Using a roller cam in a pre 85 small block

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dodge freak

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Has anybody used these newer roller cams that Comps and others have in a old 318-340-360 block ? Whats needed to be done, can you just drop the roller lifters in or is there machining that needs to be done ?
 
I've only done the roller swap one time but when I did the oil galleys had to be sleeved or the lifter bores had to be sleeved so as not to loose that valuble "lifeblood" of oil instead of to the bearings that are fed through the same "vein" so to speak. you may want to consider some chamfering around your bottom end oil passages also while the block's at the shop
 
its sad that noone seems to have been able to make rollerlifters that will work without those mods, drop in woud be great:p
 
If I recall corretly some companies do make drop in roller lifters - Hydraulic ones I believe. Crane made some where the lifters dropped right in. I suggest that you contact Crane, Comp and Hughes to get their direct feedback.
 
Crane makes drop ins, expensive, but prolly worth it.

I tried to used the set up out of an 89..drilled for spider plate etc, Engine back together and DOH! no oil pressure. The other fellow is right, bush the lifter bores or buy the drop ins to make it work.
 
The Comp Hyd rollers sure didn't fit in my 360, that's for sure. Tie bars hit the valley. I don't know if they've been redesigned or not, but that was about 6 months ago.

I certainly wouldn't take anyones word for it. Buy a set with teh ability to return if they hit the valley would be my suggestion. Otherwise it's bust out the grinder... btw, the material in LA block valleys in this area isn't exactly generous in thickness.
 
doug herbert has a set of solid rollers that clear everything beautifully but I'm not sure about hydraulic units. They also have some great solid rollers cams also,years of runnung one on the street and strip have made me a believer
 
Comp has a set of solid roller sthat are drop in in some blocks, but the only way to make sure is to buy them, and fit them during mock up. I wont use rollers unless the lifter bores get bushed. Tubing is another option, just make sure you do both galleys. There are retrofit hydraulic rollers, I thought they were drop in with a new pushrod, but I havent used them before.
 
My Comp solid rollers didn't require any lifter bore mods, well Comp advertises then that way and it worked in my case. This is the only Mopar I have put them in so Moper may be right about them not fitting in some blocks due to casting/machining variances, he has build more Mopars than I have. It does take a little finessing to get them in because of the tie bar.


Chuck
 
I put the Comp cams big mother thumper roller in our 340 and used their retrofit roller lifters. They were drop in and has been running fine for a couple of months now.
 
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