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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 1994 - 1995 Specific Tech

Roller Motor

  • Thread starter Thread starter tderrick
  • Start date Start date Oct 28, 2009
T

tderrick

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Oct 27, 2004
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Oct 28, 2009
#1
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #1
Would someone please explain what a roller motor actually is??

I've always heard the term about our engines, but never really knew what it meant...
 

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
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Oct 28, 2009
#2
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #2
The lifters have rollers on the bottom, so they roll on the camshaft. Flat Tappet engines don't have rollers on the lifters, so they just slide metal to metal.

Kurt
 
T

tderrick

Member
Oct 27, 2004
312
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17
Oct 28, 2009
#3
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #3
Our motors are roller, correct??

and... hydraulic roller lifter vs solid tappet lifter.... ?
 

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
9,301
1,644
214
Acworth, GA
Oct 28, 2009
#4
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #4
tderrick said:
Our motors are roller, correct??

and... hydraulic roller lifter vs solid tappet lifter.... ?
Click to expand...

Yes, we have roller motors. A hydraulic roller has a roller on it, and a flat tapped it does not. The term "solid" does not refer to it not having a roller. A solid lifter does not use oil pressure to automatically adjust height.

Kurt
 

Chythar

Recently finished repairing my rear
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 26, 2004
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Foothill Ranch, CA
Oct 28, 2009
#5
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #5
As already stated, roller (or hydraulic roller) engines refers to the type of lifter being used, hydraulic roller or flat tappet. Rollers are more recent tech than flat tappet. Here's a nice link showing the benefits of roller vs flat tappet:

Flat Tappet Cams vs. Roller Cams - Lunati Power
 
T

tderrick

Member
Oct 27, 2004
312
0
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Oct 28, 2009
#6
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #6
i was wondering if you could have roller on a solid lifter....

last question... promise
 

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.
20+ Year Stangneter
Jun 14, 2004
9,301
1,644
214
Acworth, GA
Oct 28, 2009
#7
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #7
tderrick said:
i was wondering if you could have roller on a solid lifter....

last question... promise
Click to expand...

Questions don't bother us, that's what websites like this are for. Besides I'm holding down a hotel room in Toronto. What else am I going to do?

Yes, they make solid roller lifters. Hydraulic lifters tend to compress too much on high rpm engines, so you have to go to a solid lifter.

Kurt
 

The O.G.

Member
May 28, 2007
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witch city,mass
Oct 28, 2009
#8
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #8
yes

Lifter ,aka tappet.

Roller refers to the bottom of the lifter that rides on the cam.

Solid ,aka "mechanical" refers to the top of the lifter that the push rod sits on.

So lifters go as
Solid roller,Hyrdaulic roller,Hydraulic flat tappet,solid/mechanical flat tappet.
 
T

tderrick

Member
Oct 27, 2004
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Oct 28, 2009
#9
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #9
thanks...
 

The O.G.

Member
May 28, 2007
145
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witch city,mass
Oct 28, 2009
#10
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #10
The blocks themselves from roller/ non roller have taller lifter bores as well I believe.
 

Chythar

Recently finished repairing my rear
20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 26, 2004
2,373
140
113
Foothill Ranch, CA
Oct 28, 2009
#11
  • Oct 28, 2009
  • #11
The O.G. said:
The blocks themselves from roller/ non roller have taller lifter bores as well I believe.
Click to expand...

Just read that one recently myself. Roller blocks have taller lifter bores. Putting roller lifters in a non-roller block requires special lifters (which are very expensive). Unless one has a compelling reason to keep a non-roller block (restoring a classic and you want the original engine, etc) it's usually cheaper to find a roller block from a junkyard and sell the old block.
 
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