Please recommend me rocker arms, and roller cam?

[Ornamental]

I've been thinking hard about getting a solid roller in my 340, and Moparal's advice about not shying away from a little maintenance if I want power has stuck. Moparal, I'll be thinking of you when I do maintenance on my rockers, and smile. 

I have a 340 with stock pistons, but ported J-heads milled to 10.25:1, and 1.88 valves. I've already got a Eddy Performer RPM Air Gap, and a Holley HP 750 lying around, waiting to be installed.
Now, I'm considering to have the 340 stroked later (Then it will get ported 308 truck heads, as per CP's often given advice, and maybe forged pistons?),
and I'm wondering if I could use a solid roller cam for that application for what I'm about to get now?
I won't mind if I loose a little power compared to a better suited cam for what I got now, and I feel that I should go gradually higher in power levels anyway.
So, anyone who can recommend a solid roller for me?

Also, I'll be needing adjustable rocker arms. I've been looking at Hughes Engines and considers something from them, to have it cryogenically treated, unless it's a total waste of money for me who doesn't race at all.
http://www.hughesengines.com/partResults.asp?eTypeID=1&pType=RA

Then, I need tools to do maintenance. I realise I need lash cards, but will I need something to tell me when the piston is at TDC?
Yes, I'm that unskilled, but at least I'm trying to learn. 

[Chryco Psycho]

I prefer to use Cast iron or investment cast stanless for rocker arms over alum , Comp has a stainless for big block & I believe small block as well , , I still tend to use a lot of the solid flat tappet cams for 1/2 the cost of a roller system + you do not need the bronze dist drive gear & other parts needed with rollers , let us know where you wnat the power band & we can help pick out a cam that wil work for you

[tactransman]

The Hughes Rocker system is what I am going to use.

[71chally416]

I'm with Chryco on this one.  A good solid cam is more than adequate
and is a whole lot cheaper and the aluminum rockers aren't as durable. You can easily eclipse the 500hp barrier with a good solid stick in a stroked 360 with good heads.   

[Ornamental]

Thank you for the replys guys! Much appreciated!

Ok, just browsing through Summit, looking at the selection for 340's, but not for what use, just want some price figures:
 
Seems like the roller cams are around $300 - $400.
Lifters goes from approx $400 to $800.
Bronze distributor drive at $56.
Pushrods with ball tip, about $140.
So far, a estimated total about $1000.
Then, are there more things needed with rollers?

Flat tappet cams, from $130 to $300
Lifter, $100 - $200
New pushrods with ball tip, about $140
Estimated total about $550?

Then there's the advantage of rollers don't need to be broken in, so no cost of $300 in oil, filters, and additives for the break in procedure.
Added cost of break in $300
New estimated total for flat tappet: $850

Or, maybe a cam & lifters kit $200 - $300
Plus balltip pushrods $140
Break in $300
Guesstimated at a total of $650

Now, the gap between flat tappets and rollers have decreased a lot because of the expensive break-in.
I kept rocker arms out of this calculation, since they will be needed anyway.
Is there something I have miscalculated, so please tell me!
The way I see it, I might as well go roller, unless there are some unadvantages to them which I'm not aware of. I know about the price disadvantage, is there anything else?


The power band, I'd like it to be mid to high. I guess it should be pretty wild before the low end won't have enough grunt to keep up with the traffic, and I'm not going that far.

I couldn't find stainless steel rocker arms for Mopar at Comp Cams website, but I did find these chromemoly steel ones:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=CCA%2D1322%2D16&autoview=sku


When checking the rocker arms with the lash card, the cylinder I'm checking should be at TDC, how do I know it's at TDC?

[71chally416]

Where do you live that it costs $300 for oil & a filter to break in a cam?? I recommend changing your oil after breaking in any new motor, even if you use a roller cam.

I myself would spend the money for better heads and use a less aggressive (and expensive) cam, even a good modern hydraulic. The net result will be the same, but a better head matched motor will make power up and down the RPM range and will be much easier to live with on the street. Cubic inches need port volume and flow to match. Some might think that can be obtained with modified old iron heads on a 408+ cube SB,  but I disagree. You can make power up near 6,000rpm with the right head porting and valves on a smaller 340, but on a 408?? The production stuff just isn't designed for a motor that size and they don't have the extra metal to get there anymore than a production 440 head has the metal to support a BB 499 stroker. It shouldn't take a monster cam that eats valve springs to make power at 6,000rpm.  That stuff is fine on a race motor, but it quickly becomes the suck on a street motor. And don't forget, a monster cam needs monster valve notches in the pistons that you don't get with off the shelf pistons. That's Mo money $$$     

[go-fish]

I have a complete Hughes supplied valvetrain. I think the rockers and hyd. rollers are Comp Cams stuff. They make hyd. rollers that don't require bushing the lifter bores ($$$) and involve less maintenance. Also not as hard on that bronze dist. shaft bushing.

