You can't go wrong buying a complete set-up from Weber/DLS/TA. I use a Weber system and am very happy the way the parts went together, I sent them my cam sensor for a composite material gear and my front cover to have it machined for the new set-up. If you do not buy a matched set-up and go with different parts from all over the place be careful. If you are a seasoned engine builder you will know what to look out for, if not, seriously consider buying a matched system from one Turbo Buick vendor.
My 2 cents,
Mike
Absolutely, all roller cams should be billet, I wouldn't even consider anything else.
Mike
Weber's is more expensive for a good reason, from personal experiance I can say that there are things they machine that you would not know about if you just bought off-the shelf parts. The front cover has to be machined where the new nose pieces touch the cover. The most important thing that must be perfect is the fore-aft movement of the cam, it must be perfectly set-up, serious consequences result if this is not done correctly. A roller cam will give the engine a new personality, the difference is night and day compared to a hyd. cam. Just my experiance on the painful learning curve.
Mike
Alright Ill be the first to say it... I see NO advantage to spending the extra money on a billet roller over a austempered roller on a smaller duration cam (224 and below). Maybe with a huge lift duration I would spend the money because of spring pressure, but nobody has had issues with the newer austempered cams that I have heard of and they require no modifications to the front cover and no bronze gear. But hey if ya'll want to spend the extra 5-600 go for it
BRONZE GEAR ??
Iv'e been running a Weber 206-206 billet roller (and I machined the pocket in the front cover myself) for 6 years with the stock cam sensor gear and have had ZERO issues. I even bought a poly gear a couple of years ago but never have installed it as my cam sensor gear looks perfect. My GN is drove ALOT in good weather ( almost 40,000 in the 6 years with the Weber billet roller set up. ZERO cam or cam gear problems. Wish I could say that about those piece of S--T comp cam roller lifters!! I now have the new MORELS !!
Alright Ill be the first to say it... I see NO advantage to spending the extra money on a billet roller over a austempered roller on a smaller duration cam (224 and below). Maybe with a huge lift duration I would spend the money because of spring pressure, but nobody has had issues with the newer austempered cams that I have heard of and they require no modifications to the front cover and no bronze gear. But hey if ya'll want to spend the extra 5-600 go for it
Based upon the 200 or so ductile roller cams kits we have sold and installed, you are right on the money with your comment.
No special machining to the cam, cover or block is required, and an off-the-shelf timing set can be used.
The downside to the Weber set-up for a billet roller cam is not only does the timing cover need machined or modified, so does the cam timing gear. Replacing a timing chain set requires this special gear.
All billet roller cams requires the nose to be machined so the cam sensor gear, cam drive gear and spacer all have the correct tolerances to fit properly, and it is different depending on which retention style is used.
My preference, based upon the many billet roller cams we have done is to use the "Danny Bee" type cam retention method. This is a simple plate that bolts to the front of the block to retain the cam from forward or backward motion. To install this set up, 3 small holes must be drilled and tapped in the front of the block. Very easy with the engine on a stand, not so much in the car. :smile:
Many other Buick V-6 performance engine builders use this method as is is the most reliable. This is not a new retention method, as it has been used in Stage blocks for many years. The TA alum block is also set up for type cam retention.
The cam nose must also be machined for this type install, and billet cams sold by Comp and TA Performance can be purchased with this already done.
One more comment, when using a roller cam, especially a billet one, the use of and oil additive like ZDDP is STRONGLY recommended as the high spring pressures can damage the cam and/or the small roller bearing in the lifters.
Would like to add one more comment about the use of hydraulic [ductile] roller vs. billet roller. In high performance applications where RPM is way above the 6000 level and into 7000+ RPM level, a solid roller is needed, and of course only a billet cam should be considered.
With street/strip engines that rarely exceed 6000 RPM, the hydraulic roller is more than adequate, and the billet is overkill for those that prefer to go that route.