Technical Cadillac guys, converting a 365/390 to hydraulic roller cam

Re-read your post. The big tall lifters won't clear, but I know thsat Tony isn't gonna tool up to make one offs. I am thinking they must be using LS7 lifters with the spider tray to hold them down. Those are good to .600 lift, but the Caddys won't support that kind of lift, so they should work. It could be like a Y block also, where you have to install the lifters prior to the heads being installed.

 

Since this post is two years old this information may be "too little as well as too late", Howard cams offers cams (at least Chevrolet) with a five year warranty. Part of the trick (I think) is a tiny EDM hole is "burned" in the lifter to provide oil to the lifter surface. I used one of their cams on my Studebaker (SBC) and have had no problem. Here is a link that explains it better than I. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Howards-Cams-91118-Direct-Lube-Mechanical-Lifters,277718.html
Edit...I forgot to say that I have the very same cam/lifters, new in the box, to go in the 350 I am building for the T Roadster.

 

Thanks for the info, I do have a hydraulic flat tappet cam in the rafters, unsure if I wanna use it. I probably will, but the draw of the ever elusive choppy roller gets my attention every time.

 

That Tbird is now in Finland, my friend bought it from you.

 

FWIW, the Packard V8 has the same block ledge above the lifter bores. We just use the pizza cutter to grind a slot in the web to clear the link bars; easy peasy.

Another FWIW, we had a run of custom steel billet roller cams made up for our Studebaker V8s. We cut the distributor drive gear off the ends of stock Studebaker cams and sent them to the cam grinder. He left a dowel on the end of the roller billet, drilled a hole in the Stude cam, heated it and pressed the roller dowel into the Stude cam. When it cooled they were solid.

Now, with CNC machines, cuttin the distributor drive gear on the steel billet is easier.

jack vines

 

Has anyone used the Ross Racing Hydraulic roller? Wondering if anyone has any actual miles on one yet?

 

Chris, give Powell Machine a call and see what he can do for you: Powell Machine Inc/South Carolina

 

Thanks Glenn.

I shot him an email yesterday. He said that he has had 5 requests for this cam in the last month. I am guessing this thread may have something to do with that. He said the issue is that no one has cam cores. I assumed that since they were billet, they would just cut their own, but apparently not.

Where did you guys get your cams ground @PackardV8 ?

 

could we get a group buy going??

 

Sounds like the problem is finding cores for the Caddy. I'm sure someone has to make them, but finding them is the trick.

 

Bump for @Arekusu

 

You don't say? Interesting.

 

Just tore into my 1960 390 to find the stock cam was well worn. Was hoping to do a garage overhaul. So I'll be following along as I'm also leery of new cams and lifters...

 

Thanks for the Bump. Just got around to reading this one. I mean in today's world.. there has to be a guy out there with a CNC that could make a cam core for a roller.. no?

Worst case... we go crank trigger and dry sump somehow for oiling? Forget the cam gear at the back for the oil pump / distributor. Haha.

 

I talked to Tony at Ross Racing Engines, and he said we have to remove the web to install the roller lifters with tie bar. I don't believe he's talking about the overhang where the valley plate lies because that would be a lot of material, but the actual web where the pushrods pass thru. If so, it would be every other web, I don't see any immediate problem with that.

not my photo