WETTE VETTE

Dick,
My cam specs are as follows. 264/270 @ .050" lift on a 114 LSA with .741/.731 lift. This cam has gentile ramps for a marine application and the valve lash is .020" hot, which is pretty tight. I am running the Isky Red Zone solid roller lifters, which have 2 holes in them directing pressurized oil directly onto the axle. Isky has claimed they have had very good luck with these on endurance and marine engines. I run synthetic 10W40 Amsoil and have a 1000 HP oil cooler with a 215 degree thermostat. So far I haven't seen the oil go over 220 degrees in the pan after some long 6600 RPM passes. I am trying props to get the RPM down a bit and hopefully find a little more speed at the same time. With all of that said I will change springs and lifters every 50 HRS or 2 seasons, whichever comes first. With solid rollers you can get great power, but you have to be on top of things all the time. It pays to know how the valve train clatter sounds when things are working properly so if a lifter starts to go you will hear the lash before it self destructs. Also KE 2 piece valve covers and shaft rockers like Jesel or T & D make it pretty easy to see where things are regularly. If all of a sudden the lash opens up on one valve .005" - .010" and the adjustment nut is still tight, the lifter is going. I have heard this scenario many times at the drag strip. Most guys tignten the lash back down and shortly after they have a broken motor. Will we see you at the Hardy Party next weekend?

Craig

BenPerfected

Craig,
I also most of the KEPP parts. I have included the KEPP lifter valley spray bar for the cam and lifters. For about $100, it is additional insurance. Keith used this spray bar on most of his engines.

Hydrocruiser

The question is do synthetics wear flat spots on roller bearings because they are too slippery? The short answer is no! The metal surfaces would never touch, there would be no wear, and it wouldn't matter if the roller turned or not.

This never happens.

The only way a roller bearing would not turn would be if you had perfect lubrication, which simply means the cam surface and the roller would always be separated by an oil film.

By the way, Mobil 1 automotive oils are factory fill in all Corvettes, Vipers, MB and Porsche's, all of these engines use roller/follower technology and there is no evidence that they have encountered any problems with roller bearings not turning.

If I had to pick between Teague's findings and Porsche's; I am going with Porsche' on this one.

bpine

"Has anybody flat spotted roller lifters w/synthetic oil?"

Let’s finish this rumor once and for all!

I read the article, and my first thought was "HUH" I never had a problem. I have engines ranging from the 50hp Honda CRF450R to the 1400 hp Twin turbo! All rollers, all on Mobil 1, except my Class One Off-road car it runs SHELL HELIX ULTRA, "My Main sponsor for that car" and never had a cam or roller issue! But I was not the one to refute BOB Teague!

Bryan

Hydrocruiser

All oils have friction modifiers added to make the oil more "slippery" and reduce wear. Synthetics are no more slippery than conventional oils before the additives are poured into them . As you must add friction modifiers to synthetic oils as you also do to conventional oils ( ZDDP/Moly/Boron/ Calcium etc) it is proof that this is in-fact the case?

Who starts these myths anyways?

Want to avoid friction and anti-wear additives. Use a non-detergent and non-additive oil for .99/qt and see how well your pistons fare. It would be non-API rated because they require that additives be added to meet their application standards.


So everyody at NASCAR and INDY are using the wrong oil right?

WRONG!

bpine

Craig, If I may add, If the lash tightens up on a mechanical roller cam, you have stretched the valve and it "WILL" drop and destroy your engine on the next Run!
In general,

To loose, Lifter or rocker arm!

To tight, Valve

The question. do you feel lucky?

Bryan

WETTE VETTE

Good point bpine!! Severe duty intake and severe duty inconel exhaust valves are a very good idea with solid rollers! In my application the cam profile and spring pressures are wimpy compared to most drag racing applications. I am not saying it cannot happen, but most failures with solid roller motors in the marine environment are lifter related. Most of these failures are due to drag racing guys setting up boat motors with too much spring and an aggressive cam profile opening and closing the valves too fast. I shouldn't be talking about this. The motor may hear me and decide to give me fits!!

bpine

You know Hydrocruiser, I tried to tell my good friend Roger Penske just that!
he told me that he uses the Penske oil filter and black gold (purchased at K-Mart) in all his Indy and Nascar motors! He said his secret is to change the oil every 6 Indy 500's!

I Appreciate all the leg work and researching you have done for us at OSO!

thanks!
Bryan,

ljsmith1

All things being equal...The biggest enemy of roller lifter bearings is excessive valve spring pressure. Most HP roller lifters can only handle a certain amount of spring pressure - regardless of lubrication properties. High horsepower engines, with spring sets that are really designed for use with solid tappet lifters, will not be a compatible combination with roller lifters. Unfortunately, in order to have roller lifters withstand these high spring pressures, they must be designed with oversize axles and needle bearings. The idea is to get as much surface area and cross-sectional area on the pinpoint load bearing components. Of course, this adds more weight and friction to the valvetrain...which is the opposite of what helps create horsepower.

I read somewhere that there is a general valve spring psi threshold that most HP roller lifters can withstand without failure. I have always used solid or hydraulic lifters with big cams and HP engines that I have built. If I find it, I will post it.

Anyway...good thread!

bpine

And what does it say Formulaz. Some of use have to wait three months for Power Boat to arrive?