Flat tappet camshafts

[67 B-body]

I would like a role call of those using flat tappet type camshafts, mechanical or hydraulic.
In the replys, your oil type used for breakin and normal operation.
Thanks!!!

 

[sicksatellite]

hydraulic flat tappet here
i use Amsoil syn. with a ZDDP additive

 

[Coronet 500]

Hydraulic flat. Joe Gibbs Hot Rod Conventional Muscle Car Oil.

 

[Mebsuta]

Hydraulic flat-tappet, factory 383 RR cam. Installed 20 years ago. Have enough SL motor oil for 3 or so more oil changes. After that I won't worry about it, but might add one bottle of STP, red or blue, whatever is available. I'm not too worried about it. That factory cam is not extreme anything. If it gets wiped from Exxon Superflo I will put in another camshaft.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Small hydraulic flat, MoPar .455" / 272 deg. SWEPCO oil and so far so good.

 

[brandon64]

solid flat tappet. I like adjustable valves. I use valvoline conventional 10W30 oil. 600 HP 383.

 

[67 B-body]

Keep them coming....
Thanks guys!!!

 

[mattsmopars]

I have an engle solid flat tappet cam in my 340 duster. Broke the engine in with Joe Gibbs break in oil, and have always ran his hot rod oil after that.
Matt

 

[67 B-body]

This was asked because of the debate on weather or not flat tappets can be used succesfuly with or without some trick expensive oil. Also weather standard off the shelf oil with something like STP containing ZDDP or another brand of additive can be used.

 

[Northwest]

Hydraulic flat tappet. Joe Gibbs XP4 conventional high zinc.

 

[shag766]

oil

Small hydraulic flat, MoPar .455" / 272 deg. SWEPCO oil and so far so good.

how long have you been using swepco

 

[beezee]

At present I,m using Shell Rotella T 15-40 with a Scott Brown custom hydraulic,going to swap out for a Dwayne Porter spec solid Comp Cam nitrated lobes,EDM solid lifters,using the supplied comp break in lubes and the lighter RPM E-Brock springs.Once broke in changing to Beehive springs and Z-Alt 20-50 musclecar oil.

 

[67 B-body]

Have you guys all dumped the oil after the 30 minute break in time @ 2500rpm on the cam? Or did you run that same oil for a little bit,,,, "few test drives" then change it out?
Just trying to hit the nail on the head, with all the oil hype and special lube for flat tappet cam stuff.
The more flat tappet cam results we have, the better we can come to conclusions on the correct method of break-in and lubes used during and after.
Myself, I just wyped out a camshaft! A solid .600" lift with Hughes oil through lifters. It was a used cam "no signs of unusual wear" and the lifters looked good. I replaced the lifters with the new Hughes design, and poof! It lasted about two or three hours of off and on run time "tunning". During periotic inspection of valve lash throughout this time there was never an increase untill this last inspection. I would say it had 75% of its tottal run time with correct lash and the last bit went to hell fast!
Using Valvoline 10-40 with 2 bottles STP containing high amounts of ZDDP additive. I poured an entire bottle of STP over the cam before turning the key as well. But like I said, it didn't seem to go out untill much later.

 

[696pack]

It seems to me that many people don't truely understand what all the problems are with wiping out a cam shaft. The metal debris goes throughout the entire oiling system and not all is caught before or after the oil filter so there is a good possibility of bearing and other damage.

Now, lets se a show of hands that previously thought the repair is JUST changing out the cam and lifters?

You need to disassemble the entire engine, look for other possible damage and flush the oiling system before you run this engine again. If you don't there will likely be other debris still in the system even though it may not yet have hurt any bearings with the short run time. You don't want the residual debris in the system doing damage later.

 

[black64]

Valvoline 10w-40 with EOS added.

 

[67 B-body]

It seems to me that many people don't truely understand what all the problems are with wiping out a cam shaft. The metal debris goes throughout the entire oiling system and not all is caught before or after the oil filter so there is a good possibility of bearing and other damage.

Now, lets se a show of hands that previously thought the repair is JUST changing out the cam and lifters?

You need to disassemble the entire engine, look for other possible damage and flush the oiling system before you run this engine again. If you don't there will likely be other debris still in the system even though it may not yet have hurt any bearings with the short run time. You don't want the residual debris in the system doing damage later.

I'm concidering flushing out the system with Kero and draining a couple times. I thought about bolting an old oil pump on it and running it with the drill for a while pumping Kero throughout the system draining and repeating the process again. I will not be pulling the engine and tearing it completely down though. Obviously a new filter for the flush, then a new one again when oil is added.
I wanted to completely wash down the lifter galley by pouring the Kero in the engine through this area first, rinsing anything down to the pan. Then drain it and fill it up again for the drill running. You get the idea!

 

[daredevil]

I'm concidering flushing out the system with Kero and draining a couple times. I thought about bolting an old oil pump on it and running it with the drill for a while pumping Kero throughout the system draining and repeating the process again. I will not be pulling the engine and tearing it completely down though. Obviously a new filter for the flush, then a new one again when oil is added.
I wanted to completely wash down the lifter galley by pouring the Kero in the engine through this area first, rinsing anything down to the pan. Then drain it and fill it up again for the drill running. You get the idea!

I dont think this will help remove trash imbedded in the bearings. Bearings are soft enough to absorb the trash but running it its gonna eventually wear on the crank surfaces. Set of bearings and a polish now could save a lot later. Stock street motor its not as expensive a gamble. Custom built motor its risky.People do it everyday and not all results are bad though.

 

[696pack]

i dont think this will help remove trash imbedded in the bearings. Bearings are soft enough to absorb the trash but running it its gonna eventually wear on the crank surfaces. Set of bearings and a polish now could save a lot later. Stock street motor its not as expensive a gamble. Custom built motor its risky.people do it everyday and not all results are bad though.

exactly!

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

solid flat tappet. break in with valvoline 20w-50 VR1 RACING OIL with stp RED BOTTLE oil treatment. RUN IT FOR A FEW MILES THEN I DUMP IT OUT.

 

[67 B-body]

I dont think this will help remove trash imbedded in the bearings. Bearings are soft enough to absorb the trash but running it its gonna eventually wear on the crank surfaces. Set of bearings and a polish now could save a lot later. Stock street motor its not as expensive a gamble. Custom built motor its risky.People do it everyday and not all results are bad though.

OK,,, Lets get back to oils and camshafts now... I would like for myself and others to see the types of cams and how breakin was succesfully done.