Mild street 440! could it possilby go 500 to 550 hp?

[BSB67]

Sometimes sorting out engine builds is like rummaging through a gunnysack of cats.

This made me bust a gut.

[BSB67]

The roller is a good idea no matter what some experts say. I'm sure the experts customers have never lost a camshaft lobe but lots of other guys have and it generally means losing the bearings and crank.

Pretty hard for me to wrap my head around the words "budget build" and "roller cam" in the same discussion.   Budget roller lifters are not without risk and the carnage they can create is generally far worse than with a FT cam.  

[c00nhunterjoe]

The roller is a good idea no matter what some experts say. I'm sure the experts customers have never lost a camshaft lobe but lots of other guys have and it generally means losing the bearings and crank.

Pretty hard for me to wrap my head around the words "budget build" and "roller cam" in the same discussion.   Budget roller lifters are not without risk and the carnage they can create is generally far worse than with a FT cam.  

X2. A GOOD and QUALITY roller lifters set for a big block chrysler will cost you about a grand......

[Harper]

X2. A GOOD and QUALITY roller lifters set for a big block chrysler will cost you about a grand......

i can tell ya, i will NEVER spend a grand on a set of lifters for a street car. I will go $700 for a pair  (cam and lifters), but that is probably going to be my limit.

Pretty hard for me to wrap my head around the words "budget build" and "roller cam" in the same discussion.   Budget roller lifters are not without risk and the carnage they can create is generally far worse than with a FT cam.

if i can afford it in any future engine build I will go roller. I know ppl have ran flat tappet cams for a very long time and with much success. I just personally like the roller cam/lifters.
oh i wont skimp on budget roller lifters. (is there such a thing?).

here is a good article i just read from hot rod (they put 10,000 miles on a roller cam/lifter motor, and had great success with it.
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0511-flat-tappet-roller-swap/

[firefighter3931]

Quality roller lifters aren't cheap. I have a set of the Isky's in my stroker. These were approx. $1100 at the time we built this motor...and they're even more expensive now. 

https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/isk-3772lo180ezx/overview/make/dodge

Low speed operation (idleing) is hard on roller lifter bearings so you want descent parts for something that will see some street miles. 


Ron

[Harper]

Low speed operation (idleing) is hard on roller lifter bearings so you want descent parts for something that will see some street miles.

never thought of this, thanks for mentioning.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Low rpm means less oil pressure

[Harper]

i still say i would rather have a roller bearing with less oil than just dragging a flat tappet lifter across the cam (same low engine rpm) just my 

[c00nhunterjoe]

i still say i would rather have a roller bearing with less oil than just dragging a flat tappet lifter across the cam (same low engine rpm) just my 

1000 dollars vs 100 dollars for a set of lifters on a 550hp build is nonsense... spend the extra 900 dollars on portwork on the same build and bump it over 600 hp with the same reliability.

[Harper]

yea but i am talking about a lunati kit for $600 bucks ROLLER vs Flat Tappet with cam and lifters $300 bucks, so not really putting out that much. This car wont be getting more than 15k maybe 20k miles a year.

[Harper]

ok big dog coonhuting man,

You have been on my ass since i came on this board, obviously you know what your talking about, so here is what i will do... I will run "your" described combo, Hit me with what ya got. The most reasonable, best bang for the buck, carb to oil pan. I will buy part of it New, part of it used (intake, oil pan, valve covers)
Mind you if i wipe a lifter I am gonna call for your credit card lol

what do you think about this kit from COMP Cams Part K31-601-5

what grind? what lobe separation? I am not a big believer in a .800 lift cam, I am more of a .580 or so lift, something if i wanted to add a little shot of nitrous to i could (you know i cant have some LS motored punk putting me down in from of my friends ya know lol

[c00nhunterjoe]

I ride you so hopefully it sinks in and you wont waste your money and have to do it twice. None of the engine builxers on this forum can give you a "build" at this point. But, if you want a good basic 440 that makes great reliable power, it has already been reccomended by ron (firefighter). The basic 440 bottom end with a 0 deck height piston, stealth or eddy heads with basic port job, xs282 cam, performer rpm intake, comp steel rockers, 6 qt hemi oil pan, 850 cfm carb.

[Harper]

I ride you so hopefully it sinks in and you wont waste your money and have to do it twice. None of the engine builders on this forum can give you a "build" at this point. But, if you want a good basic 440 that makes great reliable power, it has already been recommended by ron (firefighter). The basic 440 bottom end with a 0 deck height piston, stealth or eddy heads with basic port job, xs282 cam, performer rpm intake, comp steel rockers, 6 qt hemi oil pan, 850 cfm carb.

lol
i know this and i have learned that. I appreciate your patience with me for i am hard headed lol

I am going to follow that recommendation.
the zero deck height i feel like is a given.
i like the edelbrock heads more so i will probably go with those.
xs282 cam i will research.
I will start looking for a stock used performer RPM intake, (to hopefully save a couple bucks)
also the oil pan, and rockers i will start getting my stuff together for it.

[Brass]

If you're worried about wiping a flat tappet lobe, you could consider having the cam nitrided for added durability.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Piston choice is key for a near 0 deck height. Again, do not choose a piston by the advertised compression, it will be wrong. Read the sticky thread about pistons. Also, dont pick a compression ratjo and then a cam, as your dynamic compression ratio is directly effected by your static vs cam profile.

[Harper]

If you're worried about wiping a flat tappet lobe, you could consider having the cam nitrided for added durability.

i bet thats not cheap, i actually had no idea you could do that. thanks for a suggestion.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Depending on the cam manufacture,  usually about 100 bucks extra.

[Challenger340]

The roller is a good idea no matter what some experts say. I'm sure the experts customers have never lost a camshaft lobe but lots of other guys have and it generally means losing the bearings and crank too. As for buying some Stealth heads and spending another $1000 to make them right, why not buy some right heads to begin with. Buying a used crank for say $200, paying good money to make that crank right, spending money to make the rods right when you can buy a stroker setup for the same price makes no sense to me either. Buying chinese rockers when you can find a used set of indestructible used Iskys or Cranes makes no sense to me as well. However these guys have built lots of good engines and I do agree, too many opinions will cloud the goal.

When talking the cheaper Stroker Kits:
* Buying a Stroker Kit is NO guarantee you won't end up spending TONS having it re-machined depending upon WHO is checking it ? and WHAT their criterion is based in their experience ?  Sh*t will run... no doubt about that.... but NOT with my name on it !
* We Re-Size every Rod, in every Stroker Kit we see, and we see LOTS !
* We have to re-balance pretty much every Kit as well, very simply... they are NOT within our specs. (Again sh*t will run, but not around here)
* Valvetrain Geometry is what kills Rockers. As long as the metallurgy meets the tensile for what WE are doing, we have experienced NO problems.
You can take the BEST, most EXPENSIVE Rockers made.... and destroy them within a very short timeframe with poor geometry.
Conversely,
You can take the cheapest although "adequate" for the load Rocker Arm, and with good setup geometry it can give many years good service.