[Minimum Wage 69]

The motor I'm currently building is going full roller, and I was wondering if I need a conversion kit to transfer my 69 block over to roller lifters, or if I dont need a conversion kit, and I just need to buy special lifters...

Thanks,
-Josh

 

[dfwcatsclub]

Hydraulic or Solid?

If you're thinking hydraulic rollers then you'll need the retrofit kit and a retrofit cam -- not a late model cam. It has the wrong base circle.

Otherwise, if you're going solid roller then you'll need the solid roller lifters and the remainder of the goodies.

 

[swamper]

This needs some thought. Plus parts. If you go too much lift, piston valve contact is an issue. Screw in Rocker studs, double valve springs and possibly new rockers ( adjustible) are good bets if you plan on higher RPM's.

Roller cams have steeper ramps on the lobes. This is where advantage is (valve open wider longer). The standard valve springs has trouble keeping things tight (valve float results). The stronger spring pressure may pull out pressin rocker studs (nasty things happen). You will probibly need different push rods (lingth and strength issues). Roller rockers will help reduce friction and wear plus they are usually lighter (inertia is reduced modest power gain).

All of this gets expensive.

 

[Minimum Wage 69]

Parts List...

I am looking for Hyd. lifters. I have purchased Stronger push rods, I have the screw in rocker studs, double vavle springs in the heads already, and the roller rockers. The cam I have is an aftermarket custom ground cam, if this information helps any....

 

[swamper]

Just check with maker on new lifters then and make sure on push rod lingth. They sometimes require different lingth to offset heigth of lifter or better yet look for one that will work with existing. I would guess from your info above that you also have guide plates.

 

[dfwcatsclub]

Re: Parts List...

I run this kind of combination.

What cam did you buy? You can NOT run a late model hyd-roller because of the base circle of the cam....unless you go and buy the most expensive lifters, well almost, in the world.

Crane Cams offers two sets of roller lifters. One is the *early* production style which you can use but will need the links to go in between the lifters and you'll need a spider hold-down. Comp offers the same stuff but cheaper as I recall.

You can go to the new Crane hyd rollers and put any cam in as long as you have the correct valve train geometry.

Bill

I am looking for Hyd. lifters. I have purchased Stronger push rods, I have the screw in rocker studs, double vavle springs in the heads already, and the roller rockers. The cam I have is an aftermarket custom ground cam, if this information helps any....

 

[clevelandcougar]

Good Luck

Good luck trying to get roller lifters, there was ONLY one or two companies building roller rockers and one of them folded, which poses a problem if there was only one to begin with. Crane and Comp etc just repackage these lifters in their own box.

I was very lucky that the roller lifters(have the stabilizing bar connecting two lifters together) for my Cleveland were only on back order for two months. I have also heard that roller lifters for small block chevys(generally the the cheapest engines to build) are selling for up to $1000 a set, I spent $400 for the Cleveland set, and every thing costs more for the Cleveland.

If anyone wants to make grips and grips of cash start making roller lifters, beacuse the market is crazy for them.

 

[dfwcatsclub]

Re: Good Luck

Ford sells the roller lifters and links (cheap).

Comp sells the spyder bar hold down. The parts are everywhere on the web. Ebay they're dirt cheap.

If you go with the linked lifters then yes you'll spend $$$$. The advantage to the linked lifters is that you can run any base circle cam (assuming you change pushrods) and you don't need the spyder bar hold down.

Good luck trying to get roller lifters, there was ONLY one or two companies building roller rockers and one of them folded, which poses a problem if there was only one to begin with. Crane and Comp etc just repackage these lifters in their own box.

I was very lucky that the roller lifters(have the stabilizing bar connecting two lifters together) for my Cleveland were only on back order for two months. I have also heard that roller lifters for small block chevys(generally the the cheapest engines to build) are selling for up to $1000 a set, I spent $400 for the Cleveland set, and every thing costs more for the Cleveland.

If anyone wants to make grips and grips of cash start making roller lifters, beacuse the market is crazy for them.

 

[ronzoni]

One more minor detail... to run the thread in studs and the guideplates, you'll need to have the stud bosses milled down approx. 0.300". This allows for the added thickness of the guideplate and the stud "flat" without running into interference with the bottom of your new roller rockers.

Ron.

 

[vfret]

Re: Re: Good Luck

If you go with the linked lifters then yes you'll spend $$$$. The advantage to the linked lifters is that you can run any base circle cam (assuming you change pushrods) and you don't need the spyder bar hold down.

Why change the pushrods? For length? For strength?

 

[dfwcatsclub]

why change the pushrods? Explained

To keep the valve train geometry correct. If you install a lifter that's *slightly* different from stock, shave heads, deck blocks, whatever, you need to always check valve train geometry.

The rocker arm should sweep the head of the valve from one edge to the other staying in the center as much as possible.

The only way to correct this sometimes is to change the pushrods.

BD