Failure of Solid Roller Cams

[cudabob496]

Been hearing lately that solid roller cams are only for race, and not street, and prone
to failures, like little needle bearings spinkeled thoughout your engine. Any truth to this?
A racer told me that I should be worried, with 40,000 miles on my roller cam.

[1 Wild R/T]

It's been said since at least the seventies that roller cams themselves are relatively bullet proof but the roller lifters should receive regular inspection & be rebuilt by the manufacturer every couple years or if street driven max about 5000 miles.....   

Modern cars run rollers with zero maintenance & that has guys thinking the aftermarket stuff should be the same... But valve spring pressures & cam profiles on OE stuff is nothing like hotrod stuff..... If you've gotten 40K out of a set without failure you've got a pretty mild roller, you've been lucky & you may well be on borrowed time... If nothing has failed the cam itself should be 100% fine but at the very least pull the lifters & closely inspect the rollers, look for axial or side play, any signs of roughness... It would be a good idea to replace the lifters, I'd use the same pt # as these have obviously given good service and you know they fit & match up with your pushrods & other valve train components...  After replacement if your lifters can be rebuilt have the manufacturer rebuild them & set them aside to be swapped back in when needed...

[Chryco Psycho]

solid rollers can starve for oil if idled a lot

[johannes]

Any rollers without HIPPO (High Pressure Pin Oiling) is a desaster waiting to happen IMHO.

[cudabob496]

Any rollers without HIPPO (High Pressure Pin Oiling) is a desaster waiting to happen IMHO.

so, which brands have HIPPO?

[johannes]

so, which brands have HIPPO?

Sorry I don't know...... 

[cudabob496]

Sorry I don't know......

hmmm, haven't heard lately that it has happened?

[Strawdawg]

I believe it has already been said, but street conditions, particularly at idle under 1200 rpm or so, is hard on a solid roller because of lack of oil to the bearings.

Comp Cams Elite series provides pressurized feed to the bearings as does the Crower HIPPO, and I think the Isky EZX which are very expensive but very well liked.

[cudabob496]

I believe it has already been said, but street conditions, particularly at idle under 1200 rpm or so, is hard on a solid roller because of lack of oil to the bearings.

Comp Cams Elite series provides pressurized feed to the bearings as does the Crower HIPPO, and I think the Isky EZX which are very expensive but very well liked.

I've got a 14 year old Crower solid roller, but don't know if its HIPPO

[73EStroker]

Also there is a company called MRL. They make shrouded solid rollers with oiling and my last message from him he stated no failures in sprint cars running 7000 all the time

[Oldschool]

Thanks for the reminder. I have my old ones sitting in a box in my garage. I need to send them in to be rebuilt so I can have then at the ready when needed.