[Chryco Psycho]

don`t forget to use better valve springs & 10 * retainers & locks on the valves

[Ornamental]

Where do you live that it costs $300 for oil & a filter to break in a cam??   

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We're second place on the Big Mac Index.
The $300 isn't just oil and filter, but also additives.

I won't use hydraulics, because I've hit the gas a little too hard a couple of times, and I'm concerned about the possibillity of the hydraulic lifters collapsing.
Besides, I really like to hear the 340 scream!  
Also, I'd like to learn to adjust rocker arms.

don`t forget to use better valve springs & 10 * retainers & locks on the valves

This is what I got now, heads ported and assembled by Outrageosly Vintage in Maine (Superb customer service, and good work! They'll get my next job):
Valves:  Manley Stainless Steel 1 Piece Race Valves 1.88/1.60 Standard Length
Springs: Comp Cams, Good to .500 Lift
Retainers: Comp Cams Chrome Moly
Keepers:  Comp Cams 7 degree Hardened
Seals: Comp Cams High Temperature
Guides: Manganese-Bronze Alloy from our Machine Shop Specialty Vendor

Ok, I should get better flowing heads then,  87-89 truck 308's (Right?) with 2.02 valves, multi-angle valve job, better valve springs & 10 * retainers & locks on the valves
Or...

Cubic inches need port volume and flow to match. Some might think that can be obtained with modified old iron heads on a 408+ cube SB,  but I disagree. You can make power up near 6,000rpm with the right head porting and valves on a smaller 340, but on a 408?? The production stuff just isn't designed for a motor that size and they don't have the extra metal to get there anymore than a production 440 head has the metal to support a BB 499 stroker.   

What heads do you suggest using?
Something more exotic like W2's?

PS: I'm not after a monster cam that's heII to live with on the street.

[Chryco Psycho]

308s on a relatively mild build are OK , if you want more there are a lot of other options too

[Ornamental]

I've been doing some googling, and found out that solid rollers aren't really for street use...

How far can you push a 340 with stock pistons, solid flat tappet cam, and 308 heads, and still be good for street use?

I'm considering to sell the ported J-heads I got now, and get 308's for a milder build with solid flat's.
With a mid to high powerband, but not totally wildly up there, as I'd like some power in the low end too, what would you suggest?


But, hypotetically, if I wanted more than what the 308's could do, would I then end up with something that would be a b!tch do drive on the street?
Also, when using 2.02 valves, how badly do they affect low end power?

[Chryco Psycho]

2.02 valve do not hurt the low end power
 with a modern solid flat tappet cam you can get very close to a good street roller , using 1.6 rockers you can get over .600 lift with decent idle & vacuum

[71chally416]

   Right on Chryco 

[moper]

Per, start from scratch...  I think you're trying to do too much with what you already have for the wrong reasons. Decide what you want for power, adn what you can spend. THEN ask how to fit those two. Solid rollers can go on the street, but you dont need them, and none will fit a stock piston. They also require lifter bore bushings to be safely run. They should be rebuilt about every 5K miles, depending on the application and how much time is spent idling. For heads, I wouldnt waste time with iron either unless you had a reason (stealhy, class rules, whatever). In other words... start with a clean sheet of paper and a result, with the accompanying limit of dollars to spend, and it will be great. I wouldnt bother using the block you have. 360s are easy to find here, and I'd have it built, dyno'd and shipped. The euro is way over the dollar, you can probably get a really good engine for a relatively small cost.

[Ornamental]

Per, start from scratch...  I think you're trying to do too much with what you already have for the wrong reasons. Decide what you want for power, adn what you can spend. THEN ask how to fit those two. Solid rollers can go on the street, but you dont need them, and none will fit a stock piston. They also require lifter bore bushings to be safely run. They should be rebuilt about every 5K miles, depending on the application and how much time is spent idling. For heads, I wouldnt waste time with iron either unless you had a reason (stealhy, class rules, whatever). In other words... start with a clean sheet of paper and a result, with the accompanying limit of dollars to spend, and it will be great. I wouldnt bother using the block you have. 360s are easy to find here, and I'd have it built, dyno'd and shipped. The euro is way over the dollar, you can probably get a really good engine for a relatively small cost.

Thank you for a good reply Dave! The viewpoint from a distance is both useful and refreshing.
Btw, solid rollers are scratched. Solid flat tappets is where it's at now.
The clean slate approach is very sensible.

Seems like you're right, it would make most sense to stop pouring money into the 340, and instead get a built and dynoed engine from a good american builder.
Guess at the moment, it's best to take a time out now.