hydralic cam

[worfdog]

i would like to know if there is any other advantage other than no valve clearance adjustments and a more quite motor to changing a mechanical valve train to a hydralic valve train.
if i were to do so, would i need to put new rocker arms in to use a new cam? the reason i ask this is because i know with a flat tappet cam shaft, you must use new lifters with a new cam.
just want to know if it worth the trouble. if it gives more power or better gas mileage, i might think about doing it.

thanks for any and all replies.

[FB71]

hydraulic followers in an ohc engine aren't like tappets in a pushrod engine. You don't need to buy new rockers/followers when you replace the cam. The lobe pad on the followers are surface hardend, and don't mushroom over.

[Festy46]

Did you ever check the lobe profile for mechanical vs hydraulic? I put mechanical adjusters on a hydraulic cam and broke 2 valves right through the valve keeper area. I didn't compare the 2 cams but I thought perhaps the hydraulic cam was more pointed allowing the valve to snap shut instead of more rounded and allowing it to close more softly.

[worfdog]

the hydraulic cam, from what i have read, has just a hair more lift than the mech cam. don't know why it is, my guess is to make up for the slight give that may be present in the hydraulic lifter itself.
i just want to know if there are any gains in performance or gas mileage between the two.the slight noise and having to adjust them every 100,000 miles or so is no problem.

[jglutz]

Maybe a blocked oil port in one of the rockers.....or.....a leak in the lash adjuster...thus preventing the rocker from stayin engaged with both the cam and valve.

A while ago I ahd a 'valve tap' and traced it a rocker. A rocker had picked up a burr in the ID at the oil port and became sticky on the rocker shaft...I stoned the burr out...problems since.

Just some thoughts.