What is the big advantage of running a Hydraulic roller cam over Hydraulic in a 383 stroker? I know the cost to set up the roller is about $500 more so what's the big benefit?
The roller cam will allow a more aggressive lift profile and less cam lobe wear on a street engine. The cost difference is predominately due the nature of the roller cam (steel) vs. flat tappet cam (cast iron) plus the need for roller lifters. With the reduction of zinc (or ZDDP) in current non-racing motor oils, I for one would be reluctant to run any flat tappet cam on the street.
If you were interested in going roller cam and starting a rebuild from scratch you would use a factory roller block.
'96-'00 L31 Vortec truck block; 4 bolt mains w/ roller cam are common and cheap.
By doing so you can use factory roller lifters @ $110 a set v $450 for the link style lifters required for non roller blocks
Roller cams in either style run $100+ more than flat tappet oes.
Ken: I'm all for the newer technology. My last 3 street motors have been hydraulic roller cam motors with roller rockers & fluid dampers. All have been high torque, low rpm motors. Lots of fun to drive on the street. All that fun does cost $$. If I can recall correctly it was some think like $1500 Cdn. for the roller cam set up.
Dave Rainthorpe
Roller lobes allow more area under the curve so if you take duration at .050" on a roller cam and say it is 212 the equivalent on a flat tapped would be in the 228 range. The lift rate that the flat tappt can climb the lobe is much less intense then a roller lobe with a roller tappet. In a nut shell you can get more cam lobe area with a roller.
Oils. The gov has got us backed against the wall after removing all the anti wear properties from oils. The big three don't produce auto's with flat tappets anymore so as far as the Gov is concerned the additivies don't need to be in the oil. With a flat tappet you are limited to Joe Gibbs or Brad Penn oils for flat tappet cams.
QC PPM. What cam cores and flat tappets that are produced are sold to the aftermarket. The aftermarket does not maintain an overall QC department for the industry nor are the mfg of these parts held to very low PPM failure percentages. So in a nut shell, these parts aren't what they use to be.
Cost. Yes a flat tappet cam is cheaper but if you loose the cam and lifters and have to take the engine apart for a flush then that $200 cam change can run $1000. I tell customer long term you are better off with a hyd roller and a set of Retro hyd rollers for a car that is going to get driven.
Corvette Store
Hydraulic roller VS Hydraulic
