bronze lifter bushings

All my engine oil passage brushes are nylon. I've never seen this as an issue but I will never say I've seen it all or know it all. :)

Same here, but they are stiff nylon. Next time you have a SB apart, check out how sharp the edge is where the lifter bore intersects the oil galley. Sometimes there is a little burr inside the oil galley at that intersection. Now run a stiff nylon brush through it and that burr can be forced into the lifter bore.