magnum motor cam conversion

[big block]

Hello Guys
I am in need of a la 360 magnum expert. I have a 1999 dodge ram 1500 360. I'm going to rebuild it. It has a bad roller cam and 4 bad roller lifters. I don't want to spend the money for a new roller can and lifters. I would like to go back with a hydraulic flat tappet cam and lifters. Is this possible? If so do I have to change the push rods and rockers? what problems am I going to run into? Or should I just find a older la 360 and and use the magnum heads. If I do this can I use the old push rods and rockers on the non magnum block.



Thanks
Big block

 

[krazykuda]

Bite the bullet and get a new roller cam and lifters... ale:

How can you "rebuild" the engine and not plan to change the cam??? #-o

 

[Johnny Mac]

You have way too many conflicting ideas here...

first off, going back to a flat tappet cam from a roller, is losing the main advantage of even having a magnum block. Completely counter productive. Also the pushrods would not be long enough, so consider the $100 "savings" of using the old pushrods gone. If the engine is old enough that you chewed up 4 lifters and a cam, i'm guessing that the heads may not be "true" from millions of heat cycles, so bolting them to the new, unmatched, deck of an old LA engine? asking for problems, on top of the fact that magnum heads are prone to cracks.

the beauty of a roller cam is no matching of lobes, and no breakin, so buy a budget set of roller lifters, or pull them from a junkyard magnum engine, and take the opportunity to upgrade your cam with a new unit. I will post two cost effective options below to save you the trouble of asking where to find them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/16-DODGE-JE...ssories&hash=item27cae5e379&vxp=mtr#vi-ilComp

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-20-604-9/overview/make/dodge

probably the best $450 that truck will ever see....

if you're really trying to pinch pennies, summit sells and OE grind, SLP magnum cam for like $150.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/slp-cs-1558/overview/make/dodge

so for $300, vs this $200 goofy flat tappet retrofit idea? I think it's obvious.

 

[Abodybomber]

Call Oregon Cams. They can regrind a stock core, for 125-175, half of a 350 dollar new one. Several people here, have done this, & they know what they are doing. You might need to check, on a longer pushrod ( most cam regrinds,make for a smaller base circle, needing a slightly longer pushrod.) Www.Magnumswap.com has an affordable Comp Cams pushrod number there, check it out.

 

[rumblefish360]

The MoPar roller lifters , the OEM units, are inexpensivensmce they made them by the millions.