Roller Cam Retrofit worthwhile ?

[79loserbluebu]

If you are using the stock exhaust you are leaving a ton on the table. I wouldn't worry about how it feels right now either, it feels similar to your old flat tappet cam and the new roller isn't timed with a timing light yet and no carb adjustments have been made. Just take your time with the little stuff, the cam install was the easy part the driveability is the part that matters.

 

[axisg]

If you are using the stock exhaust you are leaving a ton on the table. I wouldn't worry about how it feels right now either, it feels similar to your old flat tappet cam and the new roller isn't timed with a timing light yet and no carb adjustments have been made. Just take your time with the little stuff, the cam install was the easy part the driveability is the part that matters.

Exhaust is Edelbrock TES headers, straight pipe convertor, 2.5 Mandrel Bent exhaust cat-back to the bumpers. I know I should go full-length headers but without a hoist I would need to inconvenience one of my freinds to help or pay someone to do it.

I borrowed a friends light sunday and found the timing too advanced. I pulled it down to 12, and it was giving some hot-start issues and running a little warm. Bumped it up to 14 and its much better. Its coming in to 34 deg all in by 1800 rpms or so. Think I will end up needing to put in the heavier springs to the distributor to get it where I want.
Next I fiddled with the carb a little ( e-brock qjet 1902 ). Went back to baseline 3.5 turns out on the mixture screws and with another half turn out I had 14-14.5 inch of vacuum.

Figure I will drive it like this for a week or so and see. For now it starts and stops well. It pulls good but the strong smell of exhaust brings a tear to my eye LOL so I will either need a cat convertor or lean it out some.

 

[pontiacgp]

if you want to get some cats check this place out. They are in London and have great prices. I got my magnaflows and 2 SS spun cats from them

http://www.exhaustdirect.ca/

 

[565bbchevy]

I'm not sure why you would need a hoist to install long tube headers, every car I've ever built I put full length headers on and either used ramps or 6 ton jackstands.
As far as the hot start issue there are a couple things you can do, one is to install a Ford style remote solenoid and run a solid jumper off your original solenoid to your starter and also install a starter heat shield or wrap (I believe mine is made by Thermo- Tec) mine never gives me issues and my header tubes are very close to my starter.
I also wrapped my 1/0 battery cable going from the Ford solenoid to the starter mounted one.

 

[axisg]

Not much to update. Have not had much tome to work on the car. For now I am fighting with the choke again ( same issue last fall ).
So I set the choke spring tight enough to close the choke when cold and pull it up to fast idle. I find the coil will only expand enough when warm to kick it off high idle to the stop down but not completely off. Then because it;s not off all the way the little lockout tab blocks the secondaries from opening. When I back it off ( an its only back about 1/16" ) the the choke does not close and its a biatch to start cold.

The coil is getting 12v ( Ive even tried bypassing it to 12v from the battery for a test ) and the body seems to get a good ground signal. I have swapped out the choke coil with 2 differnt known good units. Dunno what I am missing

 

[axisg]

Couple small updates.
- I ended up getting fed up with the stock choke line and just ran 12v switched and fused from the fuse panel to the choke and it works fine now ( just working on the sold fine tuning ). While I was trying to sort out the orig issue of not fully opening I pulled the choke housing off the carb and removed the little "tang" that locks out the secondaries until the choke is fully open. I also cleaned up the shaft and reassembled with a bunch of graphite power to help it slide along.

- trying to get this motor timed is a real PIA. I pulled the distributor after about 400 kms to change the weights on the springs and discovered that my supposed "hardened" distributor gear was scrubbing on the cam gear and cutting in a pattern and that my advance springs were not fully returning. I called COMP and they recommended their Composite Gear be installed to match this cam. I ordered and installed that new gear on my spare old distributor from a motor build 20 some years ago 🙂. The engine runs noticeably quieter and it seems to run smoother as well.

