426 Hemi camshafts, mechanical or hydraulic

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang...
I just got my ARP camshaft sprocket bolts in today and I'm going install the camshaft on my 426 hemi for my '68 Charger R/T.... I'm going to go with the hydraulic '70/'71 version. What are your good and bad stories versus each. I have power brakes, so the last thing I want to have to deal with is removing the booster every time I need to adjust the valve lash/clearances....

Cheers,
Troy

[6pkrunner]

One of the no downside things Troy. There was much hooplah in 1969 when Ma announced the juice stick for the hemi to try to sweeten her breath a bit. The naysayers all claimed that was the end of the road for super performance. Didn't happen. Some missed the clatter of solid lifters but the 1/4 time slips didn't see the difference. I took the power brake booster off the Coronet for that very reason. Too much effort with the solids to be screwing around there.
While to twist every ounce of performance from the lady will require a roller solid, this is a street engine and you want the cruise and smile factor over the last pony in the stable - right?
Go fluid and enjoy the silence.

[hemi68charger]

...
While to twist every ounce of performance from the lady will require a roller solid, this is a street engine and you want the cruise and smile factor over the last pony in the stable - right?
Go fluid and enjoy the silence.

Oh yeah, I want a head turner, not something I have to tweek every time I take her out to work, a Sat. cruise or just for fun.....

T

[Mike DC]

426 Hemis are terrible street engines.  You don't need all that iron & valvetrain.

If you agree to sell that 426 to me cheap then I can probably cut you a deal on a hot 318 I've got lying around.  I've gotta make a little something out of this trade, but I won't charge you a ton.

.

[Chryco Psycho]

I have used the Hyd 71 Hemi cam & the customer was very disappointed , we switched to an awesome solid grind , the car idles better & has more power everywhere , he drove the car for 2 seasons before he let me get back & adjust the valves after only the inital run in & it was not off by much , I doubt I will have to adjust it again for 4-5 more seasons
I will not use a hyd again 

[hemigeno]

On the other hand, I have not been able to keep my valvelash in spec very well.

I'm using a solid-tappet roller cam.  It performs well enough, but I'm slogging through the valvetrain every 1500 miles.  I let it go a little too long between adjustments once, and nearly dropped a couple of valves.  That's a whole different story though...

Here are the spec's:

Comp Camps  Part Number 23-000-9

                         IN              EX
Valve Lash        0.0180      0.0200
Gross Lift          0.5500      0.5500
Dur. @ .020       280            288

Intake C.L.         110
Dur. @ .050       236
Lobe Lift         0.3670       0.3670
Lobe Sep.          110

Valve Timing at 0.050
Open               8 BTDC      52 BBDC
Close              48 ABDC     12 ATDC

For the throttle response and all, I am glad to have the solid roller cam.  If I drove this car much more than I do, I'd be seriously considering a roller hydraulic cam to eliminate having to run the valve lash. 

The 440 in the Daytona will have a hydraulic roller, no doubt.

[daytonalo]

SPEAKING OF HYDRAULIC ROLLER , EXACTLY HOW MUCH H.P GAIN WOULD I GAIN GOING WITH A HYD ROLLER OVER HYD FLAT TAPPET ? AND WHAT COMPANY HAS A HYD ROLLER IN A 525 LIFT RANGE AND IS IT WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY . I AM AS WE SPEAK ASSEMBLING MY 472 HEMI WITH MOPAR ALUM HEADS AND COMP IS GOING TO BE 10-1

[Chryco Psycho]

I would stil use a flat tappet I have a 585 lift solid cam with a great idle

[hemigeno]

IMO The biggest advantage to using a roller cam is the ability to increase the lobe ramp speeds - meaning you can open the valve quicker (compared to a flat tappet profile) without the same fear of lobe or tappet damage.  If it's designed right, you can achieve the same results as a flat tappet cam with less lift.  Or, you can keep the lift numbers the same and (theoretically) make more power.  How much more power is a function of so many other factors there's no single answer to that question.

[daytonalo]

I VALUE YOUR JUDGEMENT , BUT TO PUT IT SIMPLY DOESN'T LESS FRICTION EQUATE TO MORE H.P . LETS FACE YOU WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND A MODERN ENGINE USING FLAT TAPPETS . ENGINEERS GET PAID TO GET THE MOST FROM AN ENGINE AND IF YOU TOLD THEM THERE WAS NO ADVANTAGE WITH A ROLLER OVER FLAT TAPPET THEY TELL YOU DIFFERENT.  LARRY

[Chryco Psycho]

there is an advange IF you can get a grind that suits the application [not always easy to do] usually the grinds are mild to protect the hyd lifters  & the advantage comes with added cost which may or may not be worth it   

[daytonalo]

I RUN A 540 GEN 4 G.M  IN MY RACE BOAT WITH A HUD ROLLER WITH 610 LIFT , I HAVE OVER 300 HOURS AND MOST OF THAT WAS AT 5000 RPM . THE TORTURE PUT ON THIS ENGINE IS IMMENSE , AN ENGINE IN A CAR HAS IT EASY !

[tecmopar]

Troy, you stinker you, last time we spoke you still weren't sure about going with the Hemi or not. Stay with the Hyd., solids are a pain on a street motor and a real good oil pump keeps the Hyd.'s filled. I can't count the times I had to listen to a guy say, "well, if I had my rockers adjusted right I would have kicked your butt" to a guy in a Chevy. Now, make sure to give me a call real soon,

Tom C.

[Troy]

Troy, you stinker you, last time we spoke you still weren't sure about going with the Hemi or not. Stay with the Hyd., solids are a pain on a street motor and a real good oil pump keeps the Hyd.'s filled. I can't count the times I had to listen to a guy say, "well, if I had my rockers adjusted right I would have kicked your butt" to a guy in a Chevy. Now, make sure to give me a call real soon,

Tom C.

Hee hee, you got the Troys mixed up I think. hemi68charger actually has a real Hemi Charger so I don't think he was ever debating any other engine in that one. I got your package yesterday and I'll call some time soon.

Troy

[tecmopar]

Boy am I a dunce or what. Still doesn't change my opinion though, good luck.

[hemi68charger]

Hey ya'll.. Went with the hydraulic '70/'71......

Troy