Roller Motors Will They REV APART

[Doc Voodoo]

Need to know if I should beef up my 289 before I button her up after her rebuild.
I made it an all roller motor. The Cam is a 270H , 9.7 -1 forged pistons, f4b edelbrock intake , holley double pumper 600 cfm, petronix ignition and JBA shorty Headers.

The heads have been gone through with bigger
valves and have been Ported / polished. Valve sizes are 1.85 intake 1.55 exaust

I have not balanced any of it and I have no REV limiter.What I am worried about is it comeing apart at high RPM.

I plan on takeing it easy but a friend of mine urges me to get a REV limiter on it for safty sake . He said that all roller motors REV up quik and I don't want to Blow the motor.

I want to get an MSD ignition with a REV limiter next . But before I button up the engine do I realy need to put in a Main Cap girdle ? What about a bigger balancer for the Crank Like the K code Had for the Higher RPM ?

Should I not even run the damn thing until I get the MSD REV limter? I do not want to waste the money I all ready have in the engine.
Any other Idea would be Great Thanks

 

[Fostang]

Well if your careless any engine can blow.

Listen to your engine if it starts sounding like straining is going on well then you should back off on the throttle.

Do you need a rev limiter totally up to you would I get one sure why not.

Girdle: helps keep the motor together when it finally decides to split the block thats about it.

Balancer I don't know what you mean by bigger? I would pick up a fluidyne if you plan on running that engine hard.

The engine doesn't sound extremely modified therefore shouldn't even be pushed past 6k since most of the componets you have won't make power past 6k.

 

[Doc Voodoo]

so if I get a REV limiter set it for what a little over 5 k ?
or at 6k. No the engine is not that modified its just a Cruiser Car.

 

[rbohm]

first, most engines will "nose over" or have power drop off noticably when it is time for a high rpm shift. yes you can rev an engine beyond that point, but under a load it is hard to do so. rev limiters are nice, but not needed. if you feel you need one, get one. otherwise save your money as they are not needed for a street motor. people who like to say things like your friend did, are the same people who like to redline engines everytime they drive. as was said, pay attention to what your engine is telling you and you will know by feel when to back off. a roller cam and roller rockers will help an engine rev quicker, but not enough to make you turn 10K rpm before you realize what is going on. at best a "full roller engine" will rev perhaps 10-15% quicker than a comperable flat tappet, non roller rocker engine will, and even that is stretching it.

 

[SuperDave]

Depends on your knowledge of things mechanical and your driving habits. A "break-in" period is advised. If you wish to run it to a specific limit and want "protection" a limiter seems to be indicated.

 

[SL 1993 R]

wouldn't want to push that motor much, balancing of the internal reciprocating assemblies is an important step, if the motor is to see any hi revs..

 

[FIRE14142002]

Doesn't matter when you shift, if it is not balanced it's going to come apart anyway.

 

[sand1man]

unless you have a steap gear in it or you plan on just reving it up i don't think you need one, i have one on mine just a extra saftey i have a 302 roller with nothing special in it and until i got 4.30 in the rear really never had a need for the limiter but now i hit it in a blink of an eye so it is very useful

 

[Doc Voodoo]

I have 3.55 in the rear end .

 

[D.Hearne]

The Canfield headed 5.0 roller motor I had previously in my 89 Ranger would rev and pull to a max of about 7500 rpms without problems. This motor had a stock crank and rods ( but these had ARP bolts) and was never rebalanced. The block cracked in the #4 cylinder, the rotating assembly is still fine. Your 289 should have no problems with 6500-7000 rpms depending on the rod bolts, they're the weakest link, unless you've got the Hi-po rods in there.

 

[LMan]

If you decide to get a MSD or HyFire or something similar, they have rev limiters built in.