Roller cam vs flat tappet cam
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Roller cam vs flat tappet cam
I'm trying to pick out a cam for my rebuild and have a few questions. It will go in a 77 F150 400 with 2.72 gears. When I do the rebuild I'm planning on running a eldebrock performer intake and edelbrock 1411 carb, hooker headers, one of the msd distributors, and Tmeyers piston kit.
So here's my questions , why are the roller cams so much more expensive?
The comp roller cam I'm looking at doesn't come with a kit so what all will I need to replace?
Would it even be worth the extra cost to run a roller?
The cams I'm debating on are -
Comp cam extreme energy 262h
Comp cam magnum 270h
And the roller cam comp cam magnum 270hr.
I have spent hours reading about the difference between the two and what others have put in theirs but I'm still looking for input. Thank you for your info.
So here's my questions , why are the roller cams so much more expensive?
The comp roller cam I'm looking at doesn't come with a kit so what all will I need to replace?
Would it even be worth the extra cost to run a roller?
The cams I'm debating on are -
Comp cam extreme energy 262h
Comp cam magnum 270h
And the roller cam comp cam magnum 270hr.
I have spent hours reading about the difference between the two and what others have put in theirs but I'm still looking for input. Thank you for your info.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,114
Likes: 103
From: North Idaho
Only you can answer the question "is it worth it?".
You CAN use factory ford roller lifters out of an older 5 liter engine, you need to install a "spider" in the lifter valley used to retain the factory Ford rollers. The cam will still cost more, but lifters from a salvage yard are cheap. Rollers don't really wear out unless something is bad wrong.
2.72 rear end gearing is really tall! You might want to swap those out, mileage will likely suffer, but I can promise much better acceleration, towing, climbing ability!
You CAN use factory ford roller lifters out of an older 5 liter engine, you need to install a "spider" in the lifter valley used to retain the factory Ford rollers. The cam will still cost more, but lifters from a salvage yard are cheap. Rollers don't really wear out unless something is bad wrong.
2.72 rear end gearing is really tall! You might want to swap those out, mileage will likely suffer, but I can promise much better acceleration, towing, climbing ability!
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I planned on swapping out gears also , most likely to 3.44 . I'm new to all this so don't know what all that is going to entitle or how exspensive it will be. If I can I'm just going to swap gears instead of the whole rear end.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 801
Likes: 7
From: Toledo, Ohio
. Roller cams used to be rare = expensive...
. Rollers now common in all new vehicles, but cam companies used to the big bucks...
. Flat cams usually iron... many rollers steel... premium rollers of premium steel... distributor gears and fuel pump lobes on roller cams may be different materials...
. Stock roller lifter setups have limited max lifts... .525" for SBC... Ford may be even lower, don't recall off hand...
. Roller lifters DO wear out... roller setups may be more reliable up to 100,000 miles or so, but a well broken in flat tappet setup may outlast them... because flat tappets wear on engine oil, roller setups depend on tiny overspeeded needle rollers...
. Stock roller cams start around $150 and stock lifters around $100... aftermarket cams about $200 & up, lifters about $300 & up...
. Your 2.73 rear prolly want a cam about 210/210 or lower...
. Could use a Summit cam until rear gear changed...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-k5200
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g6621-9
.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 10
Flat tappet's are simple and cost effective... but subject to failure if not broken in properly and if not run with high zinc (ZDDP) oil. Newer car engines are roller and catalytic converters do not like zinc so it has been greatly reduced in standard car oils.
The roller overcomes the "wiped lobe" syndrome at a high cost. Parts are more expensive, adapting to a non roller engine/block more expensive/tricky plus the issues mentioned above with distributor gears. A steel core roller cam wants a bronze distributor gear... which can be a short life piece.
Personally, I run and will continue to run flat tappet in my classics. Hydraulic in the dent and mechanical in the hot rod. I run high zinc oil and break in correctly and no problems so far. For the oil, choices are car oil + ZDDP additive, classic car oil (eg Brad Penn), some racing oils and diesel engine oil. I run diesel engine oil, Rotella T, since it is readily available and cost effective.
The roller overcomes the "wiped lobe" syndrome at a high cost. Parts are more expensive, adapting to a non roller engine/block more expensive/tricky plus the issues mentioned above with distributor gears. A steel core roller cam wants a bronze distributor gear... which can be a short life piece.
Personally, I run and will continue to run flat tappet in my classics. Hydraulic in the dent and mechanical in the hot rod. I run high zinc oil and break in correctly and no problems so far. For the oil, choices are car oil + ZDDP additive, classic car oil (eg Brad Penn), some racing oils and diesel engine oil. I run diesel engine oil, Rotella T, since it is readily available and cost effective.
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