Roller Cam Questions

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Has anyone had to modify the LA oiling system when installing a hydraulic roller?
 
Lelo Dart said:
http://www.compperformancegroupstor...PROD&Product_Code=8920-16&Category_Code=HEHRL
Retro-fit roller cam
Retro-fit lifters w/dog bones
prob new push rods
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maachine said:
if you keep the stock shaft mounted rockers then you want solid pushrods. your rocker oiling system wont change. even if you went to magnum heads, only difference is oil through rods and lifters. i want to say just retrofit roller lifters, roller cam, and solid pushrods should get you where you want to be.

i just bought a hughes engines roller cam and retrofit roller lifters. was like 800$ for everything. but after replacing a tappet cam twice now due to wiping, definitely worth the money
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Not sure but it sounds like not.
 
Valkman said:
Has anyone had to modify the LA oiling system when installing a hydraulic roller?
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You shouldn't have to, not to say that doing some mods wouldn't be beneficial.
Read the sticky at the top of the smallblock forum, lots of great ideas. I applied most to my stroker. The tapping into the main galley and providing oil crossover to the valve train with out having it first travel all the way down to crank and back up through the cam is a very good mod. Then you can block off some flow where oil travels from mains to the heads keeping more oil at the mains and rod bearings. Excellent mods because the factory LA oiling system ain't the greatest. Also opening up whatever mains you can reach with a very long bit is a good idea as well.
 
Rodzilla said:
Then you can block off some flow where oil travels from mains to the heads keeping more oil at the mains and rod bearings.
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Be careful with this.... if you put in grooved cam bearings to provide continuous flow to the heads, then an added restrictor somewhere becomes a possibly/probably needed oil flow control device. But if you keep the standard cam 'interruptor' system, then oil flow to the heads will tend to decrease with high RPM's; the oil just can't start and stop well enough with the shorter and shorter flow times through the cam and cam bearing holes when they line up momentarily at higher RPM's. If you are running rockers that require positive oiling (like adjustables), then adding restrictors on top of the standard LA rocker oiling system may starve them if you spend a lot of time at high RPM's. You have to have some pressure up there to make the 'squirters' squirt oil at the pushrod cups, etc.

BTW, with the LA system the pushrods can be solid or hollow. But if you are going roller and getting some lift in the system, then you are likely going to some adjustable rockers and it is a moot point anyway.
 
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Rodzilla said:
Then you can block off some flow where oil travels from mains to the heads keeping more oil at the mains and rod bearings.
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Oil to the heads doesn't come from the mains. If you want more oil to the mains drill the passages from the passengers side oil galley to the mains to 5/16".
 
justinp61 said:
Oil to the heads doesn't come from the mains. If you want more oil to the mains drill the passages from the passengers side oil galley to the mains to 5/16".
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On a factory small block LA dodge it sure does. Oil goes from galley, down to mains and up to cam and out to heads (rocker shafts). On a factory LA oiling system the last part to see oil is the rockers. I did drill out the passages to 5/16" from the galley to the mains, and several other mods to keep oil at the crank bearings.
 
Rodzilla said:
On a factory small block LA dodge it sure does. Oil goes from galley, down to mains and up to cam and out to heads (rocker shafts). On a factory LA oiling system the last part to see oil is the rockers. I did drill out the passages to 5/16" from the galley to the mains, and several other mods to keep oil at the crank bearings.
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Yes you are correct, I don't know where my head was. I apologize if my reply caused any confusion.

Unless you have two large groove on the camshaft instead of the factory timed oiling there is very little loss of oil to the crankshaft. In addition to drilling the ports from the passengers side oil passage to the mains, bushing the lifter bores on the passengers side will help control the leak around the lifters increasing oil available to the main bearings and rods.
 
justinp61 said:
Yes you are correct, I don't know where my head was. I apologize if my reply caused any confusion.

Unless you have two large groove on the camshaft instead of the factory timed oiling there is very little loss of oil to the crankshaft. In addition to drilling the ports from the passengers side oil passage to the mains, bushing the lifter bores on the passengers side will help control the leak around the lifters increasing oil available to the main bearings and rods.
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I bushed my lifter bores on my stroker because it's solid roller, for 2 reasons, strengthening the bore the the lifter travels in and oil control. Wouldn't recommend it for anything with hydraulic lifters since oil supply would be to low to pump up lifter, I'm guessing, since The bushings used on my build just had a tiny 1/8" hole for lubrication of the surface area. Might even be smaller, Definitly no bigger, I can't remember exactly since it was 4 years ago.
I still think tapping into the mains on the top side and oiling the heads from above and choking the oil supply on the exit side of the mains is a much better plan then the factory cast in. Well, for hi-performance engines anyway.
Just so you it's clear, I'm not arguing, just stating my opinion. Cheers
 
Valkman said:
Has anyone had to modify the LA oiling system when installing a hydraulic roller?
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I'll be running the same cam in the wife's roller block 360 with only the oil holes from the deck down opened up a bit.
Considering it is still a low RPM engine, I do not think there is a problem. If I was going north of 6000 RPM's I would consider some extra drilling on the block.
 
I'll do just that except I'll use the MP, HD rockers. I'm having a cam keyway fitment issue right now with the cam requiring a smaller than stock keyway that Lunati doesn't stock.
(Now ain't that some ****!)

When I spoke with Lunati, I was given the greasy hand job reply....
"First time we ever heard of that!"

Ahhhhh, yeeeeeaaaaa, I'm sure .....

Once I get the cam key fitted in to my liking, I'll proceed with the mock up. Take a few pictures and post them up.
 
rumblefish360

I read your thread on this, are you the cam excentric on that cam? It looks a little shorter?
 
OH! Oh oh oh oh oh...
I do want to run the eccentric but since I can not get exactly where I wanted to be.....
I'll check tomorrow when I have some time. I'll kick it up without the cam key in. I'll see if I have room. That was a thought running around the grey matter as well.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Crane coated steel gear is what i use with the billet roller cams. They work great. You can also order your roller cam on a cast iron core and just use a regular gear.
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+ 10 . this is the best gear on the planet bar none . it was discontinued for several years after crane sold out but has been remade now . it is melonited like some other gears but also looks like it has been burnished to soften the edges slightly which seems to greatly reduce the chance of cam failure . If i remember correctly, this gear can also be used with ALL cam materials but ask them before doing so.
.
 
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