Solid Roller for Daily Driver?
Solid Roller for Daily Driver? I've been deciding on a cam for a good while now and I always thought i would get a hydraulic, but now I like the idea of owning a solid roller setup. Would this be a wise decision for a street car during the week and a drag car on the weekends? I will probably keep heads stock except for machining for larger springs, and adjustable rockers. I'm interested in a solid roller because of its fast ramp capabilities and its strong top-end. I would like some opinions and suggestions on a cam and setup. M6 w/3.73 or 4.10's
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? Allan @ Futral Motorsports drives his solid roller car everyday. His wife picks up the kids at school with the car. I would definately give him a call if you are serious about it. On that note, I dont see keeping stock heads and going solid roller. Theres no way a stock head is going to keep up with 7k+ rpms and still make decent power. Goodluck though.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,390
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From: Chicago Land
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? Very bad idea with stock bottom end and also stock heads. The solid rollers shine in the upper RPMs which stock bottom cant handle and the heads wont flow enough for. Also you need more than just a cam for it you need lifters and rockers and pushrods and theoretically if you could just swap a solid roller in a stock motor it would cost well over 1000 bucks. Look at a nice hyd. roller. I think the thunder racing cams seem to be working best with stock heads. If im not mistaken its the TR224 cam that is the popular one being used.
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? This is just my opinion, but honestly, it seems like a waste of money to go solid roller without going 'all the way'. You can get very good results for less than half the cost by just sticking with something like a G5-X2 cam, valvesprings/retainers/pushrods, and leaving everything else alone. That cam pulls hard up top. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />
By the time you pull the heads to replace the lifters, put them back on, put the heavier springs on there (which will be higher pressure than hydraulic roller compatible springs), you're looking at quite a bit more money for maybe 10-20 hp way up top.
I see the advantage of running a huge cam in a solid roller setup. Bigger than the G5-X2. But that requires piston to valve clearance, heads that can flow at high lift numbers (not stock), and a very stiff valvetrain. Durability will definitely suffer. I'd expect to replace valvesprings at least annually on a solid roller setup, and possibly have the heads pulled yearly to check the valve seats and/or for a valve job.
Stock heads? IMO, stick with a proven hydraulic cam.
Not to say it can't be done, tho. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> If you want to do it, go for it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> I thought about a heads/cam solid roller purchase. But a stock bottom end just doesn't lend itself to being spun up that high, it doesn't allow for a big cam, etc.
But if you go all the way... <img border="0" alt="[evil]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" />
-Andrew
By the time you pull the heads to replace the lifters, put them back on, put the heavier springs on there (which will be higher pressure than hydraulic roller compatible springs), you're looking at quite a bit more money for maybe 10-20 hp way up top.
I see the advantage of running a huge cam in a solid roller setup. Bigger than the G5-X2. But that requires piston to valve clearance, heads that can flow at high lift numbers (not stock), and a very stiff valvetrain. Durability will definitely suffer. I'd expect to replace valvesprings at least annually on a solid roller setup, and possibly have the heads pulled yearly to check the valve seats and/or for a valve job.
Stock heads? IMO, stick with a proven hydraulic cam.
Not to say it can't be done, tho. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> If you want to do it, go for it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> I thought about a heads/cam solid roller purchase. But a stock bottom end just doesn't lend itself to being spun up that high, it doesn't allow for a big cam, etc.
But if you go all the way... <img border="0" alt="[evil]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" />
-Andrew
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? I should have explained alittle more sorry. I was looking for a solid roller cam with a 6500 rpm redline, and because of its fast ramps it would improve low-end power. As far as lift goes i want the max for a stock head, for now. If i were to go with a small solid roller cam would it still be a harsh punishment on my valvetrain.
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? You have to pull off the heads to enlarge the spring pockets AND to open up the pushrod holes. The money you will spend on SR parts like the lifters and the rockers will be equivalent to a set of ported heads FYI. Price some of the stuff out and see if it's still worth it to you.
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On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: NOVA
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? Well since I just installed what your talking about in my car, I guess I will chime in. My cam doesnt' seem as big as a lot of cams out there, I think it has like .580 lift is about all you can go with stock bottom end. I have no track times, and I am in the process of getting mine running right, but it seems fine driving it on the road, with the minor tunign I have done.
I believe alan told me, that with his wife driving his car daily, and him racing it (Full weight car going low 11's/M6) he went 9 or 10 months without having to adjust the valvetrain. So what I gather from that is, that his cam really isn't that hard on the springs and suchin the valvetrain. hehe, what I am trying to say is, talk to me in a year, and I will tell you what I think. And give alan a call, he can answer your questions.
I believe alan told me, that with his wife driving his car daily, and him racing it (Full weight car going low 11's/M6) he went 9 or 10 months without having to adjust the valvetrain. So what I gather from that is, that his cam really isn't that hard on the springs and suchin the valvetrain. hehe, what I am trying to say is, talk to me in a year, and I will tell you what I think. And give alan a call, he can answer your questions.
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? Hey TreeGreenZ, very cool on the setup. I've done a fair amount of poking around the 'net, and it seems that there just aren't that many 346ci solid roller cars running around (or at least lurking on message forums). Keep us posted on how it runs.
With a milder setup like that, I'd expect much longer valvetrain life. When I think SR, I think 240+ duration and .6"+ lift. I thought about doing just SR heads/cam on my stock bottom end, but it's just much more attractive to go full motor and get all the benefits - huge cam, forged internals, etc. <img border="0" alt="[evil]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" />
-Andrew (and hopefully very soon...)
With a milder setup like that, I'd expect much longer valvetrain life. When I think SR, I think 240+ duration and .6"+ lift. I thought about doing just SR heads/cam on my stock bottom end, but it's just much more attractive to go full motor and get all the benefits - huge cam, forged internals, etc. <img border="0" alt="[evil]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" />
-Andrew (and hopefully very soon...)
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by TreeGreenZ:
<strong> Well since I just installed what your talking about in my car</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Did you get everything installed and running ok?
<strong> Well since I just installed what your talking about in my car</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Did you get everything installed and running ok?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 1
From: Freeland, MD
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? Solid roller for daily driver?? Drove it into work today - 30 miles each way. On the way home, I had someone motion to me to roll down my window and then ask me what cam I was running at a stop light this evening. Pretty cool - been getting lots of compliments on the sound of a solid roller.
Having said that - there are issues with running a solid roller. Adjusting valve lash, valve seat durability issues, etc. Looks like I need to reset lash even right now, after about 800 miles since the install (and several track passes). Think the frequency of this will slow down though since the break-in should be done soon.
As for what you are looking at - with an M6 - I would want forged internals, 4.10s, and ported/machined LS6 heads. Going to cost you some dough if you want to do this.
Having said that - there are issues with running a solid roller. Adjusting valve lash, valve seat durability issues, etc. Looks like I need to reset lash even right now, after about 800 miles since the install (and several track passes). Think the frequency of this will slow down though since the break-in should be done soon.
As for what you are looking at - with an M6 - I would want forged internals, 4.10s, and ported/machined LS6 heads. Going to cost you some dough if you want to do this.
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 109
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From: NOVA
Re: Solid Roller for Daily Driver? Ya I know there isn't a lot of cars out there like mine. I got everythign installed and running, now I gotta get the dang thing tuned. I think I am running into the 98 <4 degree knock retard problem :brick:
