Flat Vs. Roller

When It’s Time To Select A Camshaft, Which Type Is Better For You?

- Jim Smart

CAMSHAFT SELECTION HAS ALWAYS CONFOUNDED A LOT OF US. What does it all mean, and which cam is the right cam for your Mustang? The most basic question with cam selection is flat tappet (old school) versus the more expensive roller tappet (high tech). Is the roller tappet worth the added expense?

Both flat- and roller-tappet camshafts have been around for as long as there have been internal combustion engines. The humble flat-tappet camshaft was a mainstay in manufacturing because it was cheaper to produce and tended to last the life of the engine—or at least until the warranty expired. As fuel economy and horsepower demand increased in the 1980s, roller-tappet camshafts became more commonplace in mass-production engines.

Ford was first with a roller-tappet hydraulic cam in the Mustang in 1985, which made the Mustang’s 5.0L engine more powerful, not to mention more fuel efficient. The car was a blast to drive and became the best of both worlds—efficiency and power—two elements previously unheard of in the same car. The news got even better with the advent of electronic engine control and fuel injection.