Another wiped lobe story
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,874
Likes: 7
From: l In
Another wiped lobe story
Hi all
Got the old 383 apart installing my new AFR 195's and decided to check out the lifters on my flat tappet solid cam. Low and behold # 5 intake lobe is desolving. This means it's time for a roller. I have used nothing but Rotella 15-40 since the engine was new 1000 miles ago and this kind of proves what everybody is saying about todays crap oil. I am open for suggestions for a new hydraulic roller.
1975
383 cid, 4 bolt studed block
hyperutetic pistons dished 9.7/1
Eagle cast crank
Eagle H-beam rods
Mighty Demon 750 mech sec. carb
weiand air strike intake
MSD 8360 dist
AFR 195 Eliminator heads
TH-400 tranny
3000 stall converter
355 rear gears
Hooker Super comp side mount headers.
Any suggestions would be appreciated,
I am an old fart ( 64 ), but I still like to fry the tires.
Thanks to all
Got the old 383 apart installing my new AFR 195's and decided to check out the lifters on my flat tappet solid cam. Low and behold # 5 intake lobe is desolving. This means it's time for a roller. I have used nothing but Rotella 15-40 since the engine was new 1000 miles ago and this kind of proves what everybody is saying about todays crap oil. I am open for suggestions for a new hydraulic roller.
1975
383 cid, 4 bolt studed block
hyperutetic pistons dished 9.7/1
Eagle cast crank
Eagle H-beam rods
Mighty Demon 750 mech sec. carb
weiand air strike intake
MSD 8360 dist
AFR 195 Eliminator heads
TH-400 tranny
3000 stall converter
355 rear gears
Hooker Super comp side mount headers.
Any suggestions would be appreciated,
I am an old fart ( 64 ), but I still like to fry the tires.
Thanks to all
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
I had better get out and check my solid flat tappet. I have used Valvoline racing oil since startup. Roller will be in mine if and when the flat tappet comes out. I will run a solid roller in the 235 to 240 @ .050 with a lift of .550 or better. Maybe slightly larger. I have tossed this around for a long time.
Just ran through all mine and I'm still good. All within .002 of each other.
Just ran through all mine and I'm still good. All within .002 of each other.
Last edited by Gordonm; Mar 28, 2009 at 06:29 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: League City TX
I am open for suggestions for a new hydraulic roller.
1975
383 cid, 4 bolt studed block
hyperutetic pistons dished 9.7/1
Eagle cast crank
Eagle H-beam rods
Mighty Demon 750 mech sec. carb
weiand air strike intake
MSD 8360 dist
AFR 195 Eliminator heads
TH-400 tranny
3000 stall converter
355 rear gears
Hooker Super comp side mount headers.
1975
383 cid, 4 bolt studed block
hyperutetic pistons dished 9.7/1
Eagle cast crank
Eagle H-beam rods
Mighty Demon 750 mech sec. carb
weiand air strike intake
MSD 8360 dist
AFR 195 Eliminator heads
TH-400 tranny
3000 stall converter
355 rear gears
Hooker Super comp side mount headers.
Lift I/E .535"/.550"
Adv Dur I/E 282/290
.050" Dur I/E 231/239
LSA 110
RPM range 2400 - 6200
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: League City TX
The Thumper cams are a horrible match for those heads.
AFR heads have a great flowing exhaust port and dont need a lot of duration bias on the exhaust side.
Even a single pattern cam works well with them. The Thumper cams have 14 degrees more exhaust duration than intake.
All that is going to do is cost you torque.
AFR heads have a great flowing exhaust port and dont need a lot of duration bias on the exhaust side.
Even a single pattern cam works well with them. The Thumper cams have 14 degrees more exhaust duration than intake.
All that is going to do is cost you torque.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Sorry for your trouble. No mention of breakin procedures/breakin additive etc ... no mention of cam. Lotsa circle track race motors w/ flat solids & stiff springs and big majority using new (CJ) Rotella 15W-40. All I know of get broke in w/ same Rotella AND a bottle of GM EOS ... instead, one added Slick50 that was laying around because he was in a hurry & had no EOS on hand. MANY different cam/lifter mfg's ... a few FEW have the direct-lube lifters (edm hole in face). Haven't heard of a single wiped lobe or other lifter/cam probs within my region. Sorry for your misfortune, but doubt your wiped flat solid caused by Rotella 15W-40.
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Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Sorry for your trouble. No mention of breakin procedures/breakin additive etc ... no mention of cam. Lotsa circle track race motors w/ flat solids & stiff springs and big majority using new (CJ) Rotella 15W-40. All I know of get broke in w/ same Rotella AND a bottle of GM EOS ... instead, one added Slick50 that was laying around because he was in a hurry & had no EOS on hand. MANY different cam/lifter mfg's ... a few FEW have the direct-lube lifters (edm hole in face). Haven't heard of a single wiped lobe or other lifter/cam probs within my region. Sorry for your misfortune, but doubt your wiped flat solid caused by Rotella 15W-40.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,956
Likes: 409
From: California
had the same thing happen to me at 800 miles... cost me an intire engine rebuild... I went with a Edelbrock Performer RPM Roller cam... LOVE it... I would not want any more thump... would be un-streetable for my use.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 3
From: NORTHEAST
I have an 07 Peterbilt NON emission and used the Rotella-T when it had 1400PPM of zinc and when the newer 15/40 came out and found out it was lowered to 950 PPM of zinc we stopped use their oil.
