Lunati Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams

Pontiac V8 Lunati Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams

Voodoo on a Flat Lobe — Lunati Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams for Pontiac V8s

Lunati hydraulic flat tappet cams for the Pontiac V8 come from the Voodoo family, profiles Lunati designs around area under the lift curve rather than headline duration. The intent is throttle response, vacuum and low-to-midrange torque on a carbureted street engine.

A flat tappet Voodoo grind is a conventional camshaft in every other respect: it rides a flat-faced lifter directly on the lobe, so it needs break-in oil, the right spring pressure for break-in, and new lifters with a new cam. Butler carries the full range of Pontiac cams, kits and valvetrain hardware to go with one.

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 Lunati Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cams

1. What a Voodoo Hydraulic Flat Tappet Is For

Lunati's own description of the Voodoo hydraulic family is that it delivers more area under the curve than any other series of hydraulic camshafts, which they tie to more throttle response, quicker acceleration, more vacuum and better efficiency alongside horsepower and torque.

Street and towing	the smaller Voodoo hydraulic flat tappet grinds are aimed at carbureted street use, recreational vehicles, boats and towing, where low-speed torque and a good idle matter more than peak power.
Street and strip	the larger grinds move the range up and start asking for a converter, a gear and compression to match, with an idle you can hear.
How to compare them	duration at .050" and lobe separation tell you nearly everything. Advertised duration is measured differently by different grinders and is not a reliable cross-brand comparison.

2. Choosing a Flat Tappet Cam for a Pontiac

The cam is chosen by the combination, not by the number on the box. Before you pick a grind, know these.

Displacement and heads	a 455 will tolerate more duration than a 350 will, and the head flow sets the point where more lift stops paying.
Compression	long seat timing bleeds cylinder pressure at low rpm, and static compression is what buys it back.
Converter and gear	the engine has to be able to reach the range the cam was ground for.
Vacuum	power brakes and vacuum accessories set a floor on how much overlap you can live with.

If you want a specific Lunati grind for a Pontiac and do not see it listed, call the shop. Butler also stocks COMP Xtreme Energy book grinds and its own Hi-Torq flat tappet ladder covering the same duration range.

3. Break-In Is the Whole Job

Every flat tappet cam needs a break-in oil carrying a high zinc package, and a more extensive break-in process than a roller cam does. Get this wrong and the cam is scrap in twenty minutes.

ZDDP	use a zinc break-in oil on the first run, and keep a zinc-bearing oil in the engine afterward. Butler recommends an oil formulated with the zinc in it rather than an additive. Current API oils have the anti-wear package reduced.
Spring pressure for break-in	the final spring pressure can be too much for a fresh lobe and lifter face. Break the cam in on the correct pressure for break-in, then install the final springs.
New lifters with a new cam	a used lifter has already worn a pattern into its face and will not match a new lobe.
The run itself	varied rpm well above idle for the first twenty minutes, with 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.