My Engine is a well tuned 400SB-but i´m searching for more Torque around 1500-3000 UPM.
I don´t know the spec from my actual Cam, but she´s more on the hotter side.
My Question - I have a Rhoads Cam & Lifter with this spec´s in my Garage - "Your cam has 222 degrees duration @ .050" lift with a .455" lift at the valve on both intake & exhaust when a 1.5 rocker ratio is used. The cam was ground on a 112 lobe spread and advanced 4 degrees."
Is ist a good swap for me for torque?
In Germany nobody can tell me anything about that system.
Some People say the Lifters a very noisy!?
Did someone from my American-Corvette Friends have some experience with Rhoads? Then please tell me all.
The Engine is in a 59 Corvette - and i like cruising with UPM´s between 2000-4500 UPM.The Spec´s are: Edelb. 600 CFM 1406, Edelb Performer, MSD 6, Headers, 2,5 Inch Exhaust, Bigger Heads(but sorry theres nothing writen on it - i thing 2,02 In and 1,6 out) Compresion is 9,5, that´s all i know. The Engine makes really high Power from 2,500 UPM on but i need more torque in the low RPM´s.
Greetings from Munic
and thank´s for the Help
Michael

 

I've run them in a few big blocks and it really seemed to pick the bottom end up. And yes, they'll sound simillar to a solid lifter cam. Not quite as loud, but noticeable. Make sure and lash them right as this is a comoon mistake with these. Example-Had a 396 and a 460, both had cams in the 230-236 range. When cold, you really hear the cam. As soon as the oil warms up and thins, the lifters really start to work. At idle (warm), my idle really smoothed out.

 

Not sure what cam we're comparing it too, but in a 400, that's definitely going to be a cam on the lower end TQ spectrum. I think it's pretty small for making power, especially if you have upgraded heads, but it will likely do what you are talking about.

On Rhoadss.....I've used them before, and frankly I didn't like them. They don't *sound* as nice as a good solid too me and were just flat noisy. Adjusted every way I could imagine.

They are just a high leakdown lifter that allows a bunch of valve clearance until rpm and oil pressure extends them. And since Hyd cams don't have the clearance ramps to gradually take up the slack, they seem to be hard on stuff. The specifically designed Rhoads cams may be better in that respect than just using them on a regular hot hyd.

Over the years, I've come to appreciate a well designed cam designed for what it has to do. I'm not a fan of "crutch" deals that attempt to make them something else. Like "0" lashing hyd lifters..you just killed off the one thing they do well.....keep things quiet. Might as well put a solid in it and be done with.

But these days there are hyd flat tappets than can make decent power in the range you are talking about. They are aggressive yet have short duration numbers to make street manner good.

That cam will idle pretty well and drive with great manners. I think you could use more lift etc, but since you have it already, it can't hurt.

That 600 cfm carb is pretty small for a 400. Might check it's operation to make sure it's working right. It's hard to imagine a 400 without much bottom end. Any idea what gears are in it?

Have you played with advance curve in distributor? Lots of respnse and power can be achieved with carb and ignition tuning.


JIM

 

I used the Crane cams variable intensity lifter - They are kind of refined Rhoads lifters.

Your cam is the real heart beat of a motor. 222 degrees at .050 would be a TQ cam in the operational range that you stated. Leak down lifters at low oil pressure, lighter weight oil, or heat will even make a cam milder.

I would try the Rhoads on your existing cam with 10w-30 oil and if it doesn't make it mild enough go to the whole cam swap.

A 400 ci motor even with a fairly radical cam should make enough power to drive very well in the 2500 -4500 rpm range.

with timing and carb settings with an exhaust sniffer to optimize them first.

 

I had a Rhoads lifter seize and fail once on a 351C motor in my Mach I. Swapped cams and changed to crane hi-intensity lifters and no problems at all for a bunch of miles. The Rhoads also seemed louder than the cranes. The bad thing is the nice sound of the cam at idle goes away once the oil warms up a bit.

It's really better to get the right cam without a controlled leak as a crutch. They do help a bit at low end, but it didn't seem like your cam specs would require that. Might be worth checking everything in your motor to see if you don't have a problem.

Good luck

 

Years ago, I used rhodes lifters in a 350 with a 327/350hp cam for a race car on a small circle track. The low rpm torque was really good. No one could touch us coming out of a corner. Also used them in a 350 powered Vega with the same cam and a 396 in a 4X4. Excellent low rpm torque in all applications.

 

They are still in my 68' Camaro 331cid auto I built back in 1985 and working fine.
I was driving it to & from work 50+miles each day so I wanted to tame the Sig Erson cam a little but not loose hp and tq by staying with a stock cam.
Remember back in 85' there were only a few thing to choose from too!

 

viper engines us rhoads roller lifters so i would say they work but you need to use the oil viscosity they recmmend