BB timing covers and roller cams

[mentor70]

so like 5 yrs ago i assembled my lattest BB RB 440 build, i put in a Lunati hydraulic roller cam with the OE metal timing cover.

shortly after i put the thing together i remember seeing a post about timing issues due to cam walking due to thrust issues.

i remember seen a couple of picks of guys welding plates to add strength to keep the timing cover in ck.

i thought well, damn, now i got to take my shitz all apart again...

then about a year latter, in 2015, and the 50th anniversery of the HEMI, i was watching a TV show, the Indy cylinder head guys put a 572 hemi, and they just popped a OE timing cover on the engine, and a solid roller cam, and just threw it on the dyno and made 750 HP...

ever since then, ive been wondering if all the timming cover stuff was just a hoax.

now that im getting around to working on this again, im concerned that maybe i should adress this timming cover again.

any real world experiance from you guys?

 

[Bighead440]

Some particular setups thrust more than others. Recently at our shop, we tore down a 454 BB Chevy to de-cam it some for EFI. The idiots that built the engine installed a retro-hyd-roller cam (a Mother Thumpr, of course!) and had NO THRUST BUTTON. Amazingly, the timing cover had zero wear markings and the lifter roller tracking looked pretty centered on the lobes. That being said, I also have a used BBM Isky street roller, ground on a cast billet core, that is SINGLE BOLT. How would you run a thrust button with that? (I figured a solution for my own install, but I seriously doubt it ever had a button in it's previous usage.)

 

[Lefty71]

If I go to a solid roller on an engine, I use a button, and also spend the extra cash to get a cast aluminum front cover, cuz I know it wont flex, and it will stay just like I set it up on day one. HTH, Lefty71

 

[mentor70]

yeah, i have a 3 bolt cam with nylon thrust button. i have water pump spacers already, thinking about getting a Mancini aluminum timing cover.