Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,411
Likes: 1
From: Wylie TX
Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles
I pulled my engine this weekend. I checked each and every lifter. 14 were perfect. 1 (#6 intake) had some visual wear but passes the brail test. Another (#1 intake) is gone. It's got a "feelable" groove across the lifter face all the way around. I havn't pulled the cam yet, but I hope it's not toast too. Looking through the lifter bore, I can't really tell.
This is for my daily driver with a Comp Cams street roller with Endure-X lifters. I know many will say that I'm lucky to have gotten this much out of it, but I'm a little dissapointed. If anybody's interested, I can take some pics of the bad lifters.
This is for my daily driver with a Comp Cams street roller with Endure-X lifters. I know many will say that I'm lucky to have gotten this much out of it, but I'm a little dissapointed. If anybody's interested, I can take some pics of the bad lifters.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (BeaterShark)
I would have expected a greater life out of that type of setup. What is the normal life span of a roller cam? I guess it all depends on how radical the cam is.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (Eddie 70)
Seems to me solid rollers would have lower life than any of the cams, just think of what is happening to those little wheels everytime they get 
against the cam. 
against the cam.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,094
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From: Sierra Foothills CA
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (Fevre)
Seems to me solid rollers would have lower life than any of the cams, just think of what is happening to those little wheels everytime they get against the cam.
against the cam.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (Les)
If I get 30K out of mine I will be happy, that's 30K miles right, that's 5 years ? 
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (BeaterShark)
I wonder how long my cam/lifters are going to live... My lift will be .676
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (BeaterShark)
What is your spring weight and cam specs exactly?
My other question is how much spring pressure did you loose in 30K miles.
I've posted before about dents in a roller lifter wheel and it also dented the billet steel roller cam. I had @ 20,000 miles and it failed during a road race at Thunder Hill in California. I was running the car hard and had 220+ water temp.
My K-motion 1.56 dia. springs had reduced from 195 pounds closed to nearly 175# when I replaced them.
My other question is how much spring pressure did you loose in 30K miles.
I've posted before about dents in a roller lifter wheel and it also dented the billet steel roller cam. I had @ 20,000 miles and it failed during a road race at Thunder Hill in California. I was running the car hard and had 220+ water temp.
My K-motion 1.56 dia. springs had reduced from 195 pounds closed to nearly 175# when I replaced them.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,483
Likes: 1
From: The Only Corvette in Gila Bend, Az.
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (gkull)
So how can GM get them to last for 100,000 miles in teh V6's.??????
Makes me think this is not only cheap, but should last a lot longer than the aftermarket stuff...
http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/show...hreadid=221883
Any opinions ????
Makes me think this is not only cheap, but should last a lot longer than the aftermarket stuff...
http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/show...hreadid=221883
Any opinions ????
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (Desertdawg)
So how can GM get them to last for 100,000 miles in teh V6's.??????
Makes me think this is not only cheap, but should last a lot longer than the aftermarket stuff...
http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/show...hreadid=221883
Any opinions ????
Makes me think this is not only cheap, but should last a lot longer than the aftermarket stuff...
http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/show...hreadid=221883
Any opinions ????
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 99
From: Orrtanna Pa.
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (Desertdawg)
The 355 I pulled had 120,000 miles on a Comp 268H cam I'd put in myself.Just a mild flat tappet hydraulic grind.In the 406 I went a bit more agressive and with the first XE-274 w/1.60 rockers I flattened a lobe in 2000 miles. The current XE-284 again with 1.60's has held up so far for around 15,000 miles. I pulled the valve covers last weekend to check, and everything looks OK.
In 25 years of building engines I'd never flattened any cam before,but the 406 is running the most agressive cam so far. I guess there is a price to pay when you try to squeeze more power out. I'm still not sold on the roller cam idea for a street engine. I've heard many problems in the non stock apps.I guess they're fine on the stock non lumpy variety,but once you try to bump up the power,the problems start.
In 25 years of building engines I'd never flattened any cam before,but the 406 is running the most agressive cam so far. I guess there is a price to pay when you try to squeeze more power out. I'm still not sold on the roller cam idea for a street engine. I've heard many problems in the non stock apps.I guess they're fine on the stock non lumpy variety,but once you try to bump up the power,the problems start.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,411
Likes: 1
From: Wylie TX
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (gkull)
What is your spring weight and cam specs exactly?
My K-motion 1.56 dia. springs had reduced from 195 pounds closed to nearly 175# when I replaced them.
[Modified by BeaterShark, 8:12 AM 7/7/2004]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Re: Solid roller cam/lifters after 30k miles (BeaterShark)
30k miles seems pretty good to me. I dought I'll even try going 10k miles before changing the lifters & springs 
