running roller cams

[quiet riot]

I'm putting together a 408 sbf and have a comp roller retrofit cam/lifters set. The lifters say they are o.e. style rollers. This is going in an early non roller block.
My question is about idling issues with the roller lifters (hydraulic). One of the flyers that came with the kit says to avoid extended idling because its hard on the roller lifters and can cause prem failure because they only get oil slung on them from the reciprocating assembly and at idle it may not be enough.
What is different about this setup as campared to my sbf pickup with a hydraulic roller cam that idles forever with no issues and o.e. lifters? Is it just having the steep aggressive cam that I'm using in this boat engine? Something different about the retrofit of a non roller engine?
I've read a few threads in here about lifter failures and just wanted to know of peoples experience with this.
Thanx,
jd

[HM]

I have had several roller lifter failures on my 350 SBC - same setup of the retro-fit roller hydraulic.
It seems to be semi-common knowledge that big roller cams with roller hydraulic lifters don't like extensive idling.
But, even the guys who don't idle much, get about 50 hours of usage - not a long time for some of us boaters.
The new factory roller engines have much milder cams and better oiling.
I have switched to solid lifters. They are a bit more maintenance, but, when broken in properly, last longer than the rest of the engine.

[C.Fisher]

If you are using an earlier block you will need to use the Crane Cams roller lifters.
I did not know Comp was making these lifters yet or you must use a newer roller block. What we did was cut a slight groove in the side of the body of the lifter to add oiling to the roller.

[Infomaniac]

You can get lifters now that have pressure fed roller pins.
Idle friendly. (friendlier)

[Jet City]

Any idea what the life expectancy of the modified (sloted) or oil fed (improved) roller lifters are? 50 hours is absolutely unacceptable for a $300. part IMO.

[quiet riot]

Info - Who makes the pressure fed rollers and are they in hydraulic?
cfisher - groove sounds like a good idea, I'll see what the machine shop has to say also. This kit from comp cams comes with oe style rollers and spyders (holdowns) and just needs to have slight machining (tapping holes) for the retainers, or so it says, and my machine shop guy says they're easy to do. It is a fairly big cam for a sbf with around .570 lift, 240ish @50 and 110 lsa.
holy moly - I was sticking with the hyd lifts cause I don't like the maint. for this boat of valve lash all the time, but jcr is right, I think 50 hrs for hyd rollers is absurd. I'd rather adjust valves every couple weeks.
Do the factory roller motors have slots in the lifters or bores? How is their oiling different to where they don't have this problem? Comp didn't say anything about idle issues when I ordered it, they just said they were a great imp over flat tappet. I want to exchange/mod the lifters for something better if this is all I can expect. I want the performance but not at the expense of losing power/engine when shooting rapids on the river of no return (hells canyon) or similar where I may lose my boat as a result.
Thanks for the responses, just want to do it right the first time.
jd

[Infomaniac]

Crower makes them for several other companies.
You can buy them from most anyone. Just ask specifically for pressure fed pins.

[C.Fisher]

Do the factory roller motors have slots in the lifters or bores? How is their oiling different to where they don't have this problem? Comp didn't say anything about idle issues when I ordered it, they just said they were a great imp over flat tappet. I want to exchange/mod the lifters for something better if this is all I can expect. I want the performance but not at the expense of losing power/engine when shooting rapids on the river of no return (hells canyon) or similar where I may lose my boat as a result.
I "think" that the factory roller blocks have the oil holes drilled higher in the blocks and that it takes a "special hyd lifter" than just a regular replacement hyd roller lifter. Contact your lifter manufacter and ask that specific question. When installled prorperly those hyd roller lifters are indestructable. Well Almost............;)

[quiet riot]

Thanks for the responses. I called comp cams and they said that the flyer I got wasn't supposed to come with this kit, and that they have no issues with hyd roller lifters in this setup. The machine shop says they haven't had any issues or seen this flyer before either so I hope they're right and I'm going to give it a shot. They both said they've had longevity issues with this application with solid rollers but not the hyd oe "style" ones this has. Guess I'll check on the rollers after running them awhile, and know not to deal with these places if it doesn't work.
jd

[OkieDave]

I put the retro-fit hyd roller kit in my 427 SBF in my Cobra kit car two years ago. Idles fine, runs great, no problems. Easy to install even with the motor still in the car.