I'm just wondering what you paid for it. A friend of mine is looking to possibly order an "alteration" on one of their BBC catalog grinds. :D Can they be bought through one of the mail order spots for less $$$?

If you are doing a custom I would suggest either using an engine builder or going direct to the cam grinder.
Sometimes it pays to possibly spend an extra few dollars & have the advantage of a little professional & personal help :D

Nudge nudge ;) ;)

If you do order one, be sure to get a billet core, not the cast core roller.

I would also advise a cast iron dist gear pressed on the back.

I ordered a custom XR 280 on a Gen VI billet core with cast gear last year for $312 shipped to my door.

You can use the gen VI core in your Mark IV using a Gen VI timing set avaial from GM for $40.

No cam button to fuss with.

Originally posted by jakeshoe:
If you do order one, be sure to get a billet core, not the cast core roller.

I would also advise a cast iron dist gear pressed on the back.

I ordered a custom XR 280 on a Gen VI billet core with cast gear last year for $312 shipped to my door.

You can use the gen VI core in your Mark IV using a Gen VI timing set avaial from GM for $40.

No cam button to fuss with. Now someone's actually saying something to help me! :rolleyes:

Thanks Jacob! Also Jacob, thanks for the other suggestions, that's the kind of info I could ACTUALLY use. What was the turnaround time?

Originally posted by Rmchevelle:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by jakeshoe:
If you do order one, be sure to get a billet core, not the cast core roller.

I would also advise a cast iron dist gear pressed on the back.

I ordered a custom XR 280 on a Gen VI billet core with cast gear last year for $312 shipped to my door.

You can use the gen VI core in your Mark IV using a Gen VI timing set avaial from GM for $40.

No cam button to fuss with. Now someone's actually saying something to help me! :rolleyes:

Thanks Jacob! Also Jacob, thanks for the other suggestions, that's the kind of info I could ACTUALLY use. What was the turnaround time? </font>[/QUOTE]These are the reasons you want to deal with the cam grinders or someone who does reguarly on custom stuff.
BTW, no one makes a cast core solid roller they are all billet.
The cast rear is an excellent option as you no longer need to deal with bronze distributer gears.
Comp will usually turn the cam in a few days if you deal with them directly as long as they have a core in stock.

Mike,
You know your stuff but several manufacturers are using cast core cams for solid andI believe hyd rollers.
Comp is one of them...
I also believe Speed Pro/Sealed Power sells a version in hyd.

It isn't called "cast" but is nonetheless a specially hardened casting.

There have been several failures of these cams posted online, even here I believe.
Comp blamed it on poor heat treat, and it may have very well been so.

However the price for these cams, is no cheaper from Comp than a billet core cam from another reputable grinder.

If you order a shelfing Comp XR280 cam it is on a cast core...

They do this to prevent needing a special dist gear, save $$ on core costs, etc..
However I will NEVER use a cast core roller cam in anything I build, for myself or a customer.

It is simply to risky IMO.

Hi Jacob,
I will take your word for it but I have never seen or used a cast iron solid roller.
Mabye I'm just lucky smile.gif
All of the ones I have ever ordered were billet, some with the special gear for the street.
I have two XR street rollers with 240 seat & 550+ open running around with quite a few miles on them & don't think a cast cam would hold up with these pressures.
They were both special order though so & I have never used a shelf XR cam.
I do know of the probelems with the hyd rollers though, seen what one looks like up close & it wasn't real pretty but I was under the impression they were a different grade of steel & not cast??
In any event, I totally agree with you that I would never run a cast roller.

I had a cast solid roller cam made from Crower back in the 60's. Only reason I think it was used was due to its specs. approx. .550 lift, 250' @ .050. I couldnt say if any are made now.

I'm with Jake, Comp has both cores for solid rollers. I always do a custom grind and specify a billet roller and cast gear.

Jody

Mike,
The cores are called "austempered ductile iron".
Also maybe a proferal iron...

Look at page 227 of the online Comp catalog.
Their "street rollers" are made of this..
Also page 275 of theComp catlog mentions this about their bronze gears not needed at the bottom of the page

Also here is a link, even Crower has these type of cores...
http://www.crower.com/cat/domestic/chrysler/truck_camshafts.shtml

Be careful,
they are out there and some of the stuff I've seen hasn't been pretty...

Rod,
I missed your questionon turnaround time...

I ordered mine on a Monday and I had it Wed. or Thursday same week smile.gif
Comp is in Tennessee and I'm in TX...

Their shelfing XR series are ~$280 from most suppliers I believe...

So $20-30 extra for a billet core and a cast gear is a good deal.
As I said I would NOT order a shelfing "street roller" cam because of the cast core.

Also,
before you call Comp,
I would recommend you know exactly what you are after.
So to do this,
decide on your lobe specs, LSA, etc.. general cam specs..
decide on your core type,
Mark IV, Gen VI, or whatever you are after..

And all the other pertinant info, like cast gear, etc..

Then go to the Comp site, and look at their core section and custom order cams section to figure out what the grind number should be.

Their site explains it but it is a little confusing.

That way,
when you call,
they are gonna assign a grind number to the cam.

It'll be something like 11-4620/4628-112SR I think.

You need to verify that their grind number is correct...
I wouldn't risk getting the wrong cam because of a misunderstanding on the phone...

Good luck..

Thanks Jacob, graemlins/thumbsup.gif
I have always ordered rollers by lobe & did not know their solid street rollers were not a billet.
I even had a billit solid roller that the card says is a -8 & under special instructions says "cast gear"
Never paid any attention to the blurb on the gears as I either used a bronze gear or ordered it with a cast gear on the cam.
I had other reasons for not buying their shelf cams, mainly quality control & now I have another reason to add to my list. ;)

Originally posted by jakeshoe:
Rod,
I missed your questionon turnaround time...

I ordered mine on a Monday and I had it Wed. or Thursday same week smile.gif
Comp is in Tennessee and I'm in TX...

Their shelfing XR series are ~$280 from most suppliers I believe...

So $20-30 extra for a billet core and a cast gear is a good deal.
As I said I would NOT order a shelfing "street roller" cam because of the cast core.

Also,
before you call Comp,
I would recommend you know exactly what you are after.
So to do this,
decide on your lobe specs, LSA, etc.. general cam specs..
decide on your core type,
Mark IV, Gen VI, or whatever you are after..

And all the other pertinant info, like cast gear, etc..

Then go to the Comp site, and look at their core section and custom order cams section to figure out what the grind number should be.

Their site explains it but it is a little confusing.

That way,
when you call,
they are gonna assign a grind number to the cam.

It'll be something like 11-4620/4628-112SR I think.

You need to verify that their grind number is correct...
I wouldn't risk getting the wrong cam because of a misunderstanding on the phone...

Good luck.. Thanks Jacob. My friend knows exactly which cam he wants and what alterations he wants to have done. We were not aware of the cast vs billet core issue, so, thanks again for the tips on that.

Rod

Cam Motion in Baton Rouge, ask for Terry. These guys make custom grinds. They even make custom grinds for some of the big cam companies you guys are speaking about.