Nice, I would not try to convert away from LA nor Magnum . parts are very difficult to find lately and costly. For roller camshafts with LA block Morel are shorter so the oil holes are not out of their bore. and the tie bars are enough to gain the block clearance needed.
My primary concerns are efficiency and longevity. The factory roller cam engines just seem to have longer valvetrain life. I am not into high performance or high revs. If you hear me coming down the road at 6,500 rpms, please call the authorities as I clearly have a stuck throttle. I would consider a truck with the older factory flat tappet valvetrain, unless I could get the same basic truck with factory rollers. Flat tappets work, they worked for many decades, but a good quality roller is just better.
I would not convert a factory non-roller to an aftermarket roller setup. If I wanted rollers, I would start with a factory roller engine. I have lost faith in aftermarket parts. Maybe they are good for racing, but they are not up to daily driver reliability. And they seem to be getting worse.
I am rebuilding a 1986 flat tappet chrysler 360. It needs to be bored. I also have a 1992 chrysler 360, and that one has a roller cam from the factory. I'm going to rebuild the roller first because it is an upgrade but still going to rebuild the flat tappet one, and it will get flat tappet cam. Aftermarket RV style cam. They have worked great for decades, and it is for a truck, not a race car. Just need to run the correct oil. Thank you for your input on the topic.
If the roller camshaft is made of billet steel, a bronze distributor gear is necessary. The steel cam gear will tear up the iron distributor gear. It's a metallurgy issue. Other advantages of roller lifter/cam setup; no need for high ZDDP additive in oil, and quicker break-in time of the cam & lifters. [If the older engine is carbureted, throttle body injection helps a great deal if it is set up right, and includes the necessary sensors, wiring, & control computer. But that's another issue all together.]
Anyone with basic understanding of engineering knows that a roller gives less friction so more rpm and a roller needs a larger egg shaped surface to maintain contact with the surface of the cam .
Yes. Less friction equals more horses power and torque. Also, fiction wears things. The roller setup is definitely a better design, but it is expensive to upgrade from a flat tappet cam to roller. But the roller is definitely better. I'm an HD diesel mechanic, and everything in that world has rollers. So I do agree. Better option. But expensive to convert and might not be worth it depending on the application. Thank you for your input.
Great info keep the videos coming
Nice, I would not try to convert away from LA nor Magnum . parts are very difficult to find lately and costly. For roller camshafts with LA block Morel are shorter so the oil holes are not out of their bore. and the tie bars are enough to gain the block clearance needed.
My primary concerns are efficiency and longevity. The factory roller cam engines just seem to have longer valvetrain life. I am not into high performance or high revs. If you hear me coming down the road at 6,500 rpms, please call the authorities as I clearly have a stuck throttle.
I would consider a truck with the older factory flat tappet valvetrain, unless I could get the same basic truck with factory rollers. Flat tappets work, they worked for many decades, but a good quality roller is just better.
I would not convert a factory non-roller to an aftermarket roller setup. If I wanted rollers, I would start with a factory roller engine. I have lost faith in aftermarket parts. Maybe they are good for racing, but they are not up to daily driver reliability. And they seem to be getting worse.
I agree 100%. Well said.
Thank you for your input.
I am rebuilding a 1986 flat tappet chrysler 360. It needs to be bored. I also have a 1992 chrysler 360, and that one has a roller cam from the factory. I'm going to rebuild the roller first because it is an upgrade but still going to rebuild the flat tappet one, and it will get flat tappet cam. Aftermarket RV style cam. They have worked great for decades, and it is for a truck, not a race car. Just need to run the correct oil.
Thank you for your input on the topic.
Man, you should try getting on an uncle tony live with dr art
I'd love to build a flat tap cam 318. Just wanna make 318 how and stuff it in a baby Dakota 89
If the roller camshaft is made of billet steel, a bronze distributor gear is necessary. The steel cam gear will tear up the iron distributor gear. It's a metallurgy issue. Other advantages of roller lifter/cam setup; no need for high ZDDP additive in oil, and quicker break-in time of the cam & lifters.
[If the older engine is carbureted, throttle body injection helps a great deal if it is set up right, and includes the necessary sensors, wiring, & control computer. But that's another issue all together.]
Roller lifters were made to make cheaper camshaft. Roller cams are softer cheaper metal, actually less expensive to manufacture roller system.
I wouldn't be surprised. They still like to charge more money for them.
Anyone with basic understanding of engineering knows that a roller gives less friction so more rpm and a roller needs a larger egg shaped surface to maintain contact with the surface of the cam .
Yes. Less friction equals more horses power and torque. Also, fiction wears things. The roller setup is definitely a better design, but it is expensive to upgrade from a flat tappet cam to roller. But the roller is definitely better. I'm an HD diesel mechanic, and everything in that world has rollers.
So I do agree. Better option. But expensive to convert and might not be worth it depending on the application.
Thank you for your input.