3.4 RWD Roller Cam

[87SC/SS]

Does anyone know if there is a roller cam available for the RWD 3.4. I just had a Crane Pmax 260 self destruct on me so I'm rebuilding (again) and would like to install a roller cam this time around. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Brian

[geoffinbc]

Non avalible it would have to be custom. You also need custom lifters.

$$$ Man, it will get you anything.

[smilinguy99]

Don't be put off by the "Custom" label though. At one point, Crane had some cores and they will grind anything you please. They even used to have mechanical roller lifters. Check there.

[Guest]

Yea I have several mechanical roller cams. will work in the RWD blocks. Big lift like aroun .6 so they can make power. You can buy them from Crane, Schneider, and maybe one or two more.

[TurboZ24]

Crane always told me that they didn't make roller cams or had roller cam cores for the 2.8/3.1 (origionally with flat tappet cams). I know Schneider lists a few grinds, Crower provided mine, but yes, you do need to go with aftermarket lifters.

[smilinguy99]

Crane always told me that they didn't make roller cams or had roller cam cores for the 2.8/3.1 (origionally with flat tappet cams). I know Schneider lists a few grinds, Crower provided mine, but yes, you do need to go with aftermarket lifters.

It may well be the case that they do not make cores, however in my notes from 6/19/03 of a phone conversation with Dave Maxwell from Crane said otherwise:

Part No. 258151
Grind No. TR-260/4167-2-6
Cam Card: http://www.novia.net/~sparks/camcard...260416726.html

It is a cam we discussed. And in the conversation he said they had cores in stock. That was a while ago, so I dunno what the current situation is.

We discussed another cam but I can't find its numbers on their site. Here it is anyway:

Part No. 25SR00001
Grind No. SR-236/350-2S-10
Cam Card: http://www.novia.net/~sparks/camcard...25SR00001.html

What's the truth here? Good question. Doesn't matter much though, there are other sources.

[95SleeperAcheiva]

I understand the more agressive lobe profiles, faster valve opening profiles, when you go with a roller cam, but I'm pretty sure you can run roller lifters on any cam.

What I would like to know, is there a performance option out there? Are there anti-pump ups in a hydrolic roller for a 2.3/3.1? 3.4?

a few years ago I built a carberated version of a 2.8. Major manifold mods done to the edlebrock 4-brl manifold. Someone made a double roller timing chain for the 2.8. I bought it but can't remeber. maybe Hamburger? Wouldn't that same chain fit the 3.1/3.4?

[TurboZ24]

but I'm pretty sure you can run roller lifters on any cam.

Actually, no. To use a roller cam, you need a much harder material than a flat tappet cam. A flat tappet cam is made from ductile iron. It's actually pretty soft. That's what I sometimes wonder, because Crane talked about cam failures on their roller cams and I always suspected that they just used flat tappet cores for their roller cams. My roller cam is hardened steel.

[dustybird]

the roller cams can not be done ,on the rwd blocks .the top end of the motor does not have the right oil valleys .roller cam will fit but will not last.

[95SleeperAcheiva]

dusty where did you hear that one? doesn't have proper oiling for the cam and won't last? no.

I said, "run roller lifters on any cam." true roller cams are extra strong ussually billet too. You can run roller lifters on any motor. Do you need an example? when you take your dinosaur '69 350 SBC and go roller on it all you need to do is buy a set of roller lifters, intake and exhaust lifters are connected by a swing bar per cylinder (they don't go all the way into the lifter bore, hence the roller lifter is much longer than a tappet,) shorter hardened pushrods, so they don't prematurely wear on the new push rod guides.

There isn't any manditory extra lubrication you need to do, and yes they last just as long as any other SBC valve train. about 70k when the lobes fail anyhow do to the already poor lubrication of the SBC valve train, which they would have done with the all stock cam and lifters.

Extra lubrication is brought on by high volume oil pumps, running restrictors on certain motors cam bearing and all to gain benefit of extra lub to your lower end, the cam is not the concern, since it spins at half the revs of the crank, and costs much less, in most cases, to replace. (dohc people I know all about $2000 cam sets, trust me, my ass still hurts.)

On certain Olds motors another trick is to widen the cam bearing holes, high volume oil pump, and shim it for high pressure too, resulting a volume increase on the mains. I've spun my SB olds (W-31 for those priveledge few who know ) to 10k no load with out any problems, and 8600 on the track.

[geoffinbc]

Your wrong on that one sorry. You do need specal lifters. If you try and stick in roller lifters from a 3400 in a RWD you will completly starve the crank of oil. The old blocks do not have priority main feed. The lifters all have groves around them to allow alot of oil to bypass them and head to the crank journals. 3400 lifters do not have this groove in them because a 3400 block has a seperate oil channel down the center of hte lifter valley to supply the crank. So the lifters do not need to bypass any oil for the crank. So if you do decide to install roller lifters on a RWD block you cannot use 3400 lifters. You will need lifters made of an apropriate design to allow oil to bypass and head to the crank.

[dustybird]

thanks betterthanyou. what i was talking about .but not only crank ,the cam will not see the oil it needs.

[95SleeperAcheiva]

so what your saying is using a 3400 specific roller lifter? I might have missed that in the postings, I was assuming you talking aftermarket lifters, ie roller lifter from crane for a SBC hence my SBC referance. Seeing as your going specifics to a stocker parts on a specific motor, yes and I understand my error.

[geoffinbc]

Well SBCs are priority main feed. So they would not have the correct lifters for our application even if you bored out the lifter bores on a 660. Now an LSx engine is not priority main feed so in theory you could use these lifters if you adapt the lifter bores to fit them. Now I have not seen an LSx lifter in my hands so don't quote me. But do some research and maybe buy and check it out or see if a store has one and bring along your stock hyd lifter and compare it. Maybe something can be done.