I Killed it!

[rsk68]

So I talked to Comp cams today, they stopped making the rocker trunions with the .562 diameter seat a while ago, they will rebuild all my rockers for $65 replacing the trunions, then they will work with the new larger .600 diameter nuts!

[rsk68]

So i got it all backtogether lastnight and it still is rattling, actually worse and more consistent then before, strange thing is it runs great idles revs and is responsive, that being said I'm just going to pull the motor out and give it a thorough going over, maybe a LS is in my future!

[rsk68]

so i pulled the intake and found this, looks like the culprit! the roller, the roller bearings and part of the lifter are somewhere in the engine so its coming out, the cam is toast and also the lifter bore, i really think i'm going to build an all alluminum BB to replace this for ease of dropping it in, does anyone have any build info on a 522, curious on head and cam combos.

[Vegas69]

Ouch, solid or hydraulic? It's very important to keep an eye on the valves on a big block. My guess is your bent pushrods put way to much slop in your valvetrain and beat the roller up.

[CarlC]

Yeah, ouch.

Aluminum big block? Who wants one of those? ;-)

[rsk68]

Solid!
Aluminum BB, I think I want one!

[DFRESH]

Rick, you should check out the motor Cris has at JCG's----it's got an impressive list of parts for a very good price. Especially if you are staying with the BB. Hurry up man, we will miss you this weekend at Willow Springs. Chad can't wait show me what's up.

Doug

[Vegas69]

Solid rollers in big blocks have a fairly short life expectancy on the street. They are really a maintainence item. That being the valve adjustments and lifters. Do yourself a favor and read up at chevelles.com. Those guys know their big blocks. So does Jason Pettis at Pettis Performance in Hesperia, CA that built mine.

[RSX302]

so i pulled the intake and found this, looks like the culprit! the roller, the roller bearings and part of the lifter are somewhere in the engine so its coming out, the cam is toast and also the lifter bore, i really think i'm going to build an all alluminum BB to replace this for ease of dropping it in, does anyone have any build info on a 522, curious on head and cam combos.

Well..I guess the comment that it's good that it wasn't something more serious flew out the window. Damn!

Is this something you can possibly salvage and rebuild for low cost or is this the push to get a new engine?

I was really wanting the All Aluminum BB myself, but swayed back to my twins. Since I had the turbos, it was the $$$ that was the ultimate deciding factor.

I was liking the 4.5" bored, 3.76 stroke (396 crank) myself. 478cu. AFR 335 Heads, cam, single plane manifold = 700hp @ 6500rpm

[rsk68]

Doug,
I'm just bummed i couldnt make the camarillo autocross, if i go BB it will be all aluminum, the motor Chris has is very nice but iron!

Todd,
This was my first BB and learned alot, is Pettis a builder? (machine shop) i will be needing to talk to someone soon, definatly need to talk to some builders, i have a line on a new 522 rotating assy with a kryptonite crank, also looking at the Merlin block.

Ron,
I can salvage this but wont put it back in, i hate pulling motors and am going to look at this as an oportunity for change, i always felt the 396 was a bit of a time bomb!

[Vegas69]

Yes sir, he builds some of the baddest PSCA drag motors in the Southwest. www.pettisperformance.com To this day he still is there for questions and gives a damn. I would 100% not do a merlin block. They are known for their problems. With those cubes, go dart or brodix.

[RSX302]

Doug,

... i always felt the 396 was a bit of a time bomb!

How so? Good aftermarket forged parts, good valvetrain?

[rsk68]

Ron help me out, i'm trying to talk myself into a new motor here!

I just didnt feel very confident with it, mostly valve train! this was my first solid roller motor and BB i was constantly adjusting valves, i had no fears on the bottom end and was told they are pretty robust.

[Chad-1stGen]

Why go with the solid roller valve train? Why not hydraulic? I know nothing of big blocks and I don't know how often you really drive the car but have always wondered at the cost/benefit of folks running solid lifter cams on the street. Yes you can do it, but is it really worth it?

[monteboy84]

Solid roller cams are noooooiiiiiisy. Even though I'm used to it, the noise from the solid roller on our race car still makes me nervous.

-matt

[1969CamaroRS]

The Brodix aluminum blocks are sexy. You could always go with their 5.0" bore spacing Big Block and really get some massive cubes:

http://www.brodix.com/blocks/5inchblock.php

Think a 4.750" bore with a 5.750" stoke for 815ci

[Vegas69]

Why go with the solid roller valve train? Why not hydraulic? I know nothing of big blocks and I don't know how often you really drive the car but have always wondered at the cost/benefit of folks running solid lifter cams on the street. Yes you can do it, but is it really worth it?

Solid roller cams are noooooiiiiiisy. Even though I'm used to it, the noise from the solid roller on our race car still makes me nervous.

-matt

I'm no expert but I did stay at the roach coach motel last night.

Big blocks are different animals. They have a very heavy valvetrain. Heavy valvetrain means high spring pressure as RPM increases. It's no secret that most big blocks with street cams peak at around 6000.(Hyd or Solid) The difference between hydraulic and solid is a solid holds on until 7k and actually controls the valves and doesn't bleed off so much power. My first engine was a hydraulic roller and my current is a solid. That extra 800 rpm is huge for autocross and road racing. It also makes more all around power and keeps pulling long after my previous camshaft puked.

I also disagree that they are loud. My lash is only .016-.018 hot. That's what is known as a tight lash cam and it's no louder than the hydaulic i had before. Here is what most don't realize, with an aluminum block and heads, cold lash is actually only .006-.008 cold and the lash grows appox. .010 at operating temp. My engine is very quiet at start up and reasonable at operating temp.

Now, there are many drawbacks to a solid camshaft on the street. You really need to keep a close eye on them and adjust them. I find this to be a pain in the ass as I have better things to do with my free time. Also, the lifter are oiled by crank splash. It's critical to keep a 1000rpm or above idle for some sling. Idling is actually one of the hardest things on a solid lifter. With all that being said, a solid roller lifter is a wear item. They need to be changed in increments. The jury is out on how long. It really depends on the abuse and maintenence. Valve springs are also a wear item due to the high spring pressures needed. They will likely need changed with the lifters.

[CarlC]

Like most things, there is a pain threshold that each one of us is willing to deal with.

[Vegas69]

And that's why you have an LS. Always taking the easy way out! HA HA

[CanyonKiller]

What about the solid rollers with direct oiling to the rollers? I've heard people swear by them so I picked them up for my current big block. Haven't started it yet so don't know if its true or not.