94-6spd

I just got back from the "Books a Million" and was checking out this book on high performance motors. There were famous engine builders putting some of there secrets in it. What I saw that caught my I eye was called roller cam bearings. They had little needle bearings all the way around them. Not just flat like regular ones. It also said that the block needed to be machined for the special cam bearings. Has anyone seen these? Where could a person get these.

md

They’re usually for the exotic and very expensive Winston Cup type engines. The block has to be machined because their OD is larger than standard bearings. I doubt that a dyno would show any difference with them.

If your seriously thinking about using them, give these guys a call. They sell high end race parts that have been used for one race and also new stuff.

http://www.jrmotorsports.net/

stingerssx

At the machine shop I used to work at, we did this. One of the only shops in CA.
This rich guy came in and had us do it just to see if the dyno showed improvement. The reason we were one of the only shops to do this is that his results weren't improved. Alot of money spent on nothing.

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'82 Firebird, dead stock, 9 bolt disc rear, over 200,000 miles and still going strong, more to come...

ede

ok i'm a little slow sometimes so please bear with me here. are you talking about the bearings the cam journals ride on? not the thrust bearing or cam button type thing on the front of the cam? guess i don't know much but wouldn't roller or needle bearings on the cam journals cause you to have lower oil preasure? weaker block? plus the danger of metal pieces in the oil system if a bearing broke? i'd like to hear and learn more about this.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

94-6spd

Yes, it is the ones for the cam journals. Looks to me like the engine would rev a little quicker but maybe not. If I have time to go back to that book store I'll write down the name of the book and post it on here so that some of you can check this out.

AlkyIROC

They're designed for high volume/low pressure oil systems. Some race engines don't like the 60+ psi oil pressures but if you can pump a high volume of oil then you don't need the pressure. Harley Davidson engines are done this way. The crankshaft is mounted on roller bearings and the engine is a dry sump system. When mounting a pressure guage at the top of the engine it'll usually read 0-5 psi but there's still lots of oil up there.

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Stephen's racing page

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
454 Big Block buildup now in progress for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP based on power to weight ratio: 476.5
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

82z

In a properly operating motor with a good oiling system there will be no metal on metal contact on any bearing surfaces in the motor. The oil will build up a film inbetween the journal and the bearing preventing any contact. The only possible advantage to an anti-friction type bearing comes in when there is a loss of oil pressure/boundary lubrication situation but even then they will spall very quickly under the enormous pressure the cam exerts on them from the valvetrain

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82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter

ede

ok i ahte to say this withoput having a book to look at first, but doesn't the mains get oiled after the cam? what would make the mains oil? seems to me the oil would go where ever it wanted. i'll have to look for this book. something i've never heard about or considered.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

82z

The cam does get oiled before the mains. The central oil gallery feeds pressurized oil to the cam bearings where it flows around the cam journals through the main webs and then it oils the main bearings. That is why some aftermarket hi-po race blocks like bowtie and Merlin block offer what is known as priority main oiling where the mains are fed a direct supply of pressurized oil.

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82 z28 350cid, vortec heads, comp 262h cam, Holley 600cfm carb, 2in twice pipes, MSD ignition, turbo 350 trans, 3.73 posi, manly b&m megashifter

stingerssx

When you install regular cam bearings, you offset the oil hole. If you don't, you would have no presure. The recessed area around the cam bearing, presurizes the mains.
Also, in theory, there should be no metal to metal contact. In theory.
And in an engine with proper bearing clearances, you don't need a high volume pump. It takes more power to run. Longer gears pushing more oil. Most drag race engines that don't use dry sump systems, use regular pumps to gain an advantage.

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'82 Firebird, dead stock, 9 bolt disc rear, over 200,000 miles and still going strong, more to come...

RB83L69

http://www.competitioncams.com/catalog/334.html

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

ede

thanks RB. never seen them before, never heard of them before. i'm a die hard lunati user and they don't have anytihng in their catalog like that, at least the one i have. now i want a set in my little engine.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd