Non-billet roller cam
 

Have heard that Comp Cams is producing roller cam from cast blanks -- these do not require special distributor gear, etc. Can anyone provide any feedback? Thanks in advance -- TAZ:dunno::dunno:

Stay away--FAR away--from those cast core cams! I don't give a rats ass what any salesman tells you, they have a very high failure rate, even the milder profiles.

Think of it this way--if the cast cores were durable enough to survive, why are OEM roller cams cut on billets? If the OEM's could save even a fraction of a penny on these cores, they would do it in a nanosecond.

Do a web search, there's a plethora of images like this one:

Points all taken -- pictures indicated a total FUBAR ... Thanks!! Craig :shocked:

I've been told from numerous manufacturers (Lunati, Crane, Crower Etc.) that the bulk of the US camshaft cores come from one or two manufacturers up in the Michigan area including CMC who make both cast and billet stock cores for the high performance and OEM markets including Ford, Chrysler and GM.

Cores are made from 5150, 1050, and 8660 tool steel which is what most use for high performance markets. They simply finish off the final grinds for performance use with their own grind patterns. While most Solid Roller grinds are finish cut on billet steel cores, Hydraulic Roller grinds are normally cut on Cast Cores because they are not anywhere near as aggressive on the spring rates and won't burn through the hardened surfaces. In fact I am pretty sure most of the Hyd Rollers out there today are now made on hardened Cast Cores unless you custom order a grind cut on Billet stock.

In either case, you can specify a billet cam gear, cast gear, or CMC's Everwear gears for use on any application. Here's a good read noting some common issues found with distributor gears and camshaft stock, and the measures they have taken to resolve material issues when running billet cores and various distributor gears. Myself, I'm about to run a Hydraulic Roller grind I recently ordered from Crower for one of my street motors, and it's finished on a cast core with a cast gear. I'm not sure if Comp Cams runs the CMC stock, but have been told that "most" aftermarket cam manufacturers do.

Iv'e use a couple cast roller street cams with no problems so far.
I did not know the OEM uses only billet. And Eric has a point.

Ford has been using cast SADI (selectively austempered ductile iron) cam cores since the 1980s on roller applications with no problems. Millions of 5.0L engines in Mustangs, Explorers, etc went hundreds of thousands of miles with SADI cams. GM used these in a lot of OE applications too.

As long as over the nose spring load isn't excessive, and the profile isn't too aggressive, there shouldn't be any issues. Running a cast core eliminates the need for bronze tipped FP pushrods and bronze distributor gears. Been running a SADi core Howards roller in my '69 350 engine for ~5000 miles and 3 seasons. No issues, and I sleep well at night.

About 17-18 years ago I had a cast core custom ground hydraulic roller in a BBC here, and it did what is pictured above after about 2 years of street driving. It was somewhat of an aggressive grind (242/248 @ .050 and around .650 lift.) I probably had about 15,000 miles on it.

I switched to a billet core after that, similar grind, and it's been going fine for about 15 years now. I use a melonized gear on it, still looks brand new. Not a huge fan of the bronze gears.

Tony Bischoff built dads engine 3 years ago, billet solid roller and used a bronze gear. I pulled it out and checked it last year and it had some pretty good wear on it already after ~5,000 miles. I replaced it with melonized, still looking good.

Just food for thought.

The oil pump load kills the soft gears.

I know the consensus says not to, but I find it so hard to believe that the austempered cast cores can really be that bad if Lunati, Comp Cams etc are selling so many of them. It seems like you'd hear about a lot more failures.
I bought and am about to install a Lunati Voodoo hyd roller with Lunati roller lifters in my Gen VI 454. 241/249 @.050 and .625/.625 lift. (edit) 377 rate Lunati springs. Maybe in two years I'll be eating crow, but I just don't think so/hope not...

I agree with everything that is said on this page. I do use alot a Crane Master Lobes because they seem to have the best selection of cores with pressed in cast dist. gears on there billet cores. Have seen many used in offsore racing and never any problems. I also had done many Cam Motion cams with the Melonized gear and have never had any problems. But have had been concerned about what happens when the coating wears off? I did have a steel core that was not hardened properly it looked just like Vintages picture after 700 miles. I really don't like the idea of Bronze being called a wear item, I don't like any type of material in my oil. We can also talk about Composite Gears..If the cam core gear is prepped very good, they will look brand new after many miles. if not they can make a mess of things real fast. The other problem with them(more of a Ford problem) is No press fit. I do not like the Cast Cores, Very Hit or Miss.. Also in the 1985 years. I built many LB9s L98s and 5.0 Fords. For Showroom Stock racing. First year for OEM rollers, I Believe they were steel not Cast, I remember them looking completely finished with a heat treated look. No casting flash. I sent a few to have them to be reground and was told that they were steel cores.