Roller or Flat Tappet

Hey guys,
Have shat a roller lifter in my 528 indy headed wedge, it's in a 95% street 5% strip Barracuda, 600 rwhp , 4500+ stall, 3.7 gears and 28" tire.
Now Im guessing the cam will be stuffed as well so was thinking maybe I just go for new solid flat tappet cam and lifters like my other engine.
The roller cam that's in there was originally for the strip with a small shot of N20, 285 290 112lsa and 727 lift.
Have to add a set of springs if I go new roller as they are on there way out but if I go for the flat tappet idea I have springs.
So with this info what do you think I should go for ?
Fell free to suggest cam specs if your keen.
cheers

I have been using roller lifters in the street for 20 years. What failed with your lifter? How old was it? Have you lashed them regularly,,at least 4 times year? What spring pressure were you using?

Have not pulled the top off yet, only a valve cover and there is a 1/2" of lash on #7 EX, push rod straight and adjuster is sweet.
I guessing the roller is gone ? Springs were 240lb and 630lb when new but think they are more like 200lb now. Yeah they are about 8 years old.

Roller cam, hydraulic roller

The flat tappet cams scare me, to many go flat.

With rollers,when you lash and find one needs an adjustment make note.heck,if that lifter is loose Next time you check than you know the lifter is going away.Rebiuld ALL the lifters,not just the loose one!

When you ask this question, you get a lot of different opinions. We can talk about spring pressures, oil, cam cores, lifter styles, lash, lifter maintenance, lifter brand, bushings vs bearings, etc, etc.

Certainly, which one to use depends on the intended use. The bigger the cam and the higher the necessary spring pressures that comes with that tends to favor the rollers.

For my primarily street Hemi, low maintenance and durability was very important. I talked to several major Mopar engine builders about which style cam to run.

For me, Ray Barton's recommendation of the tool steel flat solid tappet was the best choice. And it has worked well.

Not trying to be a smart a--, but have you checked the cam lobe nose ? me and others did not fair so well with tool steel lifters. I was going solid roller, I now am going with the Morel High RPM, push rod oil, Hydro roller.

HUG 6074

BB RACE HYDRAULIC ROLLER LIFTER SET

GOOD FOR UP TO 225# SEAT PRESSURE & 550# OPEN

$919.47

Set of 16 Big Block Hydraulic Race Roller Lifters. These are oil thru lifters and will oil through the pushrods if you need them to.

Suggested maximum spring pressure: 225# on the seat 550# full lift

DO NOT RUN OIL THICKER THAN 5W40 WITH THESE LIFTERS.

.810" roller

* The lifter bores do not need to be bushed to run these lifters.
* DO NOT use these lifters with a flat tappet cam!



Note: These lifters also fit the AMC V8 engines.

Another roller all day long. 8 years on springs? If they've lost 20% on the seat, what are they doing over the nose? Gotta maintain this stuff.

Al,
my which aren't worth much .
If primarily street and you want a roller go hydraulic . BUT this will limit rpm to around 6500 max. You may want to go to a 30" tyre , several guys I know run 30" radials on their E bodies
I myself like solid flat tappet because I like simple , plus they don't get wound up with extended traffic idleing . Though can be a gamble with break in . I do not have the same choof your motor does .
Current flat tappet is a custom grind from Crow Cams , nitrided and I use Howards lifters with oil hole .
This is the second motor with Howards lifters , no issues .

Tex

No, I haven't checked the cam in a couple of years. I check the lash every 1,000 miles or so and it hasn't changed. Are you saying that the nose goes away while the ramps and base circle are okay?

Ray Barton has built more of these engines that about anyone around and he said that he sees less problems from the flats than from the rollers on the street. One big reason is the closer tolerance machining on these lifters than on many other flat tappet lifters.

If any of the lobes go away, I will definitely let everybody know.

The lash never changed on mine 4000 ish miles, the nose goes away.

link to my post LINK HERE TO MY CAM PROBLEM

Yeah I know but $$$$.. The 8 years was how old the roller lifters are, springs about 4 years.

Cheers Dave,
I guess that the cost probably answers my question, the extra coin purchasing and ongoing spring/lifter replacement is swaying me toward a flat tappet.

Install a Hyd roller with beehive springs and forget it’s there. Will run and perform flawlessly for many years

Will I give up some horsepower ? A bit more would be nice.
Like to recommend some numbers ?

I use solid flat tappets because of the cost, simplicity and reliability.....it cost some hp but just a street/sptip car.

I recommend soild flat tappet. Engine in my Lebaron makes 800+ HP with a Racer Brown STX-22--.590" lift x 276* dur. at .050. 2600# car with 512 RB and Indy SR heads. Been 5.44 at 127 mph. 1100+ run and on second set of springs, comp cams 928-16, $160 for springs, not $350 like for a roller. Same cam in my sm block Demon, Close to 2200 passes and on 3rd set of springs, same cam and lifters. Shift both cars at 7000 rpm and will go higher if needed, 8000 high side chip and hit it from time to time in water box. 160# seat and 350 open. Call Jim at racer Brown. 410-866-7660. STX-22--.590" lift--276* at .050. Let Jim set the LS to match your combo.

sounds like a great combo. What is the lobe sep on cam and compression of the engine? Just goes to show, ya don't need a roller cam to make good power.

When I built my 572" hemi 12 years ago, the two main guys I consulted w/ during the planning phase both recommended me to go w/ a flat tappet cam b/c of all the street use it was gonna see. I stuck to my guns and went solid roller and have never once been upset about it. If you buy GOOD parts, you'll be fine. Yes, the roller is definitely more expensive, but so is going through an engine again after a lobe goes flat.
You can't run a big nasty solid roller lobe w/ $400 lifters and expect it to live long.

I'm going by your 95% street driven. Will you give up some power?

Maybe a little. Do you want your valve train to last for years and not have to fiddle with it???

I would recommend Hughes cam# SER6064BL3-9 with PAC 1220 springs.

Most here will consider this cam small for your application but the key word is "95% street"