Did I do wrong?

[stroker87]

I was reading up on some things when I came up across this article

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0710_chevy_small_block/roller_cam.html

this is what is stated

Roller Warning
One area where you must be careful with production-based small-block Chevy hydraulic roller lifters is with high-lift camshafts. According to Crane's Director of Valvetrain Research and Development, Mark Campbell, valve lifts of more than 0.530 inch at the valve with a 1.5:1 rocker can allow the lifter to fall deep enough into the lifter bore (because of the lobe's small base circle) that the steel retainer can lose its grip on the lifter body. This allows the lifter to spin in the bore and destroy the camshaft. In checking a few cam catalogs, it is possible to order a hydraulic roller camshaft with enough lobe lift (in excess of 0.354 inch) to create this situation, so just be careful. This is why Crane created a long-travel hydraulic roller lifter that will allow you to run a high-lift hydraulic roller cam with the stock lifter configuration. These eliminate the problem but are also much more expensive than OE replacement lifters. Another solution would be to run a 1.6:1 rocker ratio with a reduced lobe lift cam to accomplish more valve lift.



My new cam has .550 lift on a small base circle what do I do?

 

[grumpyvette]

what you DO is
check your ALL clearances durring the assembly process,
its hardly something that will go un-noticed if your paying attention,
you may need retro-fit style lifters rather than stock lifters
IF you have that particular issue
you have options
you might need to swap to a differant aftermarket lifter design,
OR swap to a differant cam
OR have the block clearanced to AVOID that issue
you CHECK all your clearances DURING the assembly process so you don,t have those problems
its not something that just HAPPENDS,
its something thats OBVIOUSLY an issue youll see,
durring the cam ,degree in, process IF it exists with the components YOUVE selected

thats one reason the RETROFIT roller lifters have linkage rather than dog bone retainers to kep them tracking strait on the lobes

 

[stroker87]

Grump a simple thing is not so simple any more!

I thought I'd get a new cam and install new bearings if needed, So far I found stuck lifters, worn rockers, block was not plate honed Ect....... things just keep getting worst!

the engine that was in the truck had cam walk so I didnt want to deal with any part of it started all new didnt use one part from that engine only to find myself dealing with I didnt want to with the 1st place (metal particles) and out alot of money tring to avoid it, what a waist of money I gave the "pro builder" to make sure it was done right, Every one told me "should be making more power it must be the EFI tune" ton of money on dyno's tring to get it right only to find the reall problem"s"

any way I'll keep a good eye on the lifters when I install the cam, but whats a "safe" clearance to know, how much of the lift needs to be left in the dogbone so I dont have a problem?

I'm wondering if it be best to get a cam with less lift and get 1.6 rockers to make it have the same spec's as the one I ordered or will the 1.6 rocker cause other problems?

 

[grumpyvette]

Im almost always amused at the guys that think you can just take component parts out of the boxes and bolt together a winning engine combo.
now theres a great deal of things that WITH experiance you can avoid or corect after checking very easily,
your problem is mostly the result of trying to use the factory valve train to save money, rather than aftermarket lifters, but that doesn,t mean you cant use the factory lifters and dog bones, it might require milling clearance on the top of the lifterbores, or changing to a differant lifter design, but you didn,t DO anything wrong!
IN FACT
your currently doing things CORRECTLY by asking questions and checking out potential problems,verifying the valve train clearances, rather than slapping parts together , and expecting the result to run without problems

but anyone that thinks theres not much to an engine BUILD but bolting pistons on a crank and bolting an intake and heads on a block is in for some suprises.
now everything your looking at is fairly minor, and part of most engine builds, its a learning experiance, so don,t get discouraged.
look at the proces as a challange , and doing it correctly a rare skill that even most pro shops take short cuts with.yes you can do it correctly and yes its a P.I.T.A. at times but its certainly something you can do and do correctly

you might want to read thru this thread
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=801&p=1542&hilit=+check#p1542

and look thru the info in this one

viewtopic.php?f=69&t=1474

 

[stroker87]

That was my point Grumpy I didnt use any thing factory not one part from the old engine those parts was bought all new the engine builder picked them and told me if I did go bigger on the cam it would be fine I'd just have to change the springs I made it very clear to him I wanted room to grow if I was not pleased with the engines HP/TQ numbers, I also told him I wanted quality parts the rockers he install are junk that I over paid on, I cant tell about the lifters cause no markings on them but from every thing I'm finding out I'd put money in them being the cheapest he could find

I didnt think its be so involed in swaping a cam but atleast I know what to look for "NOW" instead of destruction