Lifters losing pressure.

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Clelan

Clelan

Inferno Red Duster
FABO Gold Member
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Martensville Sask. Can.
This spring I stuffed a Summit 6901 cam in a late 70s 318 I had sitting in my shop when an unfortunate incident caused my 360 to no longer be an option for the Duster. Cam break in went well, engine feels strong for what it is. Still running stock valve springs. When it sits overnight the lifters bleed down and it makes a ticking/puffing sound for no more than 2 seconds at cold start up. Then it runs fine and seems really good.

Is this causing damage every time I start it up? Pretty sure I can't do anything about it since new lifters are apparently all the same. They are Summit brand lifters that came with the cam kit.

This is a short term motor for me as I intend to repair my damaged 360 and go back to that program as soon as I have time but I'd like to either sell this 318 with confidence that it is as good as I feel it is, or keep it for a future project.

Cley
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Aftermarket lifters I assume? All hydraulic lifters made now are pretty much junk unless you spend a lot of money to buy super high quality ones! I've switched to solid due to this problem on two motors I'm having built.
 
89on35s said:
This spring I stuffed a Summit 6901 cam in a late 70s 318 I had sitting in my shop when an unfortunate incident caused my 360 to no longer be an option for the Duster. Cam break in went well, engine feels strong for what it is. Still running stock valve springs. When it sits overnight the lifters bleed down and it makes a ticking/puffing sound for no more than 2 seconds at cold start up. Then it runs fine and seems really good.

Is this causing damage every time I start it up? Pretty sure I can't do anything about it since new lifters are apparently all the same. They are Summit brand lifters that came with the cam kit.

This is a short term motor for me as I intend to repair my damaged 360 and go back to that program as soon as I have time but I'd like to either sell this 318 with confidence that it is as good as I feel it is, or keep it for a future project.

Cley
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Yep, you didn't mention what brand of lifters. Boy there is a lot of bad lifter stories out there in the last few years. I don't know who makes a good one.
 
Common problem there bleeding down on you. It's not a big deal unless they don't pump up! I just bought a set of Lunatti hydraulic lifters, I hope I don't have the same problem with them. 65'
 
Try replacing a quart of oil with a quart of Lucas Oil Treatment. It's "sticky" and helps eliminate total bleed down, dry starts, etc. A friend turned me onto it and I use it in my ride now.
 
Veryfastdart said:
Would have to ask my engine builder, but he stated $800 - $1000 for lifters. I'm building a stock 340, I went solid.
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Quick math 1000 bucks for 16 lifters is 62 bucks and some change a peice...for that money they better be reuseable...:)
 
Long shot here, but what about the oil filter? Seems to me, in my fuzzy memory bank, certain cheap filters allow a somewhat rapid bleed down of the oil galleries; whereas some are designed to help prevent it. No filter will fix faulty or cheap lifters, though.
 
I have a Wix filter. They are Summit house brand lifters but I don't know who makes them. But the lifter itself should hold pressure inside, no?

Cley
 
I had the exact same problem,
With my Comp. XE 268 with the lifters that came with it.
I called Comp. And the guy said what do you care if they clatter when you start it?
I said well because it never did that before and it's kinda embarrassing when someone says let's hear it and it sounds like there's something wrong with it.
It is probably nothing to worry about
But it was too annoying for me.
So I changed out the lifters with a set I had in a new/ old 1990 mopar purple shaft.
No more clatter.
 
89on35s said:
I have a Wix filter. They are Summit house brand lifters but I don't know who makes them. But the lifter itself should hold pressure inside, no?

Cley
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There is a “check valve” in the lifter to keep them pumped up. As for lifters, Howard’s, Hughes, Rhoads, Isky. You can find them from 10 to 60 bucks. It depends on what metal the lifters are made out of will for the price. And nope once a lifter in “mated” to a lobe, it is best to keep the lifter to that lobe for life..
 
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89on35s said:
I have a Wix filter. They are Summit house brand lifters but I don't know who makes them. But the lifter itself should hold pressure inside, no?

Cley
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A different oil filter will not make an your lifters stop clattering.
Wix are some of the best filters out there.
You are experiencing the new normal for hydraulic lifters. Poor quality is the issue and it is totally unacceptably. See if you can find a set of vintage Mopar lifters it may be your only hope.
I have the same issue with a set of Comp Cam hydraulic retrofit roller lifters.
 
I understand that, but is there any harm in running it like this! Will it cause other problems? I've drove it about 2500 miles like this and it hasn't got worse.

Cley
 
It’s the piss poor quality of machining on the check valves in today’s hydraulic lifters. Find an old set out of a never assembled small block at the junkyard and have them re faced. Or buy from BAM or morel for the “super high quality”.
 
@89on35s it won’t hurt the engine to have them clatter for a few seconds at startup. Don’t free rev it to the moon though. Just let em pump up and let the oil warm up. We have a brand new RAM Rebel hemi at work and it’s terrible on cold start. The lifters sounds like a bunch of marbles in a glass jar. Dodge said “nothing to worry about” when I asked about it.
 
A good quality old school machine shop should be able to order them direct for you. They are hard to find anymore though.
 
512Stroker said:
Be aware that BAM and Morel are roller lifters
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Do they only make rollers? I have a set of BAM roller lifters in my big block but I guess I never questioned if that’s all they make.
 
mopowers said:
So then the question remains. Does anyone manufacture a high quality hydraulic flat tappet lifter that doesn't bleed down after sitting for a few days?
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Johnson hylift? Never used them specifically but I’ve heard they make most aftermarket lifters.
Home
 
mopowers said:
So then the question remains. Does anyone manufacture a high quality hydraulic flat tappet lifter that doesn't bleed down after sitting for a few days?
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Hi lift Johnson
Howard's sells them
So does Hughes
Tt5.9mag you beat me...lol
 
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