cold feet about potential bad lifters

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HTMLmopars

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Just picked up the summit 50052 cam kit for my 318, since I have a stock cam and a lifter tick, I figured I'd upgrade the cam while also fixing the noise. I just pulled the trigger on buying the cam (specced from the original 318willrun post), and then started thinking more about everyone's experience with bad lifters nowadays.
I'm debating on whether I should cancel/return the cam and go with higher end cam and lifters, maybe from racer brown or oregon cam grinders. Or get a budget summit cam and get nicer lifters from a lower volume manufacturer?
Any guidance or opinions on modern flat tappet lifters would be great!
Links to threads that I overlooked in my searches are also appreciated, I don't need y'all to be broken records just because I can't use the search function properly
 
Determine which lifter is ticking. If the lifter base isn't wiped out, then the lifter can be stripped & cleaned out. If the other 15 lifters are ok, have all 16 re-faced & you will have a good set of lifters.
 
The only lifters I use now for a hydraulic flat tappet cam are lunati microtrol's. So far we have had great success with them and have them in several engines right now of different makes. My buddy cured a lifter tick by switching to them as well. Most lifters now days just do not pump up completely/collapse and there is no fixing it, it's a crap shoot so I just go with what is working for us.
 
lead69 said:
The only lifters I use now for a hydraulic flat tappet cam are lunati microtrol's. So far we have had great success with them and have them in several engines right now of different makes. My buddy cured a lifter tick by switching to them as well. Most lifters now days just do not pump up completely/collapse and there is no fixing it, it's a crap shoot so I just go with what is working for us.
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I've used those and I've used some OLD Isky NOS anti pump up lifters recently. Both turned out good. The Iskys I put on top of a used cam in a 454 that had a several lifters fail. Thank goodness the cam was not hurt. I just fired it up and broke it in again like a new cam. It did fine.
 
68Valiant225 said:
Just picked up the summit 50052 cam kit for my 318, since I have a stock cam and a lifter tick, I figured I'd upgrade the cam while also fixing the noise. I just pulled the trigger on buying the cam (specced from the original 318willrun post), and then started thinking more about everyone's experience with bad lifters nowadays.
I'm debating on whether I should cancel/return the cam and go with higher end cam and lifters, maybe from racer brown or oregon cam grinders. Or get a budget summit cam and get nicer lifters from a lower volume manufacturer?
Any guidance or opinions on modern flat tappet lifters would be great!
Links to threads that I overlooked in my searches are also appreciated, I don't need y'all to be broken records just because I can't use the search function properly
Click to expand...

return it and get a solid if you're concerned.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I've used those and I've used some OLD Isky NOS anti pump up lifters recently. Both turned out good. The Iskys I put on top of a used cam in a 454 that had a several lifters fail. Thank goodness the cam was not hurt. I just fired it up and broke it in again like a new cam. It did fine.
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Agreed, nos lifters are like gold, I got pretty excited over the last 3 sets I found!.
 
lead69 said:
Agreed, nos lifters are like gold, I got pretty excited over the last 3 sets I found!.
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I love when I found those because they were exactly what was needed. The owner of the car has a heavy right foot and those will help keep further valve train damage from happening. I just told him next time he'd probably throw a rod through the oil pan. He doesn't want that happening to the original engine so I think that got his attention. lol
 
Having good luck with these Melling JB-2011 hydraulic lifters

Screenshot_20210804-085200_Gallery.jpg

Screenshot_20211208-234246_Firefox.jpg
 
Im going whid crane anti pump on my new comp 268 i hope it works this time didnt want to use comp cams products any more but the numbers on that cam is hard to beat whid my combo
 
RustyRatRod said:
Get the Comp 270s.
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That's the 2nd time today for the 270S..
I had it recommended to me years ago for a stock bottom end 318 with 2.02 J's project that got back burnered.
I already have the 273 valve gear, still a legit choice?
(73 Duster/904/3.21 gear.26" tire)
 
