THOUGHTS ON THEE BEST HYDRAULIC LIFTERS FOR A STOUT .508 CAMMED 371???

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V24x2

V24x2

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Weighing out my options on running a .508/108* cam I’ve had for some time. I might have the right combo to use the cam for its intentions…..top end. High compression/tall rear gear/3800stahl converter. My question is lifters? Any suggestions? Some old RHODES or MP? Does Hughes offer a decent lifter? Any advice would be appreciated, even pros/cons on the cam choice.(but I have that on the shelf just sitting anyhow!)
Thanks in advance!
 
I recently used some Lunatti hydraulic lifters without issue. Stock 340 AT camshaft, also used zinc additive in the oil for break in. 65'
 
The Rhodes lifters are a fast bleeding lifter that reduce duration and lift effectively reducing the cam size. Are you sure you want to go this route? (I would not.)

Hughes engines offer Johnson hi lift lifters. There fine for use and can be gotten cheaper else where. They are a good lifter but I’d check any lifter that comes to the table regardless of who’s name is on the box. Disassemble, clean and inspect, lube up, reassemble. Do not fill with oil. Just coat it with oil and wipe it clean for easy assembly.

Depending on the weight of the car, that cam will like a RPM AG, a 750 carb and a 4.10 gear on 26 inch tires.
Your converter is OK for use. It maybe a bit high, but it’s a LOT better than being to low. I’d run it.
Run a trans cooler.

Weight dependent, you have a easy 13 second car set up.
 
rumblefish360 said:
The Rhodes lifters are a fast bleeding lifter that reduce duration and lift effectively reducing the cam size. Are you sure you want to go this route? (I would not.)

Hughes engines offer Johnson hi lift lifters. There fine for use and can be gotten cheaper else where. They are a good lifter but I’d check any lifter that comes to the table regardless of who’s name is on the box. Disassemble, clean and inspect, lube up, reassemble. Do not fill with oil. Just coat it with oil and wipe it clean for easy assembly.

Depending on the weight of the car, that cam will like a RPM AG, a 750 carb and a 4.10 gear on 26 inch tires.
Your converter is OK for use. It maybe a bit high, but it’s a LOT better than being to low. I’d run it.
Run a trans cooler.

Weight dependent, you have a easy 13 second car set up.
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Thankyou rumblefish….I figured you might chime in along w a few others who know their stuff. I’ll stay away from the Rhodes, this is the kind of info I’m looking for actually. I’ll check into the Hughes lifters. My other option is maybe a Lunati Hydraulic roller….since I have the roller lifters already, a pricey cam choice wouldn’t be out of the question either. Thx again
 
Your welcome. I’m not sure who the actual maker of the Lunati brand is. Just check them inside.
I also went the route of a Hyd. roller cam in the wife’s engine since it also had the factory roller lifters. The lifters only draw back is there heavy. I’m not sure what they weigh and what the aftermarket difference is. But lighter is better here.

The Rhodes lifters can be helpful. But there use is ether a band-aid for a too big of a cam or someone trying to be slick and lower the usable rpm range of a cam to create a wider rpm band with the added torque of a smaller cam.
I’ve done that. It works. It’s not what I’d call a great option or route to take over a properly selected cam. But it was fun to try out.
 
If I had to run a hydr lifter and it had adjustable rockers. I would look for those extremely short travel lifters they use for classes that make you run a hydr cam if that was what it came with. Its basically a solid lifter. They can’t collapse or pump up much because of its over all travel amount.
 
furrystump said:
If I had to run a hydr lifter and it had adjustable rockers. I would look for those extremely short travel lifters they use for classes that make you run a hydr cam if that was what it came with. Its basically a solid lifter. They can’t collapse or pump up much because of its over all travel amount.
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Whoa…..interesting! I’ve heard of people running solid lifters with hydraulic camshafts before….I wonder how that would work on the ol 508?
 
