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67 Coronet owner with lots of questions.

Brewzer67

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Hello all, I am a new member to the board and want to say I am glad to have finally joined your forum. I have been a lurker here and there as life has permitted me to work on the car (it's been 5 years since I have been able to). Now that I am going to be able to go back to focusing on the car I have lots of questions.

I would like to switch to electric fans and an electric water pump but am having difficulty finding a shroud that fits the stock 26" radiator with sufficient clearance between the fans and the pump. Has anyone worked with a vendor out there that makes something that would fit? The engine in question is a 528" stroker that will soon be running the new trick flows with a mid-.600 lift solid roller so the fans need to pull a good amount of air.

The other big line of questioning I have is how do I switch to a solid roller cam? I am fairly well versed mechanically but have always run solid flat tappets so I need to know what are the big gotchas I need to look out for. I plan on getting the lifters from MRL as I have only heard good things about them and their durability (I drive 5000+ miles a year when not broken). I am hoping someone can tell me that the bronze distributor gear is no longer a requirement with a roller. I also am wondering what I will need from a timing set? I am hoping to leave the short block in the car when I make the switchover. Since I knew at some point I would be going to a roller the lifter bores were tight when the bottom end was done so they were honed and trued up. That was the only thing I did to prep for a roller. What else did I miss?

Thanks in advance fit any help anyone can offer.
 
I don't know much about most of your questions. But - from my experience with a Cobra replica and FE motors, I have observed that solid roller cams in them are not noted for long-life and durability. They make power for the quarter mile and occasional driver - but all the builders say the components have a short life. Might be an issue if you plan to drive 5000 miles a year. Don't know for sure that Mopars aren't different - but, same cam manufacturers, same principals and construction of roller lifters and cam treatment so I don't know why it would be.
 
Thanks AR67GTX. I am a little nervous on this switch because roller cams used to be "race only" installs. The OEM's have all adopted roller technology so it must be doable. I am going to do a custom grind so I am going to make sure I get something with ramps that are as street friendly as I can without giving up too much performance. That is part of the reason I built my current stroker was so I could get the extra power while keeping RPM's reasonable. Previously I ran a .629 lift solid flat tappet with no issues but with all the oil issues I don't want to push flattening a lobe. A roller gives me a better shot at that I think. As long as I am pulling things apart to switch to the Trick Flow heads I figured I would make the cam switch now. Hopefully someone else on the list can give me some insights on how to successfully make the switch.
 
Just to be clear - I was speaking specifically of what I have heard about solid lifter roller cams. Hydraulic roller cams like the OEM manufacturers use and quality aftermarket cam grinders supply, are another story. As long as quality parts are used, a hydraulic roller is the way to go and should be as reliable as anything out there.
 
So less activity than I was hoping for so I figured I would post a bump.

Bump.

Does anyone have any experience they can share about what kind of issues they have run into when switching to a roller cam? Or any issues that they experienced after switching that could have been avoided had they done something different? Experience is the best teacher, but I would rather learn from others experiences, it's way cheaper that way.
 
As far as a fan shroud goes, if you can draw it you can take those to just about any sheetmetal shop and have one made in a day or two... you could also try aHVAC shop they usually have a fab shop as well.... As for a solid roller what are your intentions??? If you're putting 5K every year on the motor I think I would definitely look at hydraulic if it's just a street monster....There as some pretty radical hydraulic rollers out there that might give you some longevity if its mainly for the street...imo...
 
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So less activity than I was hoping for so I figured I would post a bump.

Bump.

Does anyone have any experience they can share about what kind of issues they have run into when switching to a roller cam? Or any issues that they experienced after switching that could have been avoided had they done something different? Experience is the best teacher, but I would rather learn from others experiences, it's way cheaper that way.

I would look for a fan/shroud set up at the wreckers. A good fan that pulls a lot is the lincoln Mark vii set up. This fan flows 5000 plus cfm.

As for your solid roller...I'm afraid I don't have first hand info. The needles can fail and cause a ton of damage. Also you will need to get a softer distributor gear which will wear out. Lots of folks run them on the street. Just dont cheap out on the lifters and keep an eye on your lash.
 
Putting in a solid roller is pretty straight forward. Mike's lifters are a good start.

If you are using a stock style oil pump get the bronze gear intermediate shaft Mopar Performance P3690875 or Milodon 21525. Crane makes a replacement gear that isn't bronze for the billet steel solid roller cam but they are a bitch to install on the shaft.

You'll need a 3-bolt timing set, get one with the 9 keyway crank gear to make timing the cam easier. Get good rocker arms, valve springs and pushrods.

Really the only thing different from a solid flat tappet installation, and the hardest part of installing the solid roller, is setting the cam thrust. I like to use an aftermarket timing cover like the 440 Source aluminum one, Indy's cast cover or the best of all, AREngneering's billet cover. Then you get a cam button and machine the button to the depth you need for cam thrust (sometimes you must even machine the cam bolts to clear the timing cover). Some people will weld a washer to the inside of the stock steel cover for the thrust button to ride against.

It's simple but take your time and think it through.
 
Thermal Clutch fan with shroud by Ma Mopar has worked for 45 years in mine. Adequate cooling for a warmed 440.
 
Solid roller cams are the best power producers .You need the cam,roller lifters,good valve train, TD,Harlem Sharp,Jessel,very good valve springs I am using Pac with good luck right now,the cam company will recommend the specifications for you,bronze distributor gear(composite ones are only used with small lift roller cams ) I found that chains stretch quickly with heavy roller springs so I use Milodone gear drive only,Cam button,push rods capable for the application,must check valve to piston clearance,use 10 degree locks and titanium retainers,with quality products in your valve train you will run without problems and the need for adjustments will be minimal. Have fun and remember only use quality products for solid roller cam setups, or you will regret it !
You can do this with your engine in your "B" body. I think Summit racing has fan shrouds that can be modified( you cut to modify) to fit,give them a call they are very friendly .PS,if you install electric fans and water pump it would work better if you install a high amp alternator.I put over ride switches on both so I could manually operate them when in the staging lanes to cool it before my run.You must do some wiring upgrades if you do upgrade your alternator . The old Mopar wire will burn if you do not upgrade. Lots have done this upgrade it is not that difficult.

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Solid roller cams are the best power producers .You need the cam,roller lifters,good valve train, TD,Harlem Sharp,Jessel,very good valve springs I am using Pac with good luck right now,the cam company will recommend the specifications for you,bronze distributor gear(composite ones are only used with small lift roller cams ) I found that chains stretch quickly with heavy roller springs so I use Milodone gear drive only,Cam button,push rods capable for the application,must check valve to piston clearance,use 10 degree locks and titanium retainers,with quality products in your valve train you will run without problems and the need for adjustments will be minimal. Have fun and remember only use quality products for solid roller cam setups, or you will regret it !
 
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