Hello Everyone, I'm currently building a Buick 455 engine. It will see track and street use, but it's geared more toward track use. I'm looking at a solid roller camshaft for my engine. I was wondering who was running them and what their opinion is on them. I know people are going to ask about my build so I'll give you as much information as I can below. Build: 464 stock block with oiling modifications Edelbrock Aluminum Heads ported. Intake flows 320 and at the moment I forget about the exhaust side. Compression: 11:1 block and lifter bore girdle looking at a carburetor around 950 to 1,000 CFM. Plan on shifting around 6,000 RPM I'd like to get as close to 700 HP as possible. I'm sure I missed some things, so if any one has questions please let me know. Thanks.
I myself am considering a Solid roller for my hi comp setup that I'm going to start on this winter, but for the cost involved its a toss up for me, solid flat tappets can make lots of power, and I swear it seams like rollers can give their share of trouble too, so thats something to consider also. I'm running a 259/267 solid flat tappet now and have been 6.80 at 99 at 3800lb and looking to maybe go some 40's here soon with some suspension and other changes. If 600-700hp is the goal id consider a solid roller little over kill, but certainly would'nt hurt and you got the stuff to support the roller setup so....
I'm no expert but I think a roller is like a "cherry on top" after everything else is optimized. In my opinion the extra cost could be used somewhere else in the car that will net more performance gains than the roller will considering your combo. My solid roller is very mild by today's standards so I really don't think I would lose much if anything with a solid flat tappet. Heck .... Given some modern specs I could actually pick up some
You will need TA heads and more compression to reach 700. You should be able to reach 600 with the parts you have. 700 is a totally different level. Over the years I've had a 464 in the 500, 600, and 700 range. Going from 500 to 600 was fairly easy. Going from 600 to 700 was a nightmare and very expensive.
I recommend that you go with a big hydraulic roller. The current generation of cores out there is more suited to a hydraulic roller, and the only reason not to run one in the past was that previous hydraulic roller lifters were rpm limited. That is a thing of the past now, with the Johnson Lifters, available from TA under Part number 1412-2. This super high quality lifter set will do what you want, and the valve spring pressures required will be a lot easier on both your pocket book and your heads. 640-660 HP is a reasonable goal with your current parts and combo. I suggest something along the lines of a 260/270@.050, around .650 lift, widen the lobe centers to 113*-115* Earlier this year I built a bracket race E head motor just like yours, little less compression, and a very mild older solid roller cam.. that I just happened to have.. it was one of the old crane 8620 cores, that we tested in an iron head stage 1 motor years ago. It was 252/267 lift on a 109 .640 lift That one made 648HP pretty easily. Good luck JW
I say go with shaved heads to obtain 13.5:1 coimpression or higher,call Scott brown to have custom solid flat tappet can done to your combo. I'm welling to bet you'll hit or go over just a tad. Buick's love compression more then anything.
More compression,actually about 13.5:1 all the way up to 15.5:1 compression. Eddy heads can get you to 700 and above. Its his cam that needs to be really big for solid lifter cam.
I agree with Gary the cost of the roller is something that can be a good upgrade once you have everything setup. I still running a soild flat tapped cam spend the money on the heads
Go on Facebook and look up Chris Skaling, one of the best Buick head porters around. Friend him and talk to him.
