I'm at the crossroad now regarding which way to go further with
my future 383 build. I'm gathering the parts as I can afford but
now I have to decide if I should go with solid roller or hyd. roller
setup. That decision will determine what kind of valvetrain components
should I start gathering.

This engine will be all forged 383 for street/road race use. This car
isn't my daily driver and my average mileage is ~3000 miles/year.
My goal is as powerfull as possible engine that'll be built with
high quality parts but I still want it to be reliable. Hopefully I'll
achieve that by using only high quality parts.

What would you suggest?

 

Well, for my 383 i went with hydraulic roller and made 400whp thru the automatic. Peaked at 6300 rpm, but power was flat to 6800 rpm. Never had any valve float issues. Car ran just as strong shifting at 6500 or 6800 rpm.

You gotta have a good valvetrain tho with strong springs. I had AFR heads which have lightweight 8mm LSx style valves, and a small diameter spring that is very strong. 1.27" diameter spring but its good to .650" lift out the box with seat pressures at 150lbs on the seat. I shimmed mine to 170lbs seat pressure and never had a problem.

Solid roller is a good setup for over 6500 rpm for sure, but a hydraulic roller can be made to support power that high, just need strong springs/lightweight valvetrain. LS1 guys do it all the time. Rarely do they need a solid roller.

Solid roller will require valve lash adjustments every couple thousand miles i believe. If you drive 3000 a year, probly only need to adjust/check valves 1 time per year.

My buddy has a 406 small block with solid roller thats not super aggressive but makes great power. His car is very streetable and makes somewhere between 450-500whp on motor based on his trap speeds. Car would go high 10's at 127 all motor with an auto but he cant get the T56 6 spd to match that yet.
So a solid can make power and be streetable, but is more expensive to do.

If you want to take that 383 to well over 6500 rpm, then a solid roller wouldnt be a bad choice. Just get some good heads like AFR 210's or similar and let it rip. That car will do 440-450whp easily with a nice solid roller and those heads. A hydraulic probly will beable to match near that hp with those heads as well, just need to keep the valve train lighter. Solids have a slight advantage generally since you can get more lift out of them for the duration, so hydraulics will need more duration or a much higher ratio rocker arm to keep up with the big solid roller lobe

 

Since, in theory, a 383 is a low-revving, high torque motor, for mild to moderate apps a hydraulic roller would be more suitable unless you're making a 100% race block. Hyd. roller cams make more "under the peak" power throughout the entire curve, and make a stout, flat torque curve as well. A solid is more for high-revving and peak HP, which some come as low as 6500 RPM for peak, but most bigger cams like 7-7500.

Although your motor will be all forged, the crank is longer than the standard 350, so it may not be wise to push it past 6500 RPM. I can guarantee you will enjoy the hyd. roller on the street a lot more than the solid. That is, unless you're running higher than 3.75 gears.

May I ask what intake you plan on topping this combo with?

 

I ran HRs for years, and switched to a SR. Based on my experience, I will not have another HR in the car (unless I were to build it back to near stock).

As for routine adjustments to the valvetrain, if you talk to individuals who run the SR, the adjustment aspect is way overplayed. However, the valvetrain components are more expensive (i.e. springs, lifters, etc).

 

A 383 with 6" rod is more than up to the task to go over 6500 rpm. Many do this on a routine basis. Even 396 LTx guys rev the hell out of those motors. 6" rod will use a shorter piston which means less end weight to throw around. Less stress on the rod bolts. Run a good rod bolt and they will spin up just fine

 

Thanks for the inputs!
I must say that I'm leaning toward solid roller. I don't mind adjusting
valve lash every few months if necessary, if that means more HP.
But I wouldn't like for valve springs or other valvetrain components to
become expendable material. But if my research was right, that is only
in case of pure race engines with extreme cam profiles. And there are
street type soild roller lifters that are provided with extra oiling
passages that should help in their longetivity.


As mentioned earlier, I'll most probably go with AFR 210's, competition
ports if finances will allow, Victor Jr. intake and 750 or 830 CFM carb.
Once again, if finances will allow, I might opt for EFI with 4-barrel TB
on that same intake manifold.

 

dont fear a solid roller.its perfect for what your gonna do.so youll have to pull the VCs once a year,big deal.RPMs are horsepower period!nothing like the sound of a c-4 pulling first gear to 7500.

 

OR 8500! Been in a 2700 pound c4 with 4:56 gear, tko 5speed and a 400 sbc with a 327 crank. Pretty nice sound.

 

You didn't mention if this was an SBC or LT1, but the stock LT1 computer will only allow you to rev to 7400. My 383 LT4 has an aggressive hydraulic roller and peaks at 6400 and hangs in there until 7000.

 

If youre going to run it where its hanging around high r's all the time use a solid. Dont be afraid of them, youll love it.

 

It's an Gen1 SBC but ECM won't be a problem. It will most likely be
carbed or if finances will allow, EFI with 4-bbl throttle body and
aftermarket ECM.

 

Considering your goals and the low mileage driven per year, I agree with the others, go Solid Roller..... you'll make considerable more power. Lots of grinds available today that seldom require lash adjustments as well..... I would recommend you talk to comp cams about any concerns you may have plus your goals.

btw, here is a test done by a West Coast racer several years ago.....in which he swapped from a hyd roller to solid roller.

391 sbc (4.03 x 3.832)
10-1 cr
AFR 190 standard port (Flowed 260 cfm)
Holley intake and carb

1st cam below is a hyd roller .485/505 - 217/225 @ .050" 112lsa

2nd cam below is a solid roller .585/.600 - 249/255 @ .050" 110 lsa

(Horsepower)

...............HR........SR

3500........314......313
4000........358......352
4500........394......427
5000........410......485
5300........411......510
6000........n/a.......533
6400........n/a.......537


Thats a lot of et ...... just food for thought.

good luck !

 

yeah well look at the duration difference there, i'd sure hope he gain power.

I'd like to see how 240 ish hydroller compares to a 240 solid. The solid will have more lift and steeper lobe profiles for sure, so that will give more power but how much more and would it be justified as far as the cost difference is concerned?

Solids for sure over 6800 rpm peak power and if you go that high, then your into some serious power
But peak by 6500-6600 hold to 7, a light valvetrain and a good hyd roller can be very effective.

 

Sorry to hi jack....

I've been looking at SR cams and I've notice some pretty conservative grinds available-(under 6000 rpm) Is there any advantage to a SR if you aren't going to spin the motor up?

 

If the #s are the same the solid should be a little more driveable than the HR, better idle. It will seem very free revving, kind of like an import


383 solid roller that sees 7500 rpm all day long, believe it or not you could drive this thing anywhere and will get sideways at 90 pulling hard. Jeckyll and Hyde car.


http://www.youtube.com/user/jerami2

 

You've just described exactly what I want

 

Use a real good lifter. Many guys have success with the Crower severe duty with the pressurized oiling option. There are others out there but I have no personal experience with them.