Socket Head Bolt

I want to change out my lifters on my small block to solid ones so I can rev my motor higher. I wasn't thinking I would want to turn it higher than 6500 when I first built but now I do. What are the differences between a solid rolelr cam and a hydraulic roller cam?

MotorHead

A solid roller cam lets you rev past 6500

Little Mouse

Go with a solid roller for over 6500 rpm

Socket Head Bolt

I know that. But can I change out the lifters without changing the cam?

C3 Stroker

....You mean solid lifters on your hyd. cam?....No.

Oldguard 7

i'm assuming either you have a hydraulic flat tappet cam or a hyd roller cam.

There was an article in a 2004 chevy performance in which an engine was dynoed with a sr cam and hr lifters. I guess it can be done however, magazines do tend to inflate claims.

Little Mouse

Your hydraulic roller would have to have a lower duration profiile
to work with the hydraulic lifters, without more duration you are
not going to get into the upper power range you are looking for.
you may be able to rev it a little more but it wont be making any
power

Socket Head Bolt

I have 235* duration and .550 lift. It's kind of small. I want to put around .650 lift cam with 270* duration in my next 350.

Gordonm

Unless you are racing only a cam with 270 @ .050 is going to be a real dog in a street 350

MotorHead

You can run solid rollers on a hydraulic roller cam but I would not go the other way around.

Socket Head Bolt

Yes I mostly race this car.

So what do you guys think about running my present cam with solid lifters?

Little Mouse

Sockect head bolt High lift and high duration cams make things
harder on the valve springs. dont buy a cam with 650 lift unless
you have a head that is still flowing air to 650 lift and most 23
degree heads wont flow air at that lift. all you will be doing is making it harder on your vavle springs with no benefit.

Socket Head Bolt

I was thinking about picking up some 18* race heads. It won't be for awile though. Im more worried about converting to solid lifters in this engine.

Gordonm

What cam do you presently have. Is it a hyd flat tappet or a hyd roller cam. Going to solid lifters is no problem but match the cam lifters and springs. Trying to save a few bucks when you are goingto be turning an engine at high rpm is a sure way to blow it up. What is your short block combo?

Little Mouse

Brodix makes an 18 degree head called the 18X that is raised
runner uses standard lifters ( no offset lifters needed ) and you can
run the same rockers as any 23 degree head. Most 18 degree heads
have big runners for a 350 sized motor.

Socket Head Bolt

My present set-up is match for the cam lift and it's a hyd roller cam. My motor is fine right now but I don't want to go over 6500 with the hyd roller.

My bottom end consits of mahle pistons, eagle h-beam rods, and a steel crank.

jeckel

I tried to run h rollers on a solid roller cam in a Digital TPI 383 Stroker motor I dropped in a s-15 jimmy. When I rw dynoed it, the power ratings plain old sucked! I shoul;d of had 650+ hp but only wound up with around 425. I later on changed the heads out and swapped the h rollers for solid rollers. Now the thing has 696 hp to the rear wheels.

In short the h rollers killed the power on the soild roller cam.

Socket Head Bolt

Ok but I want to the opposite.

jeckel

It can be done, but IMHO you will not see the full potential of your motor.

Socket Head Bolt

Im not seeing the full potential of it right now. It starts to pull good at about 5500 and I can only rev it up to 6500.