For the basic sbc with a hydraulic flat tappet cam, what differences are there in lifters? I thought I read once that there are only a couple companies that actually make lifters, they are just commonly rebranded.

Im fixing to put together a new motor. Rules dictate use of the old 300 hp 327 cam. I could push the rule alittle, but at this point, Im going to go with one of the allowed cam part #s. But when it comes to lifters, I don't really know.

Any benefit of one brand of lifter over the other?

Thanks

 

Get some with a hardened foot.

 

I believe comp high energy and pro magnum have a hardened seat

 

Use the Zinc additive if your're using a flat tappet cam with the right oil. Oil for today's engines can make your cam go flat.

 

Ive got the break in stuff covered for the most part. Thanks though.

Hardened foot. Wonder if those specifically harder lifters require a matching harder cam? I figured there had to be some difference in the $3 lifters vs the $7 lifters. I don't see many that specifically mention having a hardened foot though. Maybe that's something I need to actually call and ask about.

 

Whatever you do, don't buy run of the mill lifters, they are all made in China. All of mine fell apart after 5 years of use. The clips came out of them and I started finding one here and there when changing the oil. Pulled the intake and all of the rest of the clips were huddled together in the valley (thankfully). They were all broke in half and you could take the pieces between your fingers and snap them as if they were brittle plastic. Maybe I got a bad batch, but it sure put me off.

I run a 350HP cam in a 327 and went with Crower Cam Saver lifters and am happy with those. I also run VR 20W50 racing oil with a 7 qt pan.

 

For anything other than a daily driver, I highly recommend the .002-.004" pre-load (just a little short of 1/8 turn) Comp Pro Magnum lifters and 981-16 springs. I had no problems spinning up to 7,000 rpm with that combination.

 

No hardened foot lifters were factory in a lot of pre 87 engines. Even pretty lame ones (l82 l83) I always keep thosr and if not worn concave I refinish tge foot and keep the ones that are the best condition.

 

Great question. They are talking about these. Notice the hardface bases. They are a chilled iron alloy that is harder than the rest of the lifter body. They get spun-welded on.



You can find lifters that look like these on ebay and Skip White. DO NOT BUY THEM!

I can tell you a nightmare story about those lifters, but for now I will tell you that the Genuine GM brand of this lifter is great. The bases don't wear like some of the others.
Unfortunately, there are knockoffs out there. There are even people that buy the knockoffs and the GM ones, and throw the knockoffs back in the GM boxes and return them for a refund. Back on the shelf they go, and the next guy comes along and buys what he believes to be the Genuine GM. And he gets burned. Skip White guarantees that his lifters are genuine. THEY ARE NOT! Unfortunately a manufacturer can say "Made In USA" if their headquarters is on US soil. But the products are actually foreign made.
Below are some pics showing the difference between the GMs and the knockoffs that don't work.
The pushrod seat/cup does not have the correct dimensions, which renders the lifter's hydraulic "pump" useless and you get no oil to your rocker arms.

Another option is the lifters with the EDMed hole in the base that supplies a little extra oil to the cam lobe/lifter interface. Grooving the lifter bores is another option. ISKY also makes a great hydraulic lifter.

 

Thanks guys. Stuff like that is exactly why I asked.

BAD SS, 1/8 turn is where I had thought about putting them, thanks for the reassurance on that. By rules, the springs will have to be the "Z28" springs.

Now I just need to try and narrow down a long list of lifters on the market. GM, ISKY, Comp, Lunati, Rhoades, Crower, Howards, etc.....

 

Looking through summit, assuming all with a hardened foot have that line near the base, you can weed out several.

The Comp Pro Magnum, https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-858-16/overview/ have a snap ring vs the smaller wire ring. I like that.

Crower makes a set with the oil groove that they market as "Cam Savers" but there are a couple reviews mentioning the retaining ring coming out. Probably going to stay away from these.

I like the oil groove idea, but for me, most of my engine run time wont be at idle-2000. So I would think that traditional splash oiling would suffice. Any thoughts on the oil groove or EDM hole?

So many choices.........

 

I went with these to match my ISKY camshaft. My lifter bores are grooved.
http://iskycams.com/cart/index.php?m...nnjtilmmp2nko0

 

Do they give a part number or spring specs? Do they have to be set up at a certain closed height? The reason I ask is there are a number of folks selling "Z28" springs that have varying specs. I'm not condoning cheating, but unless they specifically say "GM" then it might be hard to determine what springs you have. I do know there are some GM "Z28" springs rated at 80" closed and 200# open at 1.25", which is only a 266# spring rate. With the slow ramps on the "350HP" cam they might be alright, but I'd want to run a little more spring pressure than that if it's allowed.

 

BadSS is correct. And there are also "Z28" springs with a higher spring rate and meant for a taller installed height.

 

They don't give any specs. That's just another piece of the puzzle I still have to figure out.

· Valve springs can be z28 springs
· Shims can be used under valve springs with a limit of .60 per string
· May use off set locks but not with shims

 

Here are the .100" longer Elgin Z28 springs.


This listing is for a brand new set of Z28 +.100" style performance valve springs that are made by Elgin Industries. Set includes 16 springs. The Z28 +.100" springs are stock outside diameter and can be used in many 1955-1993 small block Chevy V8 cast iron cylinder heads. They work great for stock, towing and most mild performance cams and work best with cams up to 0.550" lift. SPECS: Outside Diameter: 1.260" Inside Diameter: 0.785" Closed: 125 lbs. @ 1.750" Open: 325 lbs. @ 1.200" Coil Bind @: 1.160" Spring Type: Single with damper. Spring Rate (lbs./in.): 357 lbs/in

Even cheaper at Competition Products (need 2 sets). http://www.competitionproducts.com/E.../#.WxXMiBuWzcs

 

Any updates, 3rdgenmaro?

 

No. Slow go on this project. I did get my heads cleaned up and freshened up to class specs (416s).

One of the guys at the engine shop that runs a class alittle higher up says that most of those guys run Johnson Hylift lifters.

 

Johnson Hylift lifters are good.