I bought a retrofit roller cam and lifter set so I could have more lift and spring pressure with peace of mind, but now I think I have less then ever.

Doesnt seem like comp cams feels the need to make sure their parts are clean and ready for use. The roller lifters I got where completly contaminated with metallic shavings and other junk from production. Some of the rollers wouldnt even turn they where so crudded up. Is there someone over there who throws handfulls of metal shavings and grit in every box for good measure? I had to spend the better part of my afternoon cleaning out the needle bearings with mineral spirits and compressed air to get all the junk out. Its a good thing I checked them all and cleaned them or 700+ dollars of cam and lifter wouldve been reduced to scrap metal as soon as I turned the key. I can see a wipedown with mineral spirits to get any wayward stuff off, but this is rediculous. Its almost like they want the parts to fail the first time so you have to buy it again. Is anyone else having similar experiences?

I almost feel like just sticking with my plain vanilla Isky flat tappet and AC Delco valve train. At least I know that stuff was made to work in an engine for more then a few seconds.

 

my comp lifters were pretty cruddy also i took them apart and cleaned them with kerosene then mineral spirits but i couldn't get all of the grit out when i depressed the plungers they were always sorta gritty... i sent them back to comp... the new ones comp sent didn't have any preservative but were sticky almost like coolant... those too got the kerosene but cleaned up okay... i would send yours back if you aren't in a hurry

 

Wont the next set possibly be just as crummy, though? From you having that issue it sounds like its a problem with just about each and every set that rolls off the line.

I havent tried compressing the plunger yet. If they feel ok, Ill probably just leave them. The only other solution if theyre all contaminated internally is to fully disassemble and clean, but messing around with spring loaded parts and snap rings isn't my idea of fun.

 

i would say there is a decent chance they might be just as bad... the plungers where what bothered me...

and taking them apart was a ball... first one i did in the garage... the other 15 i did in the shower.... the curtain stopped most of the flying pieces...

 

That was my memory of taking apart a hydrolic lifter as well. "POIIIINNGGG" sound with lots of flying parts.

 

I don't mean to laugh at other's misfortune, but this is some damned funny stuff!

 

Well this sucks. Since theyre linkbar lifters, theyre not servicable due to teh rivet preventing the removal of the cup and plunger. Im going to go ahead and send these 16 little steel turds back to Jegs and get some others from a different company.

I'll say one thing, these aftermarket guys suck the fun out of everything. I haven't even started swapping in the parts yet and Im already pissed.

 

Wow, that does suck, guess I won't be buying a cam & lifter pkg from them when I start building my 400sbc for my 'Bird. My Edelbrock 3701 intake needed some grinding in one of the ports, & a bolt hole was off center. At least Jeg's is good about taking things back.
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Where do they make their stuff now? Seems like everything is made in Chinese sweat shops these days. I can't find quality rear wheel cylinders around here, Autozone, Pep bums, Advance, & Napa all had "Made in China" junk in stock, but no American stuff. I also had to buy calipers yesterday. Autozone had supposed reman. ones, but what I found in the box was a very crappy & porous casting, with no GM cast markings or PN's....crappy Chinese knock offs is what they were. Thermostat gasket? Chinese made! brake line? Chinese made! No wonder our economy is shot....

 

You'll likely have better overall luck and results with Isky Stuff.
www.iskycams.com

Here is another good source for roller lifters
http://www.dougherbert.com/rollerlifters-p-10095.html

 

Comp Cams has had trouble with the people that have made their hydraulic roller lifters from about the time they introduced the Xtreme Energy hydraulic roller cam line. They never seem to be able to keep up production numbers and sometimes have quality issues. I am not sure if they have swapped suppliers or not, but given the odds and ends of complaints I suspect they are using the same supplier.

If the lifters come to you bad then send them back. I wouldn't bother trying to clean out the garbage. You are taking a risk that you will be able to clean up the lifters to the point you won't have any future problems. You are also taking away a warranty return to Comp Cams that, with enough other returns, will signal a quality problem.

If you can't disassemble the entire lifter I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. If a chunk of metal filings finds its way back in to the oil gallies... rebuild time.

 

I was looking at the Isky stuff and they make a retrofit hydrolic roller for $570 and change when you order from them. More expensive, but if it works, Im a happy camper.

What you mentioned is why Im sending them back. I can see dirt on the metering disks of some of them, but cant get to it. The thing that really throws up red flags for me is their instructions saying to wash the entire assembled lifter in mineral spirits. With hydrolics, thats probably the last thing you would want to do. Makes me wonder whos running the show over there.

 

The Isky price is a competitive price. Lunati and Crane are about the same.
Maybe that is what it costs to get someone to clean the lifter parts before assembly.

 

I definitely wont be buying any more stuff from Crap-Cams any time soon. I was getting ready to mock up the cam to set the end play and I noticed that there are hair line scratches on some of the journals of the cam. After carefully examining them, they dont appear to have any raised edges to snag on the cam bearings, so I guess its still ok to run. Im tempted to send it back under the warrantee, but I have a feeling that the next one could be in even worse shape. What a load of