I was at the Howards cams web page and am copying the following information I read about their max certified line of flat tappet cams.

Confidence! That’s what you get when you install a New Max Certified Cam and Lifter Set. 100% ground at Howards Cams™ (not re-boxed like some companies) for a superior product. Quality control goes far beyond, including batch testing and verification on a Adcole 911NT. The Adcole is the premier measurement equipment for camshafts in the world. So you know you’re getting the finest camshaft for your application available. Each set includes a performance hydraulic camshaft, a set of matching hydraulic flat tappet lifters and a bottle of Max ZPM oil additive for break-in (Max ZPM must be added to every oil change). So what happens if you still have a cam damaging event?...You’re Covered! We will replace your Max Certified Cam & Lifter Set at no charge for five years from date of original purchase. Just completely fill out the supplied warranty card and return along with your camshaft, lifters and the original receipt. No worries that you may of overlooked something that damaged your new Max Certified camshaft. Didn’t noticed that retainer to seal clearance wasn’t enough?...Covered! Valve spring coil bind...Covered! Have a problem with your oiling system that damages the cam?...Covered! While installing the cam, you drop it and it breaks in two?...Covered! So what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to make a real performance change to your engine? With Max Certified Cam & Lifter Sets you’re covered! * Max Certified warranty applies to Max Certified Cam & Lifter Sets only. Max Certified 5 year warranty starts from the original date of purchase. Any and all replacements are covered for the remainder of the original warranty as long as any or all repairs or adjustments to end users equipment, determined by Howards Cams, is completed. Max Certified warranty covers camshaft and lifter set only. Warranty does not cover removal/installation cost, damage to related components, cost incurred due to down time, towing or shipping. Warranty is nontransferable. Warranty card must be completed for credit to be applied

 

What about the rest of the engine that gets trashed from circulated ground up metal?

 

Do yourself a favour and buy a roller cam. FT cams are outdated.

 

I wonder how they validate that?

I'll pass on any "warranty" that requires me to add their product to every oil change...

 

They may replace the cam, but you still need time tear it all down and clean it at the very least.

 

Good luck on making a claim under warranty. I went with a Howard's retro HR cam. The price was several hundred more in the difference compared to a flat tappet but I didn't have to worry about breaking in the cam, ZDDP levels in my choice of oil or worrying about premature cam lobe wear/failure. The extra money spent was the warranty for me.

 

My question must have got lost when I copied the information from the Howards web site
My question does anyone know what max certified means? Is it a surface treatment, gimmick advertising ?
The tech rep at howards has been very informative and helpful when I called them.
Their roller cam and lifter cost less than most of the others I've been looking at..
This is the cam they recommend...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181164943866...84.m1423.l2649

 

Looking at your other thread, that cam may be a good fit.

 

If you're interested in this same cam with 110 LSA instead of 108, I have one that we used as a dyno test piece. It has less than 1/2 hour of running time and is essentially new. The 110 LSA will give you just a bit more bottom end torque and better vacuum. We ran it in a 406 but it was a bit too small. $150 plus shipping. If you're not happy with it after getting it, return to me within 3 days of receipt and I'll refund your $. It's still in the original packaging with paperwork.

PM me if interested.

Dave

 

It is probably their name for nitriding which explains the warranty.
As far as the roller cam you listed that is a good deal for everything
you get.You will never get the performance with the flat tappet that the roller will deliver.And no oil or flat cam lobe worries.If it fits your budget I say go for it.

 

Reason those Howard's roller cam's are cheaper is because they are not billet cores.I emailed them and their response was those cams are austempered cast cores.Ended up with a Crane roller cam.It is billet steel with an iron dist gear.If your going to do all that work,may as well use quality parts.....Go roller it's worth it!

 

Howards parkerize ALL their flat tappet cams. I would bet the "Max Certified" would be nitrated before Parkerizing. The roller cam you linked above is a good choice. If you go to their Lobe profile catalog here: http://www.howardscams.com/lobelist.pdf
You can look at the duration @ .006 (advertised) duration @ .050 and also duration @ .200 of a variety of different cam lobe designs. I like the (aggressive ramp) AHR227353 lobe on both I and E ground on a 108 LSA for your application. It is on page 11. It could be ground on a billet core with a iron gear and would probably need a little more spring. If you call them check on pricing. Might surprise you how little the difference is if you buy a kit from them.

 

I went with a Howards Retro-Roller kit on my recent 383 build and will say that I am more than satisfied with the performance of the cam and the support from Howards. It will be a good choice!

 

I have a solid roller cam from them as well as the Dart little m long block 434 I bought about 10 years ago. No problems then or now.

 

You pay a lot of money for an engine to be built. Do yourself a favor and get a billet steel cam for a fraction more than spend on the whole engine


What's in you wallet, concrete core or billet steel

 

Similar theory to forged bottom end. If you have an aggressive, high lift, high spring pressure, high rpm cam go billet for sure. That said there are hundreds of thousands of roller cams out there in moderate street builds that are not billet that never failed, I have never heard of anyone wiping a roller cam except solid rollers under very extreme use. My racing buddy has a Howards austempered hydraulic roller cam in his street/strip car that sees the dragstrip every weekend it is open, shifts at 6500+, beats it hard, and has driven it for 7-8 years with no issues. For the price and hastle just of changing to a melonized distributor gear you can probably upgrade to billet core W/ iron gear.

 

The main point is that it is not much more expensive to go to a billet core when building a motor, it would cost more to go to roller rockers on mild build which would do nothing for performance or anything else unless you want to take your valve covers off at car shows.

Every time something is said there is an exception or two. I know a guy who runs Stock Eliminator with a cast bottom end and pulls the wheels off the ground on ever run and wins a lot too.

 

Which cam requires the melonized distributor gear, billet or austempered?

 

Austempered and the billet cam with pressed on iron gear cam both use stock dist gear. factory roller needs a melonized gear. Billet cam needs bronze, melonized gear. Then the composite gear works on anything. A lot of the cam manufacturers recommend the gear to use, theirs of course. No interchange from most and deliberately vague.
A Comp Cams Tech article says this:
"Most street roller and hydraulic roller camshafts
are made from an austempered material, which is compatible with the
standard gear; however, COMP Cams® composite distributor gear is the best choice.

 

I agree with resdoggie... go with a roller...just built one for my son's car...only way to go.