Hydro vs solid cam
 

Whats your guys opinion on a solid flat tappet cam. I dont mind adjusting valves every other weekend. just havent had much luck with high rpms and hydro cams

I have over 150 hours on my hydraulic cams running at 5800 RPM's. I run at wide open most of the time when I am in the open water and have had no issues..These are only 620 HP 610 TQ 509 CI aspirated motors. What HP and RPM's are you running? How long do you get out your cams and what is failing?Are they flat tap cams or roller?

I have a few customers with solid cams in pleasure boats and unless your racing or running BIG HP aspirated engines its pain in the azz.

Flat tappets.. Last year 496 with 45 hrs on. spit a hydro lifter and wiped out the whole engine. going with a new set up 496 with dart 325's 10:5:1 comp 6050 rpm should make 650 or better????? the main thing is i dont want to spend 1500 on a cam and liffter combo. this thing will run on 110 octane

6050RPM on a hydraulic flat tappet lifter? I do not think you can make that kind of power without going at least going to a hydraulic roller.

Also if those are aluminum heads I don't think you need to run 110. Premium would be a must.

Experts correct me if I'm wrong?

Have never ran those rpms with hydro lifters. Thats why i was asking about the solid ones becuase this set up will need to be wound pretty high to make that hp. And yes the heads are aluminum so i'll prob just mix prem. with 110 to be on the safe side. Im just trying to splash this boat before summer is over. Then i'll get rmbuilder to set me up over the winter

+ 1

+1....agreed !

What kind of rpm"s ?

Hydraulics now are much bettter than 20 years and 6000 rpm is ok. Solids are a PITA.


Wannabe

Flat tappet cams are old technology. Get a hyd roller and never look back.

AGREE IM RUNNING 5600 RPMS WITH ABOUT 600HP 741 CRANE CAMS HYD ROLLER NO PROBLEMS.

700hp on hyd. rollers no issues!

Flat tappet cam solid or hydraulic you might want to run a ZDDP additive.

Hydraulic roller camshafts work great at 5800 rpm but the secret is to carefully match the camshaft with the valvesprings. Not to stiff or to soft! Follow the camshaft manufacturers instructions exactly.
Go with Comp Cams and you will be good.

Dennis Moore

I find Comp's spring specs to be a little soft most of the time for an endurance application. I haven't had any issues spinning Morel hydro rollers 6000+ with .600"+ cams. I agree, it's all about matching your components and the Morel lifters will take the spring pressures needed to spin that rpm. excal82, I would in no way ever recommend a flat tappet cam but if that's what you're stuck with the solids would be the way to go for your app.

Thanks Haxbyspeed! this engine will get a hydro roller this winter from Bob,rmbuilder but as of now im trying to finish up the summer with a inexpensive flat set-up but still make a little HP. solid flat $225 and use my springs i have now. hydro roller $1500 with springs! i just want to go boating

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spin my hydraulic setup with .647 lift to 6000rpm all the time with no issues.

I have a giant used solid roller cam with solid lifters and pushrods if you are still thinking about a solid cam. Might be too big for your setup though. .697 lift, 262/272 duration @ 0.050

From what I see, most setup's run hyd, roller these days, running 5500 - 6500 rpm's. I don't even think Eddie Young, TCM and the other custom builders use solids in their 1100-1200+ hp motors, unless they go really big with 1400-1500+ hp. I've read that YPM also converts the "big" (very relative now a days:D) 850-1200 Merc's from solid to hydraulic.

That is true A.O. Razor.

The builder who installed this cam in my engine also built a pair of 1350's with methanol injection that spin to 6200rpm all the time with the exact same lifter/cam combo. Both were still going strong at 300 hours and never had the valve covers off. Pulled them last year because leak downs were getting higher than he liked.

Well going with solid roller this time more rpm more HP more speed. The key is putting on jessel pro shaft rockers should only have to touch one time a season. Live in north IL so we only boat about 4 months out of the year.

Skydog

What difference does the style of rocker make? I thought the adjustment was needed on solid lifters due to wear of the lifter and lobe?

With rollor tip not much wear anymore, and the shaft rocks take all the flex,movment out of the hole rocker set up. I hear all the time guys switch to shaft rockers set them and when they go to check them they are all still right on the money. This is right from there site.SPORTSMAN SERIES SHAFT ROCKERS


Still spending aggravating hours adjusting your stud rockers only to have to repeat the procedure the next weekend? If the answer is yes, then JESEL Sportsman Series rocker arms are the solution for you. Since their release in 2001, JESEL Sportsman Series rocker systems have proven themselves to be the ultimate replacement for inadequate stud rocker assemblies on OEM and aftermarket cylinder heads. Easily able to handle today’s aggressive springs and cam profiles, these 2024 aluminum bodied shaft rockers are designed to withstand open spring pressures up to 900 lbs while maintaining precise valve lash settings. Both racers and engine builders have been rewarded with years of reliable, trouble free service of their Sportsman Series rockers on countless applications from daily drivers to bracket drag cars, various marine applications, oval track dirt and asphalt racing

Yeah, solid lifters make all the right noises. I love the sound of a solid lifter cam. Just hate the maintenance.
If you don't mind the constant resetting of the clearances, having to add special compounds to the oil, and the limited amount of cam choices (flat solid or flat hydro cams can't run an agressive proflie like a roller can) then go for it.

With the good Jesel stuff out and good roller lifters i think the days of adj valve lash ever weekend on soild roller cams is over.....

Skydog