#2) Other than ensuring the cam bearings are installed with the oil hole lined up with the opening in the block, what else could/should be done?

#3) Does anyone check the installed bearing ID and the cam journal OD - if so, what is the reccommended 'safe' clearance?

#4) Are there any recommended oiling system mods that should be checked or done to ensure a long and happy 7000+rpm life?

1)No experience with roller cams yet (not enough benefit to the cost for what we're doing). Broke one cam when it got whacked by a chunk of rod - and broke the dowel on a new cam on the breakin.

2)We pretty much just do a visual on the bearings, if the cam turns nice - all is ok.
Have heard of a shop that would "hone" the cam bearings. Was an arbor with scotchbrite mounted on it. Some people use scotchbrite while others don't mess with the finish the manufacturer left (rods/mains).

3)No idea - maybe in bearing catalogue.

4) Front sump pan - gotta have a baffle. To increase volume to the crank we restrict the cam bearings supply to 1/8" diameter - no problems so far. Also run an external oil line from the back to the front same reason.

Something we've thought about but not done is a retainer for the lifters - loose a lifter - oil pressure is gone. But we have a low oil pressure switch which will kill the fuel pump.

Engine is turning 6900 - 7100 across the line depending on the day.

You guys agree with this stuff?
Waht else can we do?

My car is a street car and I'm not sure if you are talking about a full time drag car, but here's been my experience. Me and my brother have both use the street roller cams quite a bit. My current cam is a custom grind Comp Cam based on their Extreme Energy street roller lobes. It has 260/272 duration @.050 and .666"/.688" lift. My previous cam had been the 300R street roller (255 @.050 and .651" lift). I ran that cam on the street for 13 years and at the track pretty regularly. My shift point has been around 6500-6800 RPM.

About the only thing I did was make sure to use a baffled oil pan and cj oil pump. That's it. Never had an oiling problem. Checked the bearings a couple years back and they looked like new.

A) "Screening the oil drainback holes in the lifter valley" (I'm reluctant to do that for fear that they'd come loose or gum/plug up some how and retain too much oil on the top side).

B) "Install bronze bushings in the RH side lifter bores, for the same reason that they do in Clevelands" - but I'm not aware as to why some do that in Cleve's....?

C) "Restrict the cam brgs to 1/8" and run an external oil line from back to front to allow more oil to get to the crank" -- which sounds like something I'd consider if I was planning on a blower, nitrous or 7500+ rpms... which I'm not.

Mike_R, you asked what kind of a pkg I'm planning. The cam I'm looking at installing is the CompCam grind# FF 296 BR-8 mech roller cam (260/268 duration @ 050, valve lift .726"/.726", with a LS of 108 degrees. It would live in a 500", strip-only, 1050 cfm Dominator'd, stick-shift'd, 10" slick'd '69FB. -- But after what's happened to 'Kid Vishus' Cleve' and his concern of it being roller-cam related, I'm alittle skeptical to go with my choice now....

Anybody else have any other thoughts, ideas, or suggestions on this subject?

Another issue is that possibly relates to the cam pin problems is valve spring pressure. The Extreme Energy line of roller lobes only use .015-.018" lash. This allows you to run a MUCH lighter valvespring and controls alot of the harshness of a roller cam. You can use springs with a seat pressure of about 160-200 and an open pressure of about 450-500. That's not a heck of alot more than a flat tappet solid lifter. Believe me I've put it the test. Like I said 13 years on the street and strip, 6800 RPM, never misses a beat.

You can get a custom grind from Comp Cams for the same price as their standard grinds. The grind I mentioned above is a good durable grind that can live with lighter valvesprings and still pull alot of power. I realize it's about .050" shy in the lift department of what you're looking at, but you're only talking about 5 horsepower in exchange for more durability.

1. Port out the oil filter pad, those holes are small. You don't really have to open them up but work on the tranistions.

2. In the same vein open up the oil passage where the oil pump bolts on. The blocks vary but the two I have now are both a touch under 1/2 while the pump is almost 5/8.

3. The high volume pumps can really empty out a pan so do everything you can to improve drain back. I like screens over drain back holes. I don't like most of the kits because the screen is a little tight I like a fairly corse 3/64 or 1/8 inch stainless screen and put it in with a quality slow cure expoy.

4. If you use a pump with a bolt on pickup like a Melling M-84BHV, drill those bolts and use lock wire on those bolts. I have heard that it is possible for pickups to fall off, but thats never happend to me, no way, just heard about it happening to some 'other guy'.

Personally I have never seen the external oil lines on a 460. I have seen a ton of those setups on 351C's though. I have also not heard of people restricting flow to the lifters but would like to know how. If anyone has the goods on that mod shell it out.

Mike_R, what size motor are you running that cam in? If you wouldn't mind sharing some more details about your combo that would be great.

I haven't raced it yet since I've done alot of port work to the heads, added the new cam and bigger headers.

Regarding your mention of installing a 'lifter retainer'... this is what I've been told: "If you're running hydraulic lifters, you should install a 'lifter keeper' on the right side lifter valley. A 1" piece of flat stock mounted above the lifters with holes for the pushrods to pass thru, & fastened down via a thru bolt from the timing cover/waterpump (frt) and somewhere at the rear...some blocks have a hole - some need a hole drilled & tapped to allow a bolt fastener at the rear. With the retainer, if a pushrod gets bent, the lifter(s) can't come out of the bore and cause excessive oil pressure loss - since the oil goes to the right-side lifters before going to the crank & camshaft...".

