[Cliff R]

"I run the 60919 crower (close to RA4)with 1.65 rockers with rhoads v max in my 70 455. Idles with very little lope and low end(off idle) is brutal.Rolling slow in 2nd gear with 3.31 gears all you do is push the go pedal and it will put down 150' easy.With rhoads lifters this cam idles just a little rougher than the 068.Why go with a smaller cam using rhoads lifters? I also believe the 70 455 is probably more like 9.5-1 from the factory."

EXACTLY why I do NOT use the 2802 cam in the 455 engine. As mentioned previously I've had a few in here to tune and not overly impressed with them and they were flat DONE making power by 5000rpm's if not a bit sooner.

With a well thought out Pontiac 455 engine build you can do everything the 2802 will do AND have a butt load more upper mid-range and top end power with a larger camshaft topped with Rhoads lifters and high ratio rockers. I've dyno'd the 60919 cam using Rhoads lifters and high ratio (1.73) rocker on it, then pulled all of it out and installed a custom ground Comp 240/248/112 cam, then a Comp 230/242/112 hydraulic roller cam with .361" lobes. The 60919 cam/Rhoads/high ratio rockers made almost the same power as the hydraulic roller cam AND it pulled high in the rpm range making peak HP at 5600 vs 5400 for the HR.

No wonder Jim Hand's 455's ran so well using that technology........Cliff

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by scott70

I run the 60919 crower (close to RA4)with 1.65 rockers with rhoads v max in my 70 455. Idles with very little lope and low end(off idle) is brutal.Rolling slow in 2nd gear with 3.31 gears all you do is push the go pedal and it will put down 150' easy.With rhoads lifters this cam idles just a little rougher than the 068.Why go with a smaller cam using rhoads lifters? I also believe the 70 455 is probably more like 9.5-1 from the factory.

How tight did you set the lash on those V-max lifters? With the adjustability in them now, I seldom hear any mention of how people are setting them up.

[scott70]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

How tight did you set the lash on those V-max lifters? With the adjustability in them now, I seldom hear any mention of how people are setting them up.

That cam and lifters have been in there for over 4 years now,,,I went by the papers that came with the lifters and set them a hair tight from what they said. I cant remember exactly now. I believe Cliff messes with those lifters a lot more often than I have,,,maybe he'll chime in.

[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

0.010" and GO

[Formulajones]

Nice, that should hardly make any noise, probably not even audible. I like it.

I run a solid flat tappet on the street at .014" lash and I can't even hear the darn thing once the hood is shut.

[Jim Hand]

Formulajones, I have my V Max Rhoads (1918 XL) set at .015”. The engine is quieter then non-adjustable Rhoads, but idles a little rougher. At .030, it idled better but didn’t run as quick. Basically, with these adjustable lifters, we are running solid lifters on a hydraulic cam above 3500-4000 RPM, but with some hydraulic cushion to protect the lobes. I strongly suggest Rhodes installation instructions be read, understood, and followed accurately.

Jim Hand

[Dragncar]

The 2802 cam in a 455 is not even a "RV cam. In my old 350 it a nice idle, but did not come on until 3500 RPMs. 400, little smoother. I would not even think about Rhodes with that cam in a 455.
I would not even use them with a RAIV cam in a 455.
BTW, does Crane still make their version of a 'quiet" Rhodes ?

[ponyakr]

"...I would not even use them with a RAIV cam in a 455..."


I dare say there are thousands of Pontiac guys, including me, who have run the 041/Rhoads combo in our 455 & loved it.

But, as I said, for those who don't like 'em, just don't use 'em.

Just because some don't like 'em, don't mean they don't work. There are too many of us, like Jim Hand & Cliff Ruggles, who have proved that they do work in 455 engines with the 041 cam.

[scott70]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

The 2802 cam in a 455 is not even a "RV cam. In my old 350 it a nice idle, but did not come on until 3500 RPMs. 400, little smoother. I would not even think about Rhodes with that cam in a 455.
I would not even use them with a RAIV cam in a 455.
BTW, does Crane still make their version of a 'quiet" Rhodes ?

I also had a ultradyne hft grind that was similar to a ra4 but had 110 LS. I went from regular lifters to rhoads only and it calmed the idle down,,easier to drive with the stick and the brakes were much better because of increase vac.Also low end ,low rpm grunt was noticeably improved...I thought it was great,,,been using them ever since. Only thing I don't like is the increased noise....not horrible but noticeable.Don't know if you could lug a dyno that low but I wonder if theres any back to back test from regular lifters to rhoads or v max version?