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Hi-Torq Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams and Cam Kits
Pontiac V8 Hi-Torq Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams and Cam Kits
Butler's Own Street Ladder — Hi-Torq Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams and Cam Kits for Pontiac V8s
The Hi-Torq hydraulic flat tappet grinds are Butler's own Street Performance ladder for the Pontiac V8, ground by Comp Cams to Butler's spec. Six steps from 250/260 to 284/296 advertised, and every one of them on a 112 lobe separation rather than the 110 the catalog book grinds use.
That wider separation is the whole idea: more vacuum and a cleaner idle at a given duration, which is what a street car with power brakes and a stock-ish converter actually wants. Butler offers each grind as the cam alone, as a cam and lifter kit with Hy-Lift Johnson 852B lifters, or as a full master kit.
Flat tappet cams and lifters carry the manufacturer’s warranty only — read the full warranty notice at the bottom of this page before ordering.
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More About Hi-Torq Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams and Cam Kits
1. The Six Steps
All six Hi-Torq hydraulic flat tappet grinds are on 112 lobe separation. Each is listed as advertised duration, duration at .050", and valve lift.
| 250/260, 206/212 at .050", .432/.444 lift | the mildest. A stock-rebuild cam with better manners than the factory grind and no demands on the rest of the car. |
| 256/268, 212/218 at .050", .447/.455 lift | the classic first step up, and a safe pick behind a stock converter and highway gear. |
| 262/270, 218/224 at .050", .462/.470 lift | a noticeable idle and real midrange, still without a converter change on most combinations. |
| 268/280, 224/230 at .050", .477/.480 lift | where the cam starts driving the rest of the build. Heads, intake and exhaust should be doing something by here. |
| 274/286, 230/236 at .050", .490/.490 lift | a single-lift grind, intake and exhaust the same, for a built street engine. |
| 284/296, 240/246 at .050", .507/.510 lift | the largest of the six. Compression, converter and gear all need to be chosen for it. |
Comp also grinds a custom hydraulic flat tappet on Butler's core if none of the six suit, available as a cam, a cam and lifter kit, or a master kit with your own lobes.
2. Why 112 Lobe Separation Instead of 110
The COMP Xtreme Energy book grinds Butler also stocks are ground on 110. These are on 112, and at the same duration that changes the car.
| More vacuum | a wider separation reduces overlap, which is what a power-brake booster, a vacuum-advance distributor and a PCV system are all living on. |
| Cleaner idle | less choppiness at the curb and an easier idle to tune, particularly with an automatic. |
| Broader top end | the trade is a little less peak midrange than the same duration on a tighter separation. On a street car that trade is usually worth making. |
If you want the chop and are willing to give up vacuum for it, the 110-separation book grinds are the other side of that decision.
3. Cam, Cam and Lifter Kit, or Master Kit
| Cam only | the camshaft alone. Pair it with new lifters, never used ones. |
| Cam and lifter kit | adds the CCA-852B-16 Hy-Lift Johnson hydraulic lifter set, made in the USA. |
| Master kit | cam and lifters plus a double roller billet timing set, valve springs chosen for your head type, chromoly retainers, locks and valve stem seals for cast iron heads with a machined guide boss. |
On the master kits the spring choice follows the cylinder head: one set for cast iron D-port heads, a different set for cast iron Super Duty and Ram Air IV castings and Edelbrock heads. Tell Butler what heads are going on and the kit comes matched.
4. Flat Tappet Break-In
Butler flags this on every flat tappet product for good reason: all flat tappet cams require a break-in oil that already carries a high zinc package, and they require a more extensive break-in process.
| ZDDP | the zinc and phosphorus in a proper break-in oil is what keeps the lobe and the lifter face from welding themselves together in the first minutes. Butler recommends an oil formulated with the zinc in it, not an additive poured into ordinary oil. |
| Break-in spring pressure | use the correct seat pressure for break-in rather than the final race-spring pressure, then change over once the cam is in. |
| New lifters every time | a used lifter has a wear pattern that will not match a new lobe. |
| Run it properly | varied rpm well above idle for the first twenty minutes, with the ignition timing and cooling sorted beforehand. |
Flat Tappet Cam & Lifter Warranty Notice
Due to so many variable that can affect flat tappet cam and lifter life from break-in and beyond Flat tappet cams are subject to manufacturer’s warranty ONLY. This is due to stringent break-in procedures that must be followed (including removing inner springs for break-in), rocker ratio, the special oils/additives required, lifter bore inconsistencies of size and angle in stock blocks, issues of lifter bore wear and oil bleed off on 40-50 year old Pontiac blocks and so many other variables that can affect cam/lifter life both right from the point of break-in as well as durability after break-in. Keep in mind that just because an engine “ran for 40 years with the stock flat tappet cam and lifters” doesn’t mean that a more aggressive cam that also requires new, stronger springs will have the same life. Or even make it through break in. Block/Lifter bore issues are magnified once you change cams, springs and/or rocker ratio.
If you have an issue with a flat tappet cam/lifters and you believe it’s a warrantable issue then Butler Performance will return the cam to COMP/Lunati/Melling for inspection and any warranty/replacement will be at their discretion. We do not warranty flat tappet cams in any way past the manufacturer’s warranty. We do not warranty any parts damaged by or parts needed to replace a flat tappet cam/lifters including any labor involved.
BUTLER PERFORMANCE HIGHLY RECOMMENDS UPGRADING TO HYDRAULIC ROLLER CAMS.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Email our tech team at tech@butlerperformance.com. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.