Mike_R,
Do you think you're topped out with your solid flat-tappet cam @ 6500-6800 rpms or would it still pull at 7000? --

The reason I'm asking is because I bit the bullet and sprung for the cast-steel 4.14" Eagle crank and Eagle H-beam rods, so I'm inclined to want to use the 7000+ rpm 'capacity' available with this short-block pkg. Hmmmm, I guess I should also be looking at whether my mildly-ported Edelbrock heads will flow that high...

When (if) I build a stroker I will probably use my current cam and I expect it to peak at about 6300 and then I will shift at about 6500-6600. I actually bought this cam with that in mind.

Regarding my set-up - I guess I should of been clearer in that the Eagle H-beams are 6.80". So with the 4.14" crank, I figure it to be only 501". But you're correct, in that I'd like it to peak at 6500 and shift at 6900 - 7100.

I'm familar with the Haase article. Although I'm also planning on using a Victor intake, a Dominator and without any power adders - I'm not anticipating to get as much flow out of my Edelbrock heads as Haase did out of his hogged-out alumium CJ heads to feed his 519". However, my thought was that the Edel heads would flow enough to at least properly feed my 501" at those target rpms. likewise, I wasn't figuring on needing as much cam as Haase since he built a bigger pkg.

Like Haase's car, I will also be running a smaller 10" tire (at least for a while), so I can't have too much coming on right off the line. I'm sure if I sprung to have the Edel's flow checked then it would be easier to decide the cam selection, peak rpm and resulant shift point. But,,

Do ya think maybe I could save that expense of having the heads flow'd and feel safe to expect the Edel's to flow enough to feed YOUR cam spec in my 501", and, as you say, expect a 6300 peak and shift at about 6500-6600... and just 'be happy and feel safe' in that the bottom-end SHOULD have a long and happy life at less-than-capable peak rpms?

Always thought added expense of roller wasn't worth it - we want to run mid 10 with a 3200lb car(and I'm about 230) at 750 feet. And on a average day we are doing it.

Present cam is Crane 351511
Lift - .603" intake / .624" exhaust
Adv dur - 302 intake / 312 exhaust
Dur @ .050" - 266 intake / 276 exhaust

Victor intake with an old 800 Holley.

Heads are CI C8 - intake flow 288 @ .600 lift
- exhaust flow 184 @ .600"
(28" H2O) - exhaust floor filled, we use MPG
port plates.

6.8" Eagle H beam rods, cast crank 500 cid

Was dynoed with old cam - 650 ft/lb @4250
- 645 hp @ 6250

Old cam was Comp 34-652-5, not enough top end.

Shift at 6000, best ET 10.44 @ 129 mph.
Best 60 is 1.44 sec.

Lifter Retainer - Some years back we were using BBC replacement rockers. Broke one and lost oil pressure - low oil switch saved motor. Bought SpeedPro roller rockers no problem since. Still think about making something as that gallery thru the lifters is pretty major.

I've considered installing an oil pressure cutoff switch myself, but I was talked out of by a fella who convinced me that "it is just one more thing to have to question & check if your engine doesn't fire". However, I'm thinking again about installing one because I don't have a bad history of having any electrical problems....knock on wood... and I think I'd rather have to deal with the possibility of a faulty safety device rather than screw up a good engine without it.

I think the lifter retainer is a simple and fool-proof added safety device that may also save the motor from big problems whether a guy runs an electrical cutout or not...

Regarding the mech roller cam, I'm still undecided whether they warrant the extra $$$ or not...that's why all my questions. If you're successfully spinning 6900-7100 without a roller cam and we all can agree that the flat-tappet setup is easier on the valvetrain, your example is a tough one to dispute...

Thanks again,,,, Ryan

Don't think the TRW were that bad - just lots of passes and rpm - was time for roller.

The oil pressure cutout hasn't been a problem, tee off the sender at the top/back of the block. Troubleshooting - put a jumper across the contacts.

Why only a 10" tire? That 500 makes lots of torque and is going to smack those tires espicially with a 4 speed. We are using 12 X 29 Hoosier right now. 1 set per year.

Roller cam is a lot of extra money -make power you may not be able to get to the ground as well as wear and tear.

Sounds like our motors are similair - except you have Al heads - save 100 pounds there!
Think you'll be happy when it's running.

Well maybe I should back down from being set on choosing a roller cam just yet and settle for a fine mech flat-tappet stick - like your Crane stick. - Not to mention your point of it being easier on wear n' tear.

Maybe if/when I can tubb it and fit a larger tire under it then I could consider stepping up to making more power with the roller cam and getting it all to the ground...:/

I've been looking at cutting back the front lower quarters on my '69 too as it is the closest spot in the wheel well to the slick. The rubber bumper you removed was attached at the top of the 'frame rail', center of the wheel well arch, right? Why did you remove it? If you added arch to your leafs, it isn't as though you lowered the car - do you have that much body movement at launch time to interfere with the bumper?

As I recall, the heads in stock form only flow good up to about 5500rpms... but my plan is, once I've got it bolted together, to spin it faster than that. For that reason, I'm leaning toward having them ported some yet before I bolt them on... and then I wonder whether or not I should go the NEXT step and have them flow'd to ensure the porting is all good...

It's hard for me to know just where to stop sometimes. -- (I really DO know though, "Ya stop when the $$$ runs out!")

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Ryan