From there we switched to the S-3 http://www.cen-pe-co.com/ 15/40 which has 1582 PPM of zinc and our street and strip engines we build our customers have been using that with no problems.
Their 20/50 oil has 2300 PPM of zinc
Another problem is cam grinders are using cheap cam cores and cheap lifters. We also build a lot circle track engines and use only P-55 cam cores and tool steel lifters on our solid lifters and our HYD builds we use the Delphi lifters from GM.
Some of engines we run 430 over the nose with 1.8 ratio rockers no cam of lifter issues yet.
From there we switched to the S-3 http://www.cen-pe-co.com/ 15/40 which has 1582 PPM of zinc and our street and strip engines we build our customers have been using that with no problems.
Their 20/50 oil has 2300 PPM of zinc
Another problem is cam grinders are using cheap cam cores and cheap lifters. We also build a lot circle track engines and use only P-55 cam cores and tool steel lifters on our solid lifters and our HYD builds we use the Delphi lifters from GM.
Some of engines we run 430 over the nose with 1.8 ratio rockers no cam of lifter issues yet.
Last edited by BLOCKMAN; Mar 29, 2009 at 02:42 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
The Thumper cams are a horrible match for those heads.
AFR heads have a great flowing exhaust port and dont need a lot of duration bias on the exhaust side.
Even a single pattern cam works well with them. The Thumper cams have 14 degrees more exhaust duration than intake.
All that is going to do is cost you torque.
AFR heads have a great flowing exhaust port and dont need a lot of duration bias on the exhaust side.
Even a single pattern cam works well with them. The Thumper cams have 14 degrees more exhaust duration than intake.
All that is going to do is cost you torque.
The thumper series has one use. Put it in a stock lower compression motor to give it a mean sound. This is not a performance cam nor was it intended to be. It is made to make your car sound bad a$$ when it isn't. It is for the show car crowd. There are much better performance grinds available. Really like the Lunati Driveshaft speced in post #3 with your build specs. JMHO 
Last edited by 63mako; Mar 29, 2009 at 04:41 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Would like to see someone try the CC Magnum 286H if I was going to a hydraulic roller that is what I would like to try. I like the lift you get with that cam for the duration, only 230 deg @ .050"
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 7
From: Adelaide South Australia
You've got 3.55 diff gears and a 3000 rpm stally, so you can be a bit adventurous with cam grind.... a hydraulic roller with at least 230/230 @ 0.050 would be the starting point. Go to longer duration if you want to move power band higher chasing more peak power, but that may require an inlet manifold change also to get best results.
As mentioned previously.... contact the cam manufacturer with your build list of parts, explain what you are after, and they will advise the best grind for you.
As mentioned previously.... contact the cam manufacturer with your build list of parts, explain what you are after, and they will advise the best grind for you.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
I had a big block chevy I put a summit cam in and run a 1000 miles and wiped a lobe. Then got a crane 435 hp blueprint cam. That cam didnt make it out of break in and wiped a lobe. Before I installed the crane camI did all the the valve height measurement and spring psi.measurements and all was fine. Used their breakin additive also. When I found the wiped lobe it sent me into a whole new dimesion of p----- off. To cranes credit I called them and they told me to send the cam in. They sent a new cam but wouldn't admit to any fault. I went ahead and installed a roller and no problems since. Sorry about the cam though.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
Joe Gibbs racing oil, Brad Penn (old Kendall GT-1 refinery) oils have all it takes to keep flat tappet cams alive. Valvoline "not for street use" high Zinc racing oil. When you are runnig a roller, you willhave to cycle in lifter sets every 5-10K miles if you run it on the street no matter what brand of lifter you use (I haven't recieved feedback on Isky Durathon bushed tappets from any reliable sources as of yet, so the jury is out on those $700 lifter sets.)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 5
From: Granbury, TX
Joe Gibbs racing oil, Brad Penn (old Kendall GT-1 refinery) oils have all it takes to keep flat tappet cams alive. Valvoline "not for street use" high Zinc racing oil. When you are runnig a roller, you willhave to cycle in lifter sets every 5-10K miles if you run it on the street no matter what brand of lifter you use (I haven't recieved feedback on Isky Durathon bushed tappets from any reliable sources as of yet, so the jury is out on those $700 lifter sets.)
"When you are running a roller, you will have to cycle in lifter sets every 5-10K miles if you run it on the street no matter what brand of lifter you use"
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
WTF are you talking about?
