Wvbuzzmaster
Well-Known Member
I am not replacing cam, just installing new lifters on existing cam.
I will be changing pushrod length. The ones that were in there had no preload on the lifters. I will be measuring for new pushrods that provide correct .020 to .050 preload.Was something else changed to prevent this(wire retainers coming out) from happening again?
Dont be sorry for telling the truth. All the old lifters had decent wear patterns, just no retainer clips left. Im thinking it should be ok, even if not ideal... with my new lifters...It looks a little gnarly to me. Im sorry.
Generally, performance cams like that from a “cam grinder” would have .0020-ish lobe taper(front to rear).
MP cams typically have closer to .0010-ish lobe taper.
Less taper = less lifter rotation.
The wear pattern on your cam is fairly well centered on the lobe, which is typical when there is less lobe taper.
My suggestion is to very carefully verify that each lifter has some positive rotation every time it goes up/down.
It doesnt need to move much...... but it has to move.
I would also use cam lube on the lifter faces and treat the first start up like you would to break in a new cam.
If any of the lifters don’t turn...... it won’t live.
As far as “wear” goes..... looking at pics on my phone....... it looks okay.
HmmmmmI lubed the sides of the lifters in motor oil and the faces of them with Crower’s ZPaste and acting as if new break in... if I ever get to that point while sorting rockers, shafts, and pushrods. Oh and when installing each lifter I verified that it could easily rotate in the bores and move up and down etc. so as long as the cam rotates them... should be ok.
I drove the car to where it is sitting so I might not be a fan of potential shortcuts... I am also not wanting to pull the engine. (Yes I know I could pull rad and grill but still have a stock torque converter). I looked at each lifter that came out to make sure it had a decent rotational looking wear pattern and they all did. I was hoping to see the cam looking prettier than it does... but it is what it is...Hmmmmm
Im not big on using used parts in particular flat tappet cams. I have had to many bad experiences in past decades. For the cost of cam and some gaskets I would have replaced it.
Only time and miles will tell.
I wish you the best of luck.
Maybe I missed itI drove the car to where it is sitting so I might not be a fan of potential shortcuts... I am also not wanting to pull the engine. (Yes I know I could pull rad and grill but still have a stock torque converter). I looked at each lifter that came out to make sure it had a decent rotational looking wear pattern and they all did. I was hoping to see the cam looking prettier than it does... but it is what it is...
With the push rods installed, preload set and the intake off rotate the engine to ensure that each lifter is rotating properly. Dont get nuts with the number of crank rotations or you will kung fu your breakin procedure.I lubed the sides of the lifters in motor oil and the faces of them with Crower’s ZPaste and acting as if new break in... if I ever get to that point while sorting rockers, shafts, and pushrods. Oh and when installing each lifter I verified that it could easily rotate in the bores and move up and down etc. so as long as the cam rotates them... should be ok.
I will be changing pushrod length. The ones that were in there had no preload on the lifters. I will be measuring for new pushrods that provide correct .020 to .050 preload.
.What type lifters did you get? Hopefully something more heavy duty with snap ring retainers instead of those ridiculously weak *** wire retainers.
You might peruse the utube vids on "rocker arm geometry". good info on pushrod length needed.I will be changing pushrod length. The ones that were in there had no preload on the lifters. I will be measuring for new pushrods that provide correct .020 to .050 preload.
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Pay better attention. Go back to post 49.
Yeah, 3 grades which I would classify as not so good, a little better, maybe better.
The 'best' FT hyd lifters [ solids also ] in this day & age of cam/lifter failures are factory lifters [ or lifters at least 25 yrs old ] that have been re-faced. We have been re-facing lifters here for decades because of the high cost of new ones.
The problem was never the oil, but the oil companies saw an opportunity....