Rocker arms and cam/lifters question

I was browsing the site the other night and was looking at the thread about proper rocker arm adjustments and I became curious. I went outside to find that I also have the non-adjustable cast rocker arms. I also found that I have a collapsed lifter on the #3 exhaust and the #8 intake. Man I'm pissed.

Has anyone here ever put a new cam in on old bearings? I know that I have, but that was in a Chevy a loooong time ago. My main question is.........will the cam break in lube affect the rest of the bearings in the enigine if I decide to put in a new cam? Any suggestions on cam selection? Something a little bigger than stock would be okay.

I am also thinking of putting in some adjustable rockers. I am also contemplating having the heads done to accept screw in studs if I need to have that done in order to have an adjustable valve train. Any suggestions? Also, would I have to have hardened seats put into these heads? They are a 74 302 casting.

Any other things that I am missing in order to step up the cam a little AND have and adjustable valve train.....

 

Anything I've read or heard about cams, recommends that you install new lifters. I think it's because, even though the area that runs on the cam is flat, it will still wear to the pattern of the lobe it's on. Therefore, you'll cause premature wear of the new cam lobes. Mind you, this is just my opinion, not fact. I went to Summit today and picked up a cam for Inline6 - Ford Racing with 472/496 lift - $64.00. Makes a nice little rump in a 302.

Darrel

 

unless you put in a roller cam, you need to use new lifters. comp cams is the brand i've been using and been really happy with. i'd check out the cams in summit or jegs and pick one that's gonna do what you want. you can probably get a cam and lifter set. i'd definitely put in new cam bearings while your at it. not much more work, and good insurance, since you already have the front of the engine apart. if you have screw in studs put in you might also change to the roller rockers.

 

I know that you cannot run a new lifter on an old cam. It will eat up the cam. And I would never run old lifters on a new cam. Just don't make sense.

I don't even like the thought of running a used cam. Even if the lifters were put in the order that they were run on the cam.

Anyone have a cam bearing installer?

Don - What would be needed to "retro" a roller cam into an older block? The block is a 74 302 casting. Also, what ratio rockers would be recommended? What is the stock ratio?

 

that's why i have a hard time buying a used cam and lifters from ebay or anywhere else. the price of cams these days makes it hard not to buy a new one and not have to worry. one of these days i'll be back in norfolk and we'll have to meet up. i was there in january. tried to see if anyone was in the area. but no one said anything.

 

Thanks Don, I should be here in VA until mid 2007 then I go back home to the Great State of Texas. I can't wait to be back home.:bananaman

 

must be in the navy. my brother and mother live in virginia beach. my next trip may be back there for her funeral as she is 91 and not doing well. docs say it could be any day or it could be months. if i get back there i'll try to give you a pm before i go. i spent 4 years in the navy on the west coast. course they still had sails on ships back then.

 

Re-read your post 1972Grabber, noticed that you said "bearings" not "lifters" !! Sorry about that !! Can you say BRAIN FART ???? Guess that's what I get for trying to respond to posts while I'm at work. By the way, I was in the Navy. Stuck in Illinois on an Air Force base (Chanute) in a corn field !!! I was an Aerographer (Weather guesser !!). Had a great time and met some great people.

 

Don; spent 16yrs in the Norfolk area in the Navy. Great place. Va. Beach is a great place to live. Lots to do. Gotta get back there some day. Later,

Earl

 

earl, if you haven't been back there in a while you probably wouldn't recognize it. virginia beach is sure growing and expanding. beautiful area.

 

Don; I have some friends that live in Chesapeake, and they said that the ocean front has completely changed, and for the better. Norfolk has become a big business center. I think I might take a trip over there this summer. Take care,

Earl

 

New cam on old bearings is fine if bearings are okay.
It is a major pain to do cam bearings in the car.
To do it right, the engine should be totally apart.
Your oil pressure comes from the proper and CLEAN install of cam bearings.
If you are compromised by putting the bearings in a partially disassembled and relatively dirty engine, you risk a lot.
Most of the time the bearings are done after a hot tanking of the block so that no particles can get into the little oil passages. I don't know anyone that changes bearings with cams unless the block is tanked first.
Just be very careful installing the cam and you will be okay.

Used cam, new lifters is okay, not vise-versa.

No matter what you do, remember to run the engine 20-30 minutes at 2500 rpm.
Then let it cool down to dead cold before running it again.

Change the oil soon after break-in to get the moly out.

Good luck
Dave

 

Anyone else agree on the NEW CAM, OLD LIFTERS OKAY idea? Any first-hand experience people on the board who have used an old cam and new lifters with no problems?

 

old cam, new lifters okay. new cam old lifters not okay. old old lifters ok if lifters were used on that cam & on the exact same lobes as before.

 

Don't most new cams come with lifters? I have only done one cam swap (used stock bearings) and it came with an entire set of lifters, moly lube, etc.