V24x2 said:
Whoa…..interesting! I’ve heard of people running solid lifters with hydraulic camshafts before….I wonder how that would work on the ol 508?
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I can’t remember who makes them and never ran them, but they are basically a solid in everything but name.
 
I run theb508 cam and It does well in all driving conditions. I put mine in @ 4° advance on crank gear. My motor is a 360 with x heads. Also run a single plane Victor 340 intake. Car is a dart sport with 3.91's out back.
 
QuickDart360 said:
I run theb508 cam and It does well in all driving conditions. I put mine in @ 4° advance on crank gear. My motor is a 360 with x heads. Also run a single plane Victor 340 intake. Car is a dart sport with 3.91's out back.
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Thankyou! I too have the VIC340 intake with the Indy RHS-X heads.(closed chamber) so compression will be up there. So 4degrees advanced, nice, Thankyou. So with that, what’s your total timing set at? I haven’t decided if I wanted 4.10 or 4.30 gears yet, have both pigs ready to go! 70 Duster 340/727 car.
 
V24x2 said:
Whoa…..interesting! I’ve heard of people running solid lifters with hydraulic camshafts before….I wonder how that would work on the ol 508?
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You can not run a solid flat tappet on a hydraulic flat tappet cam grind.
You may be able to run a solid roller tappet on a hydraulic roller cam grind. It all depends on what ramp rate was ground onto the hydraulic roller cam.
This has been done successfully by many people including myself.
Unless you are real cam guru I would first contact the company that ground the cam to see if it is feasible.
There are many threads here on FABO regarding hyd lifter issues, do a forum search to get the current do's and dont's be prepared to spent some time on this before you make a choice.
Good Luck
 
rumblefish360 said:
Hughes engines offer Johnson hi lift lifters. There fine for use and can be gotten cheaper else where.

Depending on the weight of the car, that cam will like a RPM AG, a 750 carb and a 4.10 gear on 26 inch tires.Your converter is OK for use. It maybe a bit high, but it’s a LOT better than being to low. I’d run it.
Run a trans cooler.
Click to expand...

I'm running a setup like Rumblefish mentioned except it's a 340 sixpack. One of my lifters came apart so I ordered the Hughes 5003 to replace all of them. They are pricier but work great for me.

https://www.hughesengines.com/Index...Y2sgIkxBIg==&level1=TGlmdGVycw==&partid=11033
 
Half inch lift cam? Just buy some Comps..Or if you're a tight ***, get some cheap ones from Rockauto..
 
You certainly can run solid lifters on a hydraulic shaft.
It's been done many times by many, including me.
 
The best FT lifters you can use, hyd, sol, Rhoads are ones that are 25 yrs or older.....& sleep at night without worrying if they are made of crapanium/fail-anium.
If you have old MP lifters, use those. If you have old factory lifters, have them re-faced & use those.
 
fishmens67 said:
You certainly can run solid lifters on a hydraulic shaft.
It's been done many times by many, including me.
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Really, how long did the cam last?
Not trying to be funny, years back I tried solid flat tappets on a hyd grind and within 100 miles it flatten the cam and dished the lifters. Same springs, Kendall oil 10w-30 oil pressure was normal.
 
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Bakerlite said:
Half inch lift cam? Just buy some Comps..Or if you're a tight ***, get some cheap ones from Rockauto..
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Lol…..I don’t mind spending the funds, that’s why I’m asking so I can get this right the first time. Thanks!
 
V24x2 said:
Thankyou! I too have the VIC340 intake with the Indy RHS-X heads.(closed chamber) so compression will be up there. So 4degrees advanced, nice, Thankyou. So with that, what’s your total timing set at? I haven’t decided if I wanted 4.10 or 4.30 gears yet, have both pigs ready to go! 70 Duster 340/727 car.
Click to expand...
I don't remember but I used a limiter plate from fbo. I think total is 34 or 36.
 
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