To roller cam or not to roller cam? opinions please

[Steve]

I am getting ready to build a new motor for my WE4 and I am trying to decide if I should go with a roller cam set up. In my previous cars I have used flat tappet cams with good success but I hear so many horror stories about flat tappet cams wiping lobes it has me worried. My car will be a the normal high 10 second recipe and I will be using Champion irons. Which cam would you guys recommend? Thanks


Steve

 

[3.8TransAM]

I am a pro roller cam person.
PT-67
210/210 roller
champion ported tta heads

I dont like maintenance or headaches and build everything as reliably as I can afford.

The roller cam will run you about $600-700 more than the flat tappet which u prolly know already.

I've seen a lot of flat tappets go bad in these cars, a few that I know were setup right and properly broken in and yet still went bye bye. Other stockers and cam swaps that lasted well over 100k.

Its mostly a matter of comfort factor and piece of mind moreso than power from going one way or the other. There are as many flat tappets as rollers hualing butt across the country.

I think its worth it if u can afford it, I would do it.

later
Jeremy

 

[MSA231V6]

roller

I am getting ready to build a new motor for my WE4 and I am trying to decide if I should go with a roller cam set up. In my previous cars I have used flat tappet cams with good success but I hear so many horror stories about flat tappet cams wiping lobes it has me worried. My car will be a the normal high 10 second recipe and I will be using Champion irons. Which cam would you guys recommend? Thanks


Steve

Just rebuilt last year - a 109 block with Champion aluminum heads and a Comp 212/212 ductile roller. What a great decision. Smooth break-in (virtually none, really), crisp throttle response, and a lot more power on the top end with the head/cam combination. For the money I think it is well worth it.

Michael

 

[6APPEAL]

In my opinion cost is the only drawback to going to a roller cam. I've always run flat tappet, but the next one will have a roller in it. Just could not afford it at the time of the last rebuild.
John

 

[mark b]

If you can afford it, absolutely. You'll never look back.

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the replies and that what I expected to hear now for part two--whose roller to buy. I want to keep it pretty mild, so I was thinking of a 206/206 or something in that neighborhood. Is ductile iron good enough or should I bite the bullet and go for the billet? Thanks


Steve

 

[Adrian87]

We're installing a Comp ductile iron roller 206/206, should be done in 2 weeks or so, I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Fuelie600]

:biggrin: Billet

 

[GSX-PKV]

I have a Comp 210/210 roller cam, PT-67 & Champion GN1 heads and it's an awesome combination for street and strip. I'd go with the roller cam for sure! Paul

 

[jasjamz]

Roller my friend! I bit the bullet and paid the price. It was well worth it, responsive, revs fast and is not quiet. I have a TE-45 ported irons and a TH-400. It's a 210/210 cam ductile comp grind. I wiped two cams before and have learned my leesson.

 

[GN/GTO]

No ifs , ands, or buts save up and get the roller. I have been running a 206/206 comp cams roller for four years. No cam realted problems car ran 10.69 @ 125.71 . Champion Irons, 67GTQ , 72 lbs injectors, front mount , turbo 400 with trans brake , 3500 convertor. Just installed a 218/218 comp cams roller last week car still seems to drive great ( A/C still blows cold. gotta love it). Bowling Green just around the corner we will see what happens..

 

[PhilM]

I ran a 212 HFT for awhile in the old engine with no probs at all... Make sure oiling is good (should be made right anyways...a HFT cam should have no problem if oiling is proper), you have pro-magnums, and you stringently follow break-in procedures - the larger you go, you may need to get lighter springs for initial break in and then move up to the biggins. The lifter bores should also be checked... the lifters should spin/move freely in the bores.

I have the new engine ready to fire up with a lets just say "big" HFT cam (140/340#beehives)... I too debated the roller and will indeed check my oil filters continually, but I do that anyways. A few locals in the 9's and near 8's here are having no problems with "big" HFT cams in Buicks/TTAs and that is why I decided to give it a shot. Besides my grind is a bit more abnormal than the standard Buick mentality on a cam... If I don't have issues with this cam, then I wont bother to put a roller in it. If I do... then I will pop a roller in - no biggie. I am shooting for 9's BTW with the new engine. Wish me luck not wiping !

Looking back, for a larger cam, I would do roller... for a smaller one, no... stick with the HFT - no need for rollerizing when the engine isn't that nutso. THere are guys here with 150-200k mile buicks with the stock HFT cams still rockin!

Blah blah blah...
Phil