It finally happened to me

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Originally Posted by shawnlee28

Is the 2 or 3 hundred dollars worth the gamble of go or blow?
A roller cam is a bargain compared to a re-do of the entire engine from the flat tappet cams metal particles in the oil.
It was about 130 bucks for a regular cam,about 200 for a roller ,thats 70 bucks.It was 109 for good lifters for a regular cam,its about the same for factory roller blocks and anywhere from3 to 4 hundred for retrofit roller lifters.
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I think your a little off in your #'s. for example on a 454 chevy motor:

Lunati VooDoo hydraulic flat tappet cam and lifter kit from summit: $179.

Crane Hydraulic roller cam: $ 280.
crane hydraulic roller lifters:$ 440.

total is $720 for the hydraulic roller compared ot he $179 flat tappet so a $531 difference is quite large not to mention the push rods are gonna be more expensive for the Roller unit having to be longer i fI remeber correctly. Id agree with your a flat tappet cam is not worth chancing if it was truely only a $200 difference. Even if you call up Competition products and question both cams they will tell you how a roller set up...especially hydraulic roller on a BB motor traditionally when all is said and done costs 600-800 more than flat tappet hydraulic. for the budget minded kid getting into hod rods and building his first motor and Roller is a hefty Part price wise IMO.

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the budget minded kid getting into hod rods and building his first motor and Roller is a hefty Part price wise IMO.

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But it's cheaper than a new motor. I've done many cams, and never wiped one - but that was back when we were less "environmentally friendly" with our lubricants. I won't ever build another flat tappet motor.