What’s wrong with my flat tappet arrangement?
It’s old technology, think early 1900’s technology; metal grinding on metal. Today’s available flat tappet camshafts lack the proper hardness, and the severe friction of the flat tappet lifter can “dig” into the lobe material thereby destroying the entire engine. Engine builders report inconsistencies in the factory machining of flat tappet crowns, which in turn do not match up with lobe profiles. This results in early cam and lifter failure, instant wear through of the heat treating of the camshaft, rapid lobe wear, and valve lift decrease or complete failure. We have heard numerous stories of engines failing at startup, or on the break-in period on the shop floor. Many engine rebuilder’s we’ve spoken to won’t even build with flat tappets, and if they do, they won’t warranty the end result.
FAQ. we have answers.
What is a roller cam, and why do I need one?
Roller cams utilize roller lifters, which minimize friction, leading to more power and longer engine life.
Well then, what’s a roller lifter?
Roller lifters have a wheel spinning on bearings. This wheel rides directly on the lobes of the camshaft and their design allows the valves to open faster, remain open longer, and allow more airflow in and out of the engine.
What’s the benefit?
The benefit is less friction, less wear, and longer engine life. Valves open faster and stay open longer with each stroke of the piston. This allows for more airflow, which ultimately means more horsepower. Our dyno results speak for themselves; significant gains in both horsepower and torque. There is no break-in period with our roller cam, avoiding necessary valve adjustments that flat tappet cams require. Zinc additives in the oil is also not needed.
Does FTR offer the reverse (right hand) or standard (left hand) camshaft for sale separately?
The answer is… no. We’ve gathered some of the best quality parts on the market in assembling our rebuild kits. Our kits are competitively priced to include all of the necessary parts to upgrade your rebuild to roller cams, without any extras. We save you the time and effort of or researching what is needed, and sourcing all the parts individually. FTR guarantees only top quality parts are used to match the quality of our camshaft. This avoids the lag time involved with waiting for forgotten/needed parts, or sourcing parts from different vendors.
Specifically, we require pairing our camshafts with the premium Morel roller lifters offered in our kit.
See our reasoning for doing so in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=LcR9-nCJ-ak&t=3s&pp=ugUEEgJlbg%3D%3D
Will this camshaft work in my high performance offshore / go fast boat?
Yes, but our camshaft is not designed with high speed and high RPM in mind. Our camshafts are meant to optimize horsepower and torque in the 2000 - 4000 RPM range, where it matters most for cruising and mid-size vessels that rarely run wide open throttle. See dyno results.
Will my distributor work with the reverse rotation camshaft ?
It depends, our camshaft’s reversed distributor driver gear and included distributor gear ensures your distributor spins the normal direction (clockwise). With the reversed gears, the thrust load on the distributor is now a downward pull vs a normal upward push. You’ll need to verify that your distributor has a thrust bearing or washer installed and can handle this load. MSD and Pertronix both make units that can handle this, and some of the older Mallory units may as well.
Do I have to run the included distributor gear with the FTR Camshaft?
Yes. It is imperative that our distributor gear is used in tandem with our camshaft. It has a special coating that is designed to best match the hardness of our solid billet camshaft, eliminating the need to monitor wear and replace bronze distributor gears.
How does this all work?
Still have questions? Use our Contact form, or send an email to: info@ftrcamandmotor.com. We are not an email only company. We are gearheads too, and are happy to discuss via phone (please include your phone number). We will partner with you or your local engine shop to ensure you get the right parts for your rebuild.