrous Supply nitrous 1.082, 4.61 at 155, 7.17 at 192
Originally Posted by ZL1powr
Like GDainia I am running the Comp Cams 288A-R10 sollid roller. This is a fairily mild cam but produces good mid range torque and pulls hard to 6500. I know that many feel that a solid roller is less reliable than a hydraulic roller but that has not been my experience. I went through two hydraulic roller cams with less miles than I currently have on my current solid roller ~ 36,000 miles. I also experienced valve spring failure on two occasions with the hydraulic rollers. I believe that most all of the failures were my fault for reving to valve float witch occurred at lower and lower RPM (5600) with age. Non the less, the solid roller has proven to be very reliable. I recently pulled the engine appart to check internals and found the cam and lifters to be in like new condition. I wont go back to a Hydraulic roller.
If he chooses to run a solid roller the grind you run would be a good fit..... maybe a little big for the gears and rpm range of his motor.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 844
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From: Central KY
Still deciding on a cam myself...
Interesting thread as I am still deliberating over a cam choice when I rebuild my 454 this summer. I am thinking 9.5 CR, stock heads and intake (maybe spring for a vintage L-36 aluminum intake - thoughts there?), keep my Edelbrock 1902 spread-bore carb (Rochester modernized), switch to Hooker headers, short duration, high lift for torque, never rev over 5500 or so. I want a nice fat torque curve peaking over 500 ft-lbs.
If I stick with a flat tappet hydr cam, there is a nice Crower that has duration in the 210 - 220 range (at 0.050 lift) and exhaust lift of 0.520. Shows good torque in the midrange. I also like the idea of more LSA for the street.
If I go for a roller, more choices, but not sure worth the expense for my goals - even though DD2000 shows lots more torque just by selecting "roller" as the cam type... Some guys say that is a glitch in the DD2000 program though...
Anyway, I'll be interested in following this thread!
If I stick with a flat tappet hydr cam, there is a nice Crower that has duration in the 210 - 220 range (at 0.050 lift) and exhaust lift of 0.520. Shows good torque in the midrange. I also like the idea of more LSA for the street.
If I go for a roller, more choices, but not sure worth the expense for my goals - even though DD2000 shows lots more torque just by selecting "roller" as the cam type... Some guys say that is a glitch in the DD2000 program though...
Anyway, I'll be interested in following this thread!
Last edited by djcwardog; Jan 28, 2005 at 06:08 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,298
Likes: 1
From: Sodertalje/Sweden
Originally Posted by GDaina
I'm running the Comp Cams 288 R solid roller, stock distributor gear, no need to run the bronze gear with this cam.
Great cam,old design but it still kicks azz. Using one my self
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 332
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From: Geneva Ohio
I am running a comp solid roller XR286-R10. It is a little more tame than the 288R for the street. The idle sounds radical but is really quite smooth at 800-1000 RPM. There is pleanty of vacuum to run the power brakes and headlight doors even with a PCV valve. I've had no problems with adjustments. The lash is set tight at .016 and .018 hot lash so it is very quiet. It has a very broad torque band and makes a lot of HP from 3500-6500RPM. Check out the article from Chevy high Performance.
http://www.compcams.com/Community/Ar...ID=-2023343081
Incidentally, I will probably be replacing this cam with my new combination (going bigger) so if you're interested make me an offer.
The comp grind# is 11-772-8
http://www.compcams.com/Community/Ar...ID=-2023343081
Incidentally, I will probably be replacing this cam with my new combination (going bigger) so if you're interested make me an offer.
The comp grind# is 11-772-8
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,892
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From: Pettis Performance 565 with two stages of Nitrous Supply nitrous 1.082, 4.61 at 155, 7.17 at 192
Originally Posted by red79vette454
I am running a comp solid roller XR286-R10. It is a little more tame than the 288R for the street. The idle sounds radical but is really quite smooth at 800-1000 RPM. There is pleanty of vacuum to run the power brakes and headlight doors even with a PCV valve. I've had no problems with adjustments. The lash is set tight at .016 and .018 hot lash so it is very quiet. It has a very broad torque band and makes a lot of HP from 3500-6500RPM. Check out the article from Chevy high Performance.
http://www.compcams.com/Community/Ar...ID=-2023343081
Incidentally, I will probably be replacing this cam with my new combination (going bigger) so if you're interested make me an offer.
The comp grind# is 11-772-8
http://www.compcams.com/Community/Ar...ID=-2023343081
Incidentally, I will probably be replacing this cam with my new combination (going bigger) so if you're interested make me an offer.
The comp grind# is 11-772-8
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
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From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Originally Posted by 69 N.O.X. RATT
The 288R they are talking about is actually the 288AR (11-692-8), it is much milder than the XR286R you are running, less left, less duration, much milder ramps, etc....
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
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From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Go solid roller if you don't mind adjusting lash occasionally. The solid roller lifts the valves at a much faster rate than hydraulic rollers. Flat tappets are limited at valve opening rate because of lifter diameter.
Hydraulic tappets are heavy too. Just read an article in Hot Rod recently where they didn't get much more intake duration than 230' @ 0.050" (can't remember lift exactly but was around 0.550') and were already into valve float at 5500 rpm in their 454HO.
Hydraulic tappets are heavy too. Just read an article in Hot Rod recently where they didn't get much more intake duration than 230' @ 0.050" (can't remember lift exactly but was around 0.550') and were already into valve float at 5500 rpm in their 454HO.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 0
From: Melbourne Australia
This is the stick i'll be using, with pro series lifters. I hope it's not to big and comes out as quick as it went in 
http://www.cranecams.com/?show=brows...91&lvl=2&prt=5
Heads have 360cc runners. Motor is not running so i can't really be of much service there, hopefully it should be running by September.
I you don't mind getting dirty occasionally i'd run solids
http://www.cranecams.com/?show=brows...91&lvl=2&prt=5
Heads have 360cc runners. Motor is not running so i can't really be of much service there, hopefully it should be running by September.
I you don't mind getting dirty occasionally i'd run solids
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,347
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From: Melbourne Australia
[QUOTE=Corey_68] The question is is it worth the $300 for the cam and $300 for the litfer just to say you have a roller? QUOTE]
I envy you guy's over there Corey, solid roller cam and lifters out here in OZ cost me $1600 aussie bucks
I envy you guy's over there Corey, solid roller cam and lifters out here in OZ cost me $1600 aussie bucks