lifter oil galley lifter help needed

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rod7515

rod7515

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Ive read many posts here and still havent been able to find a definite answer to what I see as an issue I am running into on my 360/408 stroker build in regards to the Comp Solid roller cam. I am using a .575 lift both intake and exhaust. the builder called yesterday and said we might have an issue with the rollers going past the lifter oiling holes. Is this possible? he was talking about doing a tubing of both sides. My concerns are this is going to be a street engine with maybe 2 or 3 weekends a year at the drags. If we put a tube in how does the lifters get its lubrication. Also with running this roller cam what options do I have with a oil pump drive gear. Dont want to have to replace or worry about gear shavings all the time.
I know some of you will say buy different lifters but I dont really have the budget to do that. The cam was a kit that included springs, lifters, keepers and cam. Since I only found this out today I have to wait until Monday to call Comp cams to hear there fix so I thought I would ask the experts here on this forums.
If tubing is the answer does anyone have pics of this done to the block and also did anyone drill small oiling holes in the tubes to supply oil to the lifters?
Looking forward to seeing pics so I can understand what others have done. I know once its tubed I have to drill holes from the mains. Anything else that needs done?
Thanks
Rodney
 
Common issue, you need lifters with the oil band moved down, there is a engine builder on this forum who sells what you need. I wouldn't tube the oil galleys if it were me.....
 
The solid lifters do not have oil bands. They are completely smooth. this is why I ask this question. The issue is that the bottom of the lifter where the roller is comes past the oil galley hole because of the cutout at the wheel.
Rodney
 
gotcha..... its usally the oil band coming out the top.... but in your case, you need a reduced base circle cam, or tube the galleys. Better yet would be to bush the lifter holes, but that's usally much more expensive.
 
..........................u only need to tube 1 side.....I think there is a kit on ebay for about 40 bucks......and yes u need the special bronze drive gear......kim........
 
Crane is selling a drive gear compatible with roller cams. Don't have the part number in front of me but can get it if you like. Jegs sells it roughly a hundred bucks.
 
I had an issue with the oil bands being exposed on a hydraulic roller set up and comp did give me credit for the lifters. So if you can find another brand that will work that is an option for you. They were really great to work with in my case.
 
I had the same problem. Another option would be to block the oil at the #1main feed leading to the drive side of the lifter galley. Under the # 1 main bearing saddle are three holes, drill and tap the one hole which leads to the lifter galley on the driver side (odd cylinders) (1/8" pipe plug.). My problem was the #5 exhaust and the # 7 intake lifters. I lost oil psi and eventually the engine. After the above fix the engine had good oil psi and worked well.... Until the crank broke...(cast crank... Bad choice) next part of your question, because the lifters are roller design not much oil is required. The rollers will receive enough oil by " splash" and the lifter body will receive enough oil from oil return back to the pan from the valve train and some leakage around the cam journals themselves. Hope this helps some.
 
OldKimmer, thanks for that info. Mancini sells a kit for about the same but why do you only need to do the one side? Dont both sides oil and if the lifter goes past the oiling hole on either side i would lose oil pressure?
Thanks for all the response so far
Rodney
 
I had the very same issue with my stroker. We took the guts out of a set of hydraulic lifters and replaced it with an insert to make them solid. It was like five years ago and I've since changed back to a hydraulic roller set up. I still have the lifters and cam in my garage. We built the engine and had no oil pressure. Mine was a magnum 360.
 
Talked to the tech guys from Comp Cams today. They are having me send the cam back to them and they will be regrinding it to change the base circle. He talked about a .060 reduction. There is no cost for this but I do have to pay for shipping both ways. He said that normally, there are no problems until after your lift goes above .600. I hope that .060 will be enough! I'll post once i get it back.
Rodney
 
rod7515 said:
Talked to the tech guys from Comp Cams today. They are having me send the cam back to them and they will be regrinding it to change the base circle. He talked about a .060 reduction. There is no cost for this but I do have to pay for shipping both ways. He said that normally, there are no problems until after your lift goes above .600. I hope that .060 will be enough! I'll post once i get it back.
Rodney
Click to expand...

well everything on these cars from factory are all over the place in the precision department:banghead:

hope that base cirkelreduction is enough:cheers: im trying to figure out if i will run into this problem aswell!
 
That's pretty cool of Comp to re-grind for free even though it's a block issue not really theirs.
 
Yes, I am very happy with Comp Cams for taking care of this issue. Im just hoping they regrind enough on the first try. I also wonder if they know this is an ongoing issue why they dont just reduce the base centerline in the design. Hoping that by reducing the centerline the lifter brackets dont bottom out in the bores. Going to be close.
Rodney
 
Update: They ground a new cam for me. Cam came back Friday so I immediately took it to the machine shop. He called me about 2 hours later to let me know that the cam wouldnt go past the 2nd cam bearing. It goes in past the first journal and then hits the 2nd and stops in its tracks. The new cam also has an oiling ring groove cut into both the 2nd and 4th journal when the original and New cam did not. I called yesterday and at first was told that its not possible it wont go in. Then after being on hold for about 5 minutes I was given an RMA number to return it. I havent gotten a reason for the cam to have the ring grooves but my builder doesnt like it as he says it will take away some oil pressure since it will have constant oil flow to the Rocker shaft and it will have oil splashing everywhere inside. Sending it back tomorrow and will keep you updated on next step. By the way, they did reduce base circle by .040 from the first cam.
Rod
 
dodgedude said:
Crane is selling a drive gear compatible with roller cams. Don't have the part number in front of me but can get it if you like. Jegs sells it roughly a hundred bucks.
Click to expand...

The Crane Gear # is CRN 69970-1 Small block coated steel distributor gear fits .484 shaft. This gear comes without a shaft. I had to buy a bronze gear and shaft from Hugh's Engines, their part # HUG 6204. They removed the bronze gear and reinstalled the Crane gear on the Hugh's shaft.

Prices,

Hug 6204, $63.95

CRN 69970-1 $98.00

Labor, $45.00

Hope this information helps.

Russ
 
Sounds like you got another cam - not yours. I agree with the builder - if the next cam you get has the grooves, get another one.
 
moper said:
Sounds like you got another cam - not yours. I agree with the builder - if the next cam you get has the grooves, get another one.
Click to expand...

This!! that was a old school deal, the groved cam, I wouldn't use it. they didn't send you back the same cam!
 
I had this issue with the old Crane hydraulic rollers. Had the base circle reduced by 0.060" (they charged me) based on hard measurement & that did the trick but I have less lift than you. You did confer with your shop that the 0.040" would be enough? Would be a shame if it wasn't. One thing you may also have to deal with is pushrod geometry. On the OEM iron heads there is lots of interference. I spent many hours labor getting it right, a machine shop would have hurt me bad if I hadn't done myself. Maybe the aftermarket heads have more clearance? With all the headaches this caused me I would just go flat tappet if I were doing again.
 
Another thing that just occured to me - the pushrods will need to be longer for the smaller base circle. Don't make the mistake of just running out the adjusters - get the right length pushrods.
 
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