Just working on a slight hesitation now when the secondaries kick in at WOT.
However timing is still an issue. I have found a sweet spot of 41 deg all in at 3000 rpms and I find the motor still wants more timing. When I pull it back to 36 it runs like crap and does not want to start. Lighter springs in the distributor made it worse so I am using the heavy ones and it seems better.
Capping off the vacuum advance made little difference. Switched the vacuum advance from the carb to Manifold and has helped me pull back the timing to the 41 deg its at now. It starts, idles, and cruise is all near perfect. WOT could be better. Pulling 15 inches at idle for vacuum. Absolute PIG on gas though LOL

I don't think I will mess with it any more this year. Over the winter I will be looking at full length headers and maybe an MSD setup

 

[axisg]

need to update this post. I have given up on the timing light. When I dial it in where I think it should be it runs like a dog until it gets above 3000 rpm. I can set the timing and drive the car like a sane person and it will run fine. When I get into it the timing seems to get thrown off and it stumbles and backfires. If I pull the timing back its better on the bottom end, pulls like a **** but pings up in the higher RPMS. Looking at my chewed up dist gear and after talking to 2x engine builders about the retro-roller setup and a couple friends I have come to the consensus that the cam is walking and either or both flexing the timing cover or I shimmed the cam button too loose. I am going to order up a retro-fit cover and another cam button to see if that takes care of the situation. One of the engine builders I spoke to recommended a higher stall convertor as well to get me into the motors sweet spot.

 

[Fox80]

Does your water pump have the bolt boss on the bottom to support a stock cover? You can buy aftermarket water pumps pretty cheap before you pull the cover back off.

 

[84cutspreme]

I believe we have the same cam, 12-422-8. I had same stuff to contend with, my build was mild 355. I used a milodon front cover with wear plate n proper thrust button with no issues. I installed a programmable msd box...since my motor wanted 23 intial and seemed to run pretty good with 36 total, so this way gave me exactly what I wanted. I also threw a set of 1.6 rockers on mine to give me a little bit more lift 528/535. Was your original dist gear melonized? You need that for rollers, I think comp upsold you on composite one. I laughed when I switched to roller because the noise of motor was def different...comp describes noise as an old sewing machine. Also did you measure for pushrod length? I also had a bad lifter I chased down for a while. I do like the new setup though. I also went to beehive valve springs which are amazing!!

 

[axisg]

I believe we have the same cam, 12-422-8. I had same stuff to contend with, my build was mild 355. I used a milodon front cover with wear plate n proper thrust button with no issues. I installed a programmable msd box...since my motor wanted 23 intial and seemed to run pretty good with 36 total, so this way gave me exactly what I wanted. I also threw a set of 1.6 rockers on mine to give me a little bit more lift 528/535. Was your original dist gear melonized? You need that for rollers, I think comp upsold you on composite one. I laughed when I switched to roller because the noise of motor was def different...comp describes noise as an old sewing machine. Also did you measure for pushrod length? I also had a bad lifter I chased down for a while. I do like the new setup though. I also went to beehive valve springs which are amazing!!

Per the 2nd post above I have an aftermarket alum waterpump without the support

- Yes I have the same camshaft orig installed with the hardened gear on a performance dist from GMPP. I re-used my jegs roller tip 1.6 rockers and beehive springs from the previous setup. Pushrods spec'd out to the comp retro legth so I used those too.

Within a week or two I pulled the distributor to check and see if the weights were binding and / or not returning trying to chase down my timing issue. Once out I seen the gears were not meshing properly and actually starting to wear a pattern in the dist gear. Then I installed the composite gear on my backup distributor. It quieted things down and made the timing issue a little better but this spring I am digging deeper into the issue.

Now when you say " proper " thrust button are you referring to the alum bearing setup or nylon ? I am looking at the jegs cover and button below but can't figure out how they would adjust for end play short of hammering on the cover which seems a little less accurate LOL

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+ ... 6/10002/-1
http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+ ... 5/10002/-1