bbc solid lift cam help
bbc solid lift cam help i recently got a bbc thats a fresh rebuild its got a solid lift cam in it i put it in my truck and going to set the valves not sure what to set them at i have no specs on the cam at all any ideas
Originally Posted by WE TODD DID
Set them around .022 and you'll be fine. Don't bother pulling the cam back out.
Originally Posted by 1997bird
Thats a good way to kill the cam. BBC's are hard on flat tappets anyway, I would personally find out whose cam I had and set it right the first time.
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Originally Posted by WE TODD DID
Explain to me exactly how that will kill a cam? I have never heard such nonsense! The manufacturer's settings on valve lash is only a suggestion. What kills a cam is improper break in, and seat pressures!
thats what i thought, it must really be murder on em when vary the lash on the drag strip trying to find what the motor likes huh.
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Originally Posted by WE TODD DID
Explain to me exactly how that will kill a cam? I have never heard such nonsense! The manufacturer's settings on valve lash is only a suggestion. What kills a cam is improper break in, and seat pressures!
Originally Posted by WE TODD DID
Explain to me exactly how that will kill a cam? I have never heard such nonsense! The manufacturer's settings on valve lash is only a suggestion. What kills a cam is improper break in, and seat pressures!
Just curious, but what is your break in procedure for a flat tappet solid lifter BBC?
I saw you told him set them at .022 and he would be fine, yet you did not give him any rec on break in procedure. Those motors are very temperamental about flat tappets.
Last edited by edcmat-l1; Aug 15, 2007 at 08:56 AM.
Originally Posted by ws6t3rror
thats what i thought, it must really be murder on em when vary the lash on the drag strip trying to find what the motor likes huh.
Originally Posted by edcmat-l1
Yeah, and shitty material, and low zinc in oil, and just the fact that BBCs dont like flat tappets.
Just curious, but what is your break in procedure for a flat tappet solid lifter BBC?
I saw you told him set them at .022 and he would be fine, yet you did not give him any rec on break in procedure. Those motors are very temperamental about flat tappets.
Just curious, but what is your break in procedure for a flat tappet solid lifter BBC?
I saw you told him set them at .022 and he would be fine, yet you did not give him any rec on break in procedure. Those motors are very temperamental about flat tappets.
Last edited by WE TODD DID; Aug 15, 2007 at 10:54 AM.
Originally Posted by edcmat-l1
Are you varying the lash on a solid FLAT TAPPET, or SOLID ROLLER? If you're tightening the lash on a solid flat tappet you're asking for trouble.
well since most of the new "street" stuff is tight lash anyways .016-.018 there really isnt much point in tightening that. but some of the race stuff i have out there is pretty loose like say a touch over .030 or more. my cam grinder gives me an allowable range that i have to play in when i get a cam from him anyways.
Originally Posted by WE TODD DID
He didn't ask about break in. I take the inner springs out, and run the engine about 15 minutes varying the rpm between 1500-2000. After that, I put the inners back in and let it rip. The only time that I've ever had trouble with wiping lobes off camshafts, is when the lifter bores are worn out. Most older BBCs have to be bushed. I've even machined a groove on the lower half of the lifters to let more oil reach the lobs.
I hate flat tappet cams. I've seen little ones in small blocks wipe out during break in. For absolutely no apparent reason. No geometry issues, plenty of cam assembly lube, get the motor fired quickly, get it right up to 2000, and still wipe em out.
I'm done ranting, sorry for the hijack......
Just as an example,
Comps Magnum series lash specs are .022/.024, but the allowed variation is .018-.030"
Their tight lash series lashes at .016" and IIRC the variance is .012-.020".
You could put a dial indicator on it and a degree wheel and get a good idea what the ramp heights are.
Ed,
Lifters...
I think a lot of the failures have been lifter issues. A SBC should be relatively easy on cams but when they fail and everything looks right I think it is a lifter or possibly the cam not having enough taper to the lobe to spin the lifter.
Comps Magnum series lash specs are .022/.024, but the allowed variation is .018-.030"
Their tight lash series lashes at .016" and IIRC the variance is .012-.020".
You could put a dial indicator on it and a degree wheel and get a good idea what the ramp heights are.
Ed,
Lifters...
I think a lot of the failures have been lifter issues. A SBC should be relatively easy on cams but when they fail and everything looks right I think it is a lifter or possibly the cam not having enough taper to the lobe to spin the lifter.
Originally Posted by jakeshoe
possibly the cam not having enough taper to the lobe to spin the lifter.
the only lifters i will even use that are flat tappets are the gm ones with the hardened 'foot' and even then i eye them pretty close. on cheap lifters you can sit the lifters tight against each other and it'll sit basicly flat as in theres no crown on the lifter to speak of. the gm lifter is one that was used for taxi cabs police cars and heavy duty apps that did alot of sitting and idling they have a pretty good crown on them and a "hardened" foot. those are the only ones i've ever pulled out that looked like new in recent memory.
Originally Posted by jakeshoe
Just as an example,
Comps Magnum series lash specs are .022/.024, but the allowed variation is .018-.030"
Their tight lash series lashes at .016" and IIRC the variance is .012-.020".
You could put a dial indicator on it and a degree wheel and get a good idea what the ramp heights are.
Ed,
Lifters...
I think a lot of the failures have been lifter issues. A SBC should be relatively easy on cams but when they fail and everything looks right I think it is a lifter or possibly the cam not having enough taper to the lobe to spin the lifter.
Comps Magnum series lash specs are .022/.024, but the allowed variation is .018-.030"
Their tight lash series lashes at .016" and IIRC the variance is .012-.020".
You could put a dial indicator on it and a degree wheel and get a good idea what the ramp heights are.
Ed,
Lifters...
I think a lot of the failures have been lifter issues. A SBC should be relatively easy on cams but when they fail and everything looks right I think it is a lifter or possibly the cam not having enough taper to the lobe to spin the lifter.
But I've seen it too many times. Not just stuff I've/we've built, but in other peoples cars. Motors fresh outta pro machine shops, assembled in those shops, wipe em practically on start up.
Its really discouraging when it happens in a SBC with a cam thats barely .500.
Not too long ago, I wouldnt hesitate to run a flat tappet. Had a BBc back in the very early 90s with a solid lifter over .600. Ran that sucker for almost 10,000 miles before taking it apart to go faster. Cam still looked fine. Lifters too. Now I wont build an engine with one, at all.