tech question!: solid vs roller lifters
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Melting Slicks
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From: Deltona (son of Deland and DAYTONA) FL
tech question!: solid vs roller lifters
I can understand the advantage of decreased friction of roller lifters, but are there any advantages to solid lifters?
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by isosceles
I can understand the advantage of decreased friction of roller lifters, but are there any advantages to solid lifters?
Motors I build w/solid lifters have different cams and power stages. Typically a solid lifter motor will have a shift point of 7500 to 8000 where hydraulic lifters can't go that high.
Street = hydraulic
1/4 mi = Solid
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From: Southern California
Originally Posted by SanDiegoPaul
YES!
Motors I build w/solid lifters have different cams and power stages. Typically a solid lifter motor will have a shift point of 7500 to 8000 where hydraulic lifters can't go that high.
Street = hydraulic
1/4 mi = Solid
Motors I build w/solid lifters have different cams and power stages. Typically a solid lifter motor will have a shift point of 7500 to 8000 where hydraulic lifters can't go that high.
Street = hydraulic
1/4 mi = Solid
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by MotorHead
You can run higher spring pressures with solid lifters, which means more agressive ramps and lift, which means more power. 
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by isosceles
I can understand the advantage of decreased friction of roller lifters, but are there any advantages to solid lifters?
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
He's not asking about solid rollers, he wants to know the advantage(s) of a solid flat tappet cam over a hydraulic flat tappet cam
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Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '03,'11
roller cams make more power because the profile has a faster ramp so you get the valve open longer ie. more area under the bump.
solid lifters don't pump up and float out so you can get more rpm out of it.
solid lifters don't pump up and float out so you can get more rpm out of it.
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
another advantage of roller vs. flat tapped is that you can go with bigger lift on roller cams because of reduced friction.. If you go past .550 on flat tapped cams, the came won't last too long because the friction will wear down the cam pretty quickly...(at least that's the way I understand it)
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Melting Slicks
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From: Deltona (son of Deland and DAYTONA) FL
Well, maybe I'm confused. There are 3 types right? solid, flat tappet, solid roller and hydraulic?
If that is the case, I'd like to know the advantages of solid flat tappet vs solid roller.
Olivier: the lifters in your old motor are solid flat tappet, right? Was there any advantage to using those over rollers?
If that is the case, I'd like to know the advantages of solid flat tappet vs solid roller.
Olivier: the lifters in your old motor are solid flat tappet, right? Was there any advantage to using those over rollers?
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by isosceles
Well, maybe I'm confused. There are 3 types right? solid, flat tappet, solid roller and hydraulic?
If that is the case, I'd like to know the advantages of solid flat tappet vs solid roller.
Olivier: the lifters in your old motor are solid flat tappet, right? Was there any advantage to using those over rollers?
If that is the case, I'd like to know the advantages of solid flat tappet vs solid roller.
Olivier: the lifters in your old motor are solid flat tappet, right? Was there any advantage to using those over rollers?
Solid Flat tapped (what you have)
Solid Roller (what I have)
Hydraulic Roller (what lotahp has)
Hydraulic Flat Tapped (what most people have)
You also have special "non pump up" lifters for hydraulic cammed engines. They almost act like solid lifters because they don't pump up like regular hydraulic lifters...
The main advantage of solid camis is that they are usually capably of higher RPM. The only disadvantage is that soid cammed engines usually require adjustment more frequently, even though it's not as bad as people think..
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Melting Slicks
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From: Deltona (son of Deland and DAYTONA) FL
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
Mark, there are 4 types...
Solid Flat tapped (what you have)
Solid Roller (what I have)
Hydraulic Roller (what lotahp has)
Hydraulic Flat Tapped (what most people have)
You also have special "non pump up" lifters for hydraulic cammed engines. They almost act like solid lifters because they don't pump up like regular hydraulic lifters...
The main advantage of solid camis is that they are usually capably of higher RPM. The only disadvantage is that soid cammed engines usually require adjustment more frequently, even though it's not as bad as people think..
Solid Flat tapped (what you have)
Solid Roller (what I have)
Hydraulic Roller (what lotahp has)
Hydraulic Flat Tapped (what most people have)
You also have special "non pump up" lifters for hydraulic cammed engines. They almost act like solid lifters because they don't pump up like regular hydraulic lifters...
The main advantage of solid camis is that they are usually capably of higher RPM. The only disadvantage is that soid cammed engines usually require adjustment more frequently, even though it's not as bad as people think..
You are right, the adjustment is easy. I checked them not long after I put the motor in because I heard a tick. The noise was from a loose header bolt and the rockers were right on the money!
So, are you telling me there is probably more power to be had from this motor with a steeper cam and roller lifters?
I'm not going to mess with that now, but curious. I know I can change springs and go with 1.6 roller rockers
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From: Taylor Michigan
Originally Posted by isosceles
I can understand the advantage of decreased friction of roller lifters, but are there any advantages to solid lifters?
"I use them on the street". Ya, but people jump off bridges too. My answer is that unless you like working over fancy expensive paint jobs, you will be able to go nearly as fast, or the same, with a hell of a lot less grief with out roller lifters. Racers know what I mean. 
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by isosceles
Oh ya, I've heard of the hydraulic rollers and forgot about those.
You are right, the adjustment is easy. I checked them not long after I put the motor in because I heard a tick. The noise was from a loose header bolt and the rockers were right on the money!
So, are you telling me there is probably more power to be had from this motor with a steeper cam and roller lifters?
I'm not going to mess with that now, but curious. I know I can change springs and go with 1.6 roller rockers
You are right, the adjustment is easy. I checked them not long after I put the motor in because I heard a tick. The noise was from a loose header bolt and the rockers were right on the money!
So, are you telling me there is probably more power to be had from this motor with a steeper cam and roller lifters?
I'm not going to mess with that now, but curious. I know I can change springs and go with 1.6 roller rockers
Another thing to watch out for is that the open valves won't hit the piston... You have to be sure that there will be enough piston clearance with a higher lift cam and/or 1.6 rocker arms...
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Melting Slicks
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From: Deltona (son of Deland and DAYTONA) FL
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
Mark, you'd have to upgrade the entire valve train..
I need my converter and gears first.
Saturday I'll find out if the car is as consistent as it seemed at Moroso. If it continues to run that way, I might not change anything before the end of the year. I know I said that before and I went and bought Olivier's motor, but it was too good to pass up AND the car was too slow.
Ironcross: so you are saying that rollers are even higher maintenance than solids? wow!
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by isosceles
Yup, that would be a given. With an even more radical setup, I'd do cam, pushrods, rockers and springs. That's way down the road.
I need my converter and gears first.
Saturday I'll find out if the car is as consistent as it seemed at Moroso. If it continues to run that way, I might not change anything before the end of the year. I know I said that before and I went and bought Olivier's motor, but it was too good to pass up AND the car was too slow.
Ironcross: so you are saying that rollers are even higher maintenance than solids? wow!
I need my converter and gears first.
Saturday I'll find out if the car is as consistent as it seemed at Moroso. If it continues to run that way, I might not change anything before the end of the year. I know I said that before and I went and bought Olivier's motor, but it was too good to pass up AND the car was too slow.
Ironcross: so you are saying that rollers are even higher maintenance than solids? wow!
Melting Slicks
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From: CA
Originally Posted by Ironcross
Probably several. Percentage HP difference in solid lifter engines, whether using a plain flat tappet as opposed to a roller tappet is minimal. Both can be extreme. However the roller camshafts require a lot more maintance and are not really street motivated because of that requirement. This is where the water parts. You will get answers like "I use them on the street". Ya, but people jump off bridges too. My answer is that unless you like working over fancy expensive paint jobs, you will be able to go nearly as fast, or the same, with a hell of a lot less grief with out roller lifters. Racers know what I mean.
"I use them on the street". Ya, but people jump off bridges too. My answer is that unless you like working over fancy expensive paint jobs, you will be able to go nearly as fast, or the same, with a hell of a lot less grief with out roller lifters. Racers know what I mean. 
Roller cams are fairly reliable (factory hyd-type), but if a lifter rotates sideways you'll be tearing down the motor. With a solid cam, you have 16 less things to worry about.
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From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
They make solid roller cams designed to run on the streets, new design lifters for improved oiling. These street roller cams are made from the same blanks that solid lifter cams are ground, therefore, you can run the factory distributor gear.
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
I agree Comp cams makes a great street roller line. I would not change my solid roller, it does require more adjustment and you have to keep your eye on it but I am willing to do that