Solid Roller set-up..upside / downside??
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 17,096
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From: Charlotte NC
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'25
Solid Roller set-up..upside / downside??
Title says it all. Thinking about going to a solid roller. Curently making 480rwhp on a 232/238 .610 112lsa. sing Stage III Patriot heads flowing 322 @ .600 lift.
Questions:
Downsides?
Upsides?
Any regrets?
What is needed to change (just cam and lifters)
How much increase in power?
Reliablilty issues?
Thanks,
Rick
Questions:
Downsides?
Upsides?
Any regrets?
What is needed to change (just cam and lifters)
How much increase in power?
Reliablilty issues?
Thanks,
Rick
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: Spring, TX
A solid roller is a more effecient system. This is due to several factors. One is that the valve train compenents are lighter. Secondly since they are lighter you can use a lighter spring. This allows an engine to rev quicker and higher. Solid rollers don't pump up and provide less friction.
What you will need to change is somewhat dependent on how high you rev the motor. You will have to have the heads machined for the solid roller. I am not familiar with what exactly must be done to the heads but I believe it is due to different geometry. You will need a solid roller cam and lifters. You will need adjustable rockers. Solid rollers require precise valve lash tolerances that can only be achieved with adjustable rockers. I would also replace the stock valves with a lighter weight one and you will need new springs. Essentially you need heads and cam built specificaly for this approach and carefuly matched together. Solid roller heads because of the additional machining and the adjustable rockers are serious $$$$. Now if you are going to be seeing revs north of 6,500 RPM on a regular basis then I would at the least freshen up the bottom end with new aftermarket rod bolts. The stock GM bolts are not good for above 6500 RPM which can lead to a spun bearing or a major rod failure.
The downside is that the valvetrain can be labor intensive. The valve lash must be monitored and adjusted at regular intervals. However if the geometry is set up correctly this can be minimized. The other point is that solid rollers are very noisy. If you think your car sounds like a sewing machine now you have heard nothing yet.
I am seriously thinking of a Solid Roller LS2 6.0L using AFR heads and slapping on a ATI D1-SC. Solid rollers love boost or N2O.
What you will need to change is somewhat dependent on how high you rev the motor. You will have to have the heads machined for the solid roller. I am not familiar with what exactly must be done to the heads but I believe it is due to different geometry. You will need a solid roller cam and lifters. You will need adjustable rockers. Solid rollers require precise valve lash tolerances that can only be achieved with adjustable rockers. I would also replace the stock valves with a lighter weight one and you will need new springs. Essentially you need heads and cam built specificaly for this approach and carefuly matched together. Solid roller heads because of the additional machining and the adjustable rockers are serious $$$$. Now if you are going to be seeing revs north of 6,500 RPM on a regular basis then I would at the least freshen up the bottom end with new aftermarket rod bolts. The stock GM bolts are not good for above 6500 RPM which can lead to a spun bearing or a major rod failure.
The downside is that the valvetrain can be labor intensive. The valve lash must be monitored and adjusted at regular intervals. However if the geometry is set up correctly this can be minimized. The other point is that solid rollers are very noisy. If you think your car sounds like a sewing machine now you have heard nothing yet.
I am seriously thinking of a Solid Roller LS2 6.0L using AFR heads and slapping on a ATI D1-SC. Solid rollers love boost or N2O.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,269
Likes: 50
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'09-'10
Originally Posted by gonbad
A solid roller is a more effecient system. This is due to several factors. One is that the valve train compenents are lighter. Secondly since they are lighter you can use a lighter spring. This allows an engine to rev quicker and higher. Solid rollers don't pump up and provide less friction..
The downside is that the valvetrain can be labor intensive. The valve lash must be monitored and adjusted at regular intervals. However if the geometry is set up correctly this can be minimized. The other point is that solid rollers are very noisy. If you think your car sounds like a sewing machine now you have heard nothing yet.
Solid rollers love boost or N2O.
The downside is that the valvetrain can be labor intensive. The valve lash must be monitored and adjusted at regular intervals. However if the geometry is set up correctly this can be minimized. The other point is that solid rollers are very noisy. If you think your car sounds like a sewing machine now you have heard nothing yet.
Solid rollers love boost or N2O.
They're great for racing, but unless you plan to race, solids are a PITA for the street. 
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,748
Likes: 0
From: CA
They are not bad on the street, they only need to be checked about every 5-7k miles and even then they are usually still in spec. Be prepared to spend some $$, I paid 1200 for the jesel rockers alone. All in all it will probably be over 4K for the cam, lifters, rockers, maching of heads (enlongating pushrod holes), better valve springs, etc.
