Mine still look good so I was wondering if I could re-use these with a new hydraulic roller cam?

 

I did.

Most do. If there is scoring of the wheel, or the wheel doesn't turn smoothly, replace. Otherwise, should be fine for use.

(I had mine soaking in oil for 4 years before I actually used them. You probably don't need to do that, though. . .)

 

I reused all 15 of mine, but one had a crack from the bottom to the roller part so I bought a new one.

 

All 15?

 

The 15 I had and I bought a new one making 16

 

Used the same 16 with 3 different cams & 2 different blocks.

 

Like the above said you are probably OK to reuse the rollers if they were working properly. However if you are installing stronger valve springs than there is a posibility of a weak roller showing up that you would not notice with the factory springs.

 

A weak one? At worst you could take apart just about any hydro lifter and steal the plunger and check ball springs out of it.

 

Rick, how many miles have you put on them? Is there any sort of mileage limitation to these little buggers?

 

ljnowell, true as to what you say. But at what point do you find out? Is he going to take the rollers all apart and inspect and clean them? I'm just trying to bring up things to think about.

 

Over the past 6 years, 15,000 miles.

 

Anyone know of a hyd. roller lifter that will handle 340-350 lbs open pressure but is still easy on the wallet? Everything I've seen is $250 and more.

 

That's a heap of spring for a hydraulic cam. That suggests a lot of duration and lift. The first thing you'd better consider is whether the stock retainer system can handle it. The only way to get above a certain lift on the lobe is to cut the base circle smaller, which drops the lifter farther down into the hole - which can disengage the dogbone anti-rotation device. Get that clear before you proceed.

If you aren't using that much lift, then the question is, "Why so much spring pressure?" If you don't really need them, go with lesser springs.

Another thing to consider is a "rev kit", which relieves the valve springs of the duty of keeping the lifters on the cam lobes. Splits the duty, if you will, allowing the valve spring to work on just the valve, rocker, and pushrod, while this other spring works directly on the body of the lifter (and therefore doesn't tax the hydraulic portion of the lifter). A much better approach, in my opinion, as it allows much higher RPMs without the strain on the rocker/pushrod of high spring pressures, and takes the hydraulic lash adustment out of the lifter-return picture. Probably costs less than new hydraulic rollers, too.

But, if the lift is your limiting factor, the rev kit cost benefits aren't going to be there.

 

With my new cam I'm going with the GM factory rollers 2nd design. I'm also using the Comp Cams beehive valve springs 26918. Seat pressure is 130 pounds and open pressure is 318 pounds. You don't need the high pound springs with a beehive style spring.

 

You are right. Alot of people wont dissasemble and clean them. It takes only a few minutes per lifter, though, and it doesnt cost a thing.

 

Alright. Someone has to give me the correct info. My cam is a 228/232 dur. with .529 lift. I have so many conflicting opinions about spring pressures with a hydraulic roller cams that it starting to annoy me. I just want to do buy the right parts but I can't seem to find any matching info. My cam compnay says 130# seat and anywhere from 280-320# open @ .530 lift. I have a few engine builders on another site saying 300# open isn't enough to keep the lifter on the cam. I have Crane cams telling me 120# seat and 340-350#s open pressure is ideal for rollers. I have my cam company telling me 120# seat doesn't cut it.

Whats the correct info??!!?

The reason I asked about the 340-350# open pressure is because that is a spring option (125#seat/347#open@.529) that comes on the heads that I'm looking at. The next weakest spring option is 120#seat and 319@ open but I assumed the 120# seat was too weak. HEEEEELLLLPPPP!!!

 

Did you ever get an answer to this from anyone at all? I'm curious to know because I'm wondering if the springs I've got in my set up are good enough or not.

 

I had a shop shim them to 130# AND 330#S OPEN. Works great.

 

89 GTA, I have those same springs, what are you using as a spring cup, there an off size and nobody seems to make ones that will fit?, I don't want to gall up my TF Al. heads when I get the thing togeather (I'm in the prosess of building my engine), also I have comps P/N 853-16 retro-fit Hyd. roller lifters, and nobody seems to make a rev kit for them, I got a used one on E-bay, but the buttons don't fit in the lifters