[72vettestingray]

Hello all, New here so here is my first post.

I have a 72 vette with a 350 which I have removed the top end and camshaft from. I found that the engine came with a solid lifter camshaft Reed "T270UL" and the lifters are hydraulic. Does anyone know if this combination will cause a problem? The car never really ran well and considering the specs of the camshaft it seemed to not produce the HP I would expect. The reast of the engine specs were a Weiand Team G single plane intake, approximately 9.5 to 1 compression since it has 1970 LT1 cylinder heads with 64cc chambers and pistons which have a small dish with 4 valve reliefs. Carb was a 750 Holley double pumper.

Any assistance would be greatly appriciated since I have never dealt with solid lifter camshafts.

Thank you, Andy

[fishslayer143@yahoo.com]

I would think they won t work together well... the cam lobes are designed completely differently , different ramp speeds to work with the design of the lifter.. how many miles do they have on them,? wear patterns ? If they are new,and its the cam specs you want.. I would swap out the lifters ..otherwise , I would just start over with a new hydraulic set-up ..or better still a hydraulic roller set-up, then you can go to an aggressive cam that still is street friendly if you desire more performance....... if that timing chain set has many miles on it, replace it while you have it down..sorry, forgot to say..Welcome to SV.. we ve got a great bunch here on C3 forum.. everyone will help with anything you need

[72vettestingray]

I am not sure of the mileage since I got the car as a trade in early summer of this year and it has been driven maybe 300 miles since. Wear pattern looks like a narrow strip of smooth wear on the center of all lobes. The rocker arms were adjusted rather loose as if for mechanical lifters, (no preload). The timing set up was a noisey gear set up which looks rather new. I was going to change that with a good quality Comp cams double roller set up. Additionally the car had Hooker sidepipes in good condition which I removed for the installation of dual exhaust out the back. That and they were way too load for my liking.

[vettex2]

time to change the cam and lifters

[toobroketoretire]

Originally Posted by 72vettestingray

Hello all, New here so here is my first post.

I have a 72 vette with a 350 which I have removed the top end and camshaft from. I found that the engine came with a solid lifter camshaft Reed "T270UL" and the lifters are hydraulic. Does anyone know if this combination will cause a problem? The car never really ran well and considering the specs of the camshaft it seemed to not produce the HP I would expect. The reast of the engine specs were a Weiand Team G single plane intake, approximately 9.5 to 1 compression since it has 1970 LT1 cylinder heads with 64cc chambers and pistons which have a small dish with 4 valve reliefs. Carb was a 750 Holley double pumper.

Any assistance would be greatly appriciated since I have never dealt with solid lifter camshafts.

Thank you, Andy

You can use hydraulic lifters on a solid lifter camshaft but they're just heavier. Just adjust the lash as you normally would.

[72vettestingray]

by using hydraulic lifters don't you kind of defeat the purpose for running a solid camshaft?

[vettex2]

Originally Posted by toobroketoretire

You can use hydraulic lifters on a solid lifter camshaft but they're just heavier. Just adjust the lash as you normally would.

you can , but why ?

[fishslayer143@yahoo.com]

I ve always heard that you will lose power from doing it, compared to what the cam could produce using the correct lifters.. besides, the reason for solid cams is higher rpm, which you just eliminated by going hydraulic lifters with it......solid cam ramps are designed to gradually take up the lash so the valve train doesn t beat itself to death..thats not how hydraulics work .. I would not mix them.. but thats me.

[72vettestingray]

Previous owner mixed them or at least the guy he claimed built the engine. He also claimed 600 HP which I knew the instant I drove it, it was not even close. felt like in the 200's! Either way I just ordered a nice Comp Cams hydraulic cam / lifter kit from Jegs. grind 12-239-3. Given the specs I should have a nice idle, great torque (427 ft lbs @ 2500 to 4000 RPM) and around 370 HP. Probably going to a more street friendly Edelbrock Performer intake which I already had sitting on a shelf in my shop.

[fishslayer143@yahoo.com]

Comp Cams has some good packages... if your motor was really 600 HP , you would KNOW IT! if you are going with a milder cam like that one and a performer intake,it will have good street manners.. I would downgrade that 750 double pumper too.