People with solid rollers in ls1

[DR-vyss-108]

Hi,

For anyone in the know, what is needed to go from hydraulic to solid besides cam, lifters and springs?

I have a forged ls1 with all the good gear, do I need different rocker covers and different rockers? I have yella terra's but they are not adjustable.

Any info would be awesome,

Cheers,

David

[peter b]

You will need adjustable rockers and in most cases will need either rocker cover spacers or tall height rocker covers.
As well as obvious things such as solid roller cam, good quality solid roller lifters, pushrods (as the length will change) valve springs (depending on how big you go and what you already have)

[DR-vyss-108]

You will need adjustable rockers and in most cases will need either rocker cover spacers or tall height rocker covers.
As well as obvious things such as solid roller cam, good quality solid roller lifters, pushrods (as the length will change) valve springs (depending on how big you go and what you already have)
cheers mate,

I currently have sitting next to me pac 1209 springs, which are new and are good for about 700. will these be ok or do solid cams need a certain type of spring?

sorry for the probably dumb questions

[peter b]

would need to know what pressure they are on the seat and open and how big your going with the camshaft before I can give you a better answer I am afraid. Hydraulic cams don't need as much pressure as a solid does.

[SVNLTR]

cheers mate,

I currently have sitting next to me pac 1209 springs, which are new and are good for about 700. will these be ok or do solid cams need a certain type of spring?

sorry for the probably dumb questions

Just make sure you run some good solid lifters like a morel-isky-crower-and run good rockers

[HYMEY]

Hi,

For anyone in the know, what is needed to go from hydraulic to solid besides cam, lifters and springs?

I have a forged ls1 with all the good gear, do I need different rocker covers and different rockers? I have yella terra's but they are not adjustable.

Any info would be awesome,

Cheers,

David

If you run a street style soft ramp u would want 220 on the seat if it is more aggressive around 250 pound on the seat 600-700 open, PAC make a dbl spring for solid roller factory diameter that will fit, off top of my head not sure of the recommended install height as most guys that do it run longer valves. But you want to run 1.800" install height, give Peter(fabre) a ring he may have something from manley that will work. I am using a larger diameter spring in my build 280 on seat around 800 pound open .800" lift 274-290 solid roller, I am using needle roller cam bearings. You wont go back when you go solid roller, they are pretty much maintenance free with good seats/valves geometry and sound like a proper v8 at idle. Also can spin it up without worrying about engine damaging valve float.

[VT 2 EXEC LS1]

it seems to fathom me why people go for solid rollers(especially in this style of engine).
questions to be asked before going into solid roller change......
1...why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2...is it just to say my car has a solid roller?
3...there is so many excellent hydraulic rollers out there that,honestly why not.
4...power difference,for the average joe/weekend warrior wouldnt be much at all,vs the cost and maintenance involved...
5...how much power vs $$$ spent are going to be at...
sorry for my take on this ,but been doing this many years tells you a few things.
always in the end think,is going to take my reliability away too much?
can i drive it too work occassionally/never.
is this a pure 100% race only car that will be turning 9000rpm everytime the key is turned?
cam bearings in ls series engines arent too liking to 250+lb seat pressures.
if you are asking/answering any of these questions with a mmmm wtf,then dont go near one,lots have fitted...then pulled them with reliability/driveability issues.
in the end how much power(na or fi)are you wanting to achieve and at what cost?
dont go flaming me for stating the obvious to the op....
cheers

[duke5700]

Well the OP does have Tarmac rally down in his description so maybe he wants to use it for motorsport purposes. The engine may see extended hi-rpm.. the place where a solid roller could well be beneficial. Maybe he just doesn't want to be with the also rans and just stick a hydraulic in it? I had a mate with a solid roller in a 355 powered VK.. he drove it daily and checked the clearances every oil change. No big deal.

