my 302 is a flat hydro lifter motor. can i get roller lifters that have the bar connecting them a roller cam and drop them in the motor or is thier more to it than that thanks for any help. its a 71 302 block

 

You have to get the link bar lifters to run a roller cam in your block, the lifter bores are too short to use the factory 5.0 set up. You'll need shorter pushrods too.

 

thats what i thought but did not want to find out otherwise the hard way. are roller cams worth the money or should i stay with flat tappet lifters and cam

 

This is for the Mustang, right? With the E-Street heads?

Maybe. If you had a roller block it's a no brainer; those link bar lifters are ~$500 plus $250 for a new cam (maybe $100 if you can find a used FRPP cam...) plus new valve springs and retainers. No way the springs on those heads are good with a big roller. You're spitting at a grand.

Option B is a solid lifter cam. You'd probably still need new springs, but the cam and lifters are only ~$250. You have to adjust the valve lash periodically, no big deal once a year on a hot rod vs. a 15,000 mile a year dd. Solid lifter cams can make some big, bad power. They sound pretty cool too in a hot rod.

 

yeah i was looking at some but they were solid roller lifters and i did not know that it would be that much more for hrdro lifters. if i use the same size cam but roller i thought the heads would be fine and yes the mustang and e street heads

 

the more and more i look for parts for this and its to much money for roller conversion compaired to what i can do with flat lifters. i just hate the break in period of flat tappet cams. something about a new motor going from dead to 2500 rpm for 30 min sounds so crazy but if it holds thru that i know i can thrash on it without alot of worrys

 

Rollers usually run higher spring pressures, more valve lift. I've never seen the E-Streets, but the specs show some pretty small springs. No biggie, springs and retainers are ~$100.

 

i already have two sets of them now new. the ones on the e streets and some crane cams that i bought before i knew i was getting alum heads they were like 150 but they are good springs lock and retainers but not top of the line and after some looking also not for roller cams. thanks for the help but i think roller cams are not for me yet

 

Make like the 289 Hi-Po and go solid lifter, baby!

 

i am going to drive this car alot and dont want to have to be working on it any more than i have to, but i know it would be cool as a solid lifter but i already have a cam and lifter kit i just have to get a bigger cam. they say the heads are good for .550 but im looking at .512