The melling lifters are at a price where I can buy the summit cam as a stand alone and then buy lifters and come out at the same price as I was before, so that's compelling for me since this is essentially a stop gap before I build a motor to put in the car. That being said, at that price point I wouldn't be surprised if they're identical to the summit lifters but I know nothing about either company's manufacturing lines.
The lunati seems to be a more confidence inspiring option but is pricier. Cheaper than buying multiple sets of lifters after one set flattens though.
Three reman route is interesting but I might just do that after I swap the cams to have a good set on the shelf for later.
I can't find the comp 270s, every time I look it up I get Chevy cams with 270 duration
 
68Valiant225 said:
The melling lifters are at a price where I can buy the summit cam as a stand alone and then buy lifters and come out at the same price as I was before, so that's compelling for me since this is essentially a stop gap before I build a motor to put in the car. That being said, at that price point I wouldn't be surprised if they're identical to the summit lifters but I know nothing about either company's manufacturing lines.
The lunati seems to be a more confidence inspiring option but is pricier. Cheaper than buying multiple sets of lifters after one set flattens though.
Three reman route is interesting but I might just do that after I swap the cams to have a good set on the shelf for later.
I can't find the comp 270s, every time I look it up I get Chevy cams with 270 duration
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It’s all in how you filter
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-20-246-4/make/chrysler
CHRYSLER COMP Cams 20-246-4 COMP Cams Magnum Solid Camshafts | Summit Racing
 
If they are not Johnson, All USA bets are off. Dont know who makes Lunati or other name brand lifters. I think a lifter line is in Mexico too. Its more of the metallurgy, not the SAME MACHINES that make these lifters.....Insert any name on the operators badge and you get the same part out.
 
So I guess I'm seriously considering going to a solid cam at y'all's suggestion. Is the 270 gonna be ok in a 69 engine (should be ~9:1 compression) with a stock converter and 3.23 gears? Also want to retain stock pushrods if possible. Again, this is intended to be a budget upgrade that holds me over till I build a motor for the car next year
 
Stock converter and 323 may kill it....that sure didnt help our cause in the 273.
68Valiant225 said:
So I guess I'm seriously considering going to a solid cam at y'all's suggestion. Is the 270 gonna be ok in a 69 engine (should be ~9:1 compression) with a stock converter and 3.23 gears? Also want to retain stock pushrods if possible. Again, this is intended to be a budget upgrade that holds me over till I build a motor for the car next year
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Rhoads lifters made in the USA. More low end, more vacuum at idle, pumps up fully about 3000. IF you like the sound of solids at idle these are it. Most choose a cam too big for there "street strip" car
anyway. If you like a choppy cruise night idle not for you. Poor man's VVT, or a practical man's VVT.
 
Quick update: ordered up the Lunati lifters. Keeping with the hydraulic setup, this is my first cam swap and I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible. Ordered the same cam from summit without lifters, returning the kit with lifters today and hopefully getting this install done next week. I've watched a couple UTG videos about setting cam/ignition timing and looking at lifter bores and I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about the install
 
68Valiant225 said:
Quick update: ordered up the Lunati lifters. Keeping with the hydraulic setup, this is my first cam swap and I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible. Ordered the same cam from summit without lifters, returning the kit with lifters today and hopefully getting this install done next week. I've watched a couple UTG videos about setting cam/ignition timing and looking at lifter bores and I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about the install
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Don’t just wipe a coat of lube onto the cam lobes. Massage it into the lobes, take the time on each lobe, like you would rub lotion into your skin. Then wipe on the coat. Same with the lifter faces.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I've used those and I've used some OLD Isky NOS anti pump up lifters recently. Both turned out good. The Iskys I put on top of a used cam in a 454 that had a several lifters fail. Thank goodness the cam was not hurt. I just fired it up and broke it in again like a new cam. It did fine.
Click to expand...
Right now in have a set of new mp hyd lifters... but about 5 of them are knicked.
That was the thing with MP lifters...it was like they were machined and then TOSSED into a pile. Only the faces are knicked...
Have some crane anti pump ups too ..nut I've been using the enginetec lifters with good results. Ebay for 56 bucks too.
 
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