[VT 2 EXEC LS1]

duke5700,
a 355 holden is a totally different engine..cast block/heads(equal expansion)
try a alloy/alloy engine stainless valves/sodium valves,aftermarket heads(expand different to std)now try and set a stable valve clearance?
i bet 999 out 1000 people on hear would have no idea how much to allow for "the co-effecient of linear expansion" and be correct,to set up this valve train for a trouble free install,
as for just throwin a stick in....phhhhhhhhhhhh
cheers

[duke5700]

999 out of a 1000 people don't need a solid roller either.. 999 out of 1000 people don't build engines for a living.. 999 out of 1000 people don't give a ****. Your point being? We can't all stick 220/220 cams in and be happy. Some like to push the envelope rather than follow the norm. Be a pretty boring place without,

Plenty of people have been successful with solid roller setups in LS motors. Hydraulic is fine, I'm using a hydraulic in my turbo mill. Don't plan on turning it any harder than about 6500-6750rpm.. But if your serious and you want to really spin an engine hard as in a n/a application solid is the best for valve train stability.

The 355 engine was an iron block, Yella Terra headed.. it never had any problems at all. All clearance done hot ;) Car lived many a big rev burnout.

[DR-vyss-108]

Correct, my engine is for motorsport purposes only, and as i may have found out with my current 240+ hydraulic, the hydraulics aren't really up to the task

[peter b]

In all fairness the O.P didnt ask if he should go solid neither.
The question got asked as to why well the answer won't be a single answer it is many
1)Intended purpose of the car
2) Size of camshaft and whether the Hydraulic roller lifters can handle it. (comes down to size, ramp rate i.e how aggressive it comes on, amount of lift)
3)Going solid you can unleash a lot more power where the hydraulic lifters let you down.
You mentioned that the cam bearings don't like the extra seat pressure no offence but providing have good quality bearings, sufficient oiling and correct installation there won't be an issue.
Yes more maintenance in double checking rocker adjustment but comes to intended purpose as well.
If someone wants to be different than joe blow down the road they should be commended rather than pushing beliefs of it won't work or the such. I say congrats and good luck in finding the right combo because now going solid you will find cam selection is a lot more important it not as simple as getting a hydraulic cam

[HSV Listy]

I am looking forward to my solid cam set up arriving. I admit I like to be different. Compression will be up there too. Around 6 to 8 weeks if all goes well. Daily driver and circuit racing duties. Designed for 8000rpm (plus a bit spare.) Fun on its way

[STATIE]

I've had a solid in mine for about 7 years now.
Originally it was a 244/248ish solid & as it was a daily driver/work car with ladder racks etc at the time the theory was that the drivability etc would be better with a solid with a largish cam in a 346.

Since then the cam size has gone up a fair bit & has gone to pretty much a race car though still registered. It revs to 8K all day and NA makes around 350RWKW through a non lockup 6K converter in a stock stroke 346 with standard crank etc.

If you want to deal with someone that really knows solids in these cars talk to Phons at GMM 0397466656 (just dont ring him & waste his time) as he has used them a fair bit - my motor for instance was originally built as a circuit racing supercar motor by him although I only use it for the drags.

You can get away with the standard rocker covers & Yella Terra spacers with a bit of dremeling (I do) & mine uses T&D rockers.

Maintenance wise mine has had practically none - checked the lash once & that is it - hasn't blown up yet.

[macca_779]

My opinion is that solids aren't required for even the wildest combo. We aren't living in the 60's where you couldn't get a hyd setup to rev. If you use a quality hyd lifter and set it up appropriately it will be reliable. Solids will always require maintenance. Not necessarily constant adjustment, but inspection is a must. Very easy to chew a cam lobe or not have the valve seat fully pending spring selection and correct lash adjustment.

[duke5700]

My opinion is that solids aren't required for even the wildest combo. We aren't living in the 60's where you couldn't get a hyd setup to rev. If you use a quality hyd lifter and set it up appropriately it will be reliable. Solids will always require maintenance. Not necessarily constant adjustment, but inspection is a must. Very easy to chew a cam lobe or not have the valve seat fully pending spring selection and correct lash adjustment.

But your a small cam fan :stick: :lol:

Hydros are certainly much much better than they used to be. Still in the 8-9K rev range your spending pretty large coin on setting up a hydro to work without inducing harmonics and instability. Maybe I'm stuck in my old ways, whenever we got serious with engines and really wanted to say turn an RB30 or an 308/355 you just went solid. It took the guess work out.