Roller lifter help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 121
Likes: 2
From: Middletown Delaware
Roller lifter help
I need help with lifter selection. I am using a 99 350 roller cam block for my 383 build. The Cam is a small base circle hydraulic roller with .539 / .558 lift. My plan is to use the stock lifters. Has any one run this kind of lift with OE style lifters? I am hearing they will be to short or they will come apart with that much lift or that they will be fine. Help
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 4
From: Texas
The LT4 Hot Cam from GM Performance is a .525 lift cam using a 1.6
rocker ratio... it uses the stock roller lifters... and stock LT4 springs..
That being said you are talking about an internal engine part that
takes a while to dig down to... You might call several cam mfgs and
see what they suggest...ask them about cams they have w/similar
lift/duration characteristics and their use w/stock roller lifters...
I tend to think you will be ok @ .550 and lower but Im surely NOT
going to make any high RPM/no floating claims... for street use I think
they would be adequate... though a fresh set from GM or Crane would
be a good move if you are going to stick with them.
If high rpm is critical to you ... you might be able to get some
aftermarket anit pump up style lifters in the stock config that would
do the deed.
Good luck... if you could post what the cam companies say
here.. I for one would be interested in the info...
rocker ratio... it uses the stock roller lifters... and stock LT4 springs..
That being said you are talking about an internal engine part that
takes a while to dig down to... You might call several cam mfgs and
see what they suggest...ask them about cams they have w/similar
lift/duration characteristics and their use w/stock roller lifters...
I tend to think you will be ok @ .550 and lower but Im surely NOT
going to make any high RPM/no floating claims... for street use I think
they would be adequate... though a fresh set from GM or Crane would
be a good move if you are going to stick with them.
If high rpm is critical to you ... you might be able to get some
aftermarket anit pump up style lifters in the stock config that would
do the deed.
Good luck... if you could post what the cam companies say
here.. I for one would be interested in the info...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 121
Likes: 2
From: Middletown Delaware
Thanks! I will let you know what they say. I looked at the Crane tall lifters and had sticker shock at the $514 price tag. It is a Crane custom grind. I will be using 200 cc Dart pro 1"s with double springs. Max RPM on the cam is listed @ 6500 with Float at 7200. It will be predominately a street build but I am sure It will occasionally see 6000.
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
Thanks! I will let you know what they say. I looked at the Crane tall lifters and had sticker shock at the $514 price tag. It is a Crane custom grind. I will be using 200 cc Dart pro 1"s with double springs. Max RPM on the cam is listed @ 6500 with Float at 7200. It will be predominately a street build but I am sure It will occasionally see 6000.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,025
Likes: 658
From: FL
Be very careful here, some of this advice is missing the true issue.
The true issue is keeping the roller lifter aligned with the cam. The problem is that with the '99 350 roller block, using the stock lifters and the small base circle cam, the lifter could drop far enough in the bore when the lifter is on the base circle of the cam that the body of the lifter is below the dogbone. When that happens, the lifter can spin, no longer maintaining the alignment necessary for the roller. This will destroy the cam, the lifter will probably be not aligned with the dogbone so when it tries to rise again, it will jam in the bore and do more damage.
That is the worst case. You need to check every lifter individually or just get a set of the taller lifters. Sorry about the price but if that lifter drops below the dogbone, you will do major damage to your engine.
The true issue is keeping the roller lifter aligned with the cam. The problem is that with the '99 350 roller block, using the stock lifters and the small base circle cam, the lifter could drop far enough in the bore when the lifter is on the base circle of the cam that the body of the lifter is below the dogbone. When that happens, the lifter can spin, no longer maintaining the alignment necessary for the roller. This will destroy the cam, the lifter will probably be not aligned with the dogbone so when it tries to rise again, it will jam in the bore and do more damage.
That is the worst case. You need to check every lifter individually or just get a set of the taller lifters. Sorry about the price but if that lifter drops below the dogbone, you will do major damage to your engine.
Last edited by SteveG75; Apr 2, 2008 at 04:44 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 124
From: Lubbock TX
ratfinger, if he's using a link-bar type, the lifters will have to be the tall versions to fit the block, just like Gen6 and aftermarket big block. Crane cautions that with more than .600 lift, the base circle is too small and the lifter will drop out of the dogbone. That actually doesn't happen until you're at about .640, .600 is just fine. I don't know what the restrictions are on a smallblock, but I'll see if I can find out.
hgm, put the cam in and slip a lifter in with the front lifter galley plug removed. You can shine a light thru the galley and watch the oil hole, make sure it doesn't drop below the galley. It also needs to stay well within the dogbone retainer.
Comp has a set of hydraulic rollers for big blocks that I've watched rev to 7K, kinda gives you the best of both worlds. You might check with them and see if they have something similar for smallblocks. They're link-bar type.
hgm, put the cam in and slip a lifter in with the front lifter galley plug removed. You can shine a light thru the galley and watch the oil hole, make sure it doesn't drop below the galley. It also needs to stay well within the dogbone retainer.
Comp has a set of hydraulic rollers for big blocks that I've watched rev to 7K, kinda gives you the best of both worlds. You might check with them and see if they have something similar for smallblocks. They're link-bar type.
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
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From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
The above 2 posts are why I'm wondering why he's using a small base circle cam. If he has a roller ready block then why spend the extra $$ for link bar rollers & why go with a small base circle cam that may require tall lifters? He can go with quality stroker cut rods for less than the additional costs of tall or link bar lifters. I wouldn't go with a SBC cam unless there was no other way to get the necessary clearances, and with a 383 this shouldn't be a problem.
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Race Director
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
You need small base circle lifters for small base circle cam, simple as that I I just got mine for my new roller cam today One thing about small base circle cams, they are usually custom ground and therefore billet steel not the astempered concrete looking stuff they make them out of these days and they are usually only a few extra bucks like 30 or so 
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
You need small base circle lifters for small base circle cam, simple as that I I just got mine for my new roller cam today One thing about small base circle cams, they are usually custom ground and therefore billet steel not the astempered concrete looking stuff they make them out of these days and they are usually only a few extra bucks like 30 or so