Re-using Used Lifters on Another Cam

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harrisonm said:
Let me condense. It might very well work out OK, but DO NOT do it.
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I know, right? Just because you have done something in the past, doesn't make it right. It means you got lucky. Lifters just don't cost that much. I admit, the way we are right now, I'd have to save up a minute, but no way would I take a chance on using used lifters. I Caint believe this discussion still has people somewhat endorsing it. What is it Ron White says? "You caint fix stupid"
 
^^^^somehow there seems to be a difference between being brash like above and being rude and disrespectful because the last two will get you put on an ignore list>>>>
By no means am I endorsing mixing and matching...
 
We replaced a lot of cams when I worked at two Chevy dealers in the 60's. The factory would only pay for lifter replacement on the cylinder(s) that had a bad lobe. Otherwise we reused the old lifters.

I did the same on the Pontiacs I drove back then.
 
Krooser said:
We replaced a lot of cams when I worked at two Chevy dealers in the 60's. The factory would only pay for lifter replacement on the cylinder(s) that had a bad lobe. Otherwise we reused the old lifters.

I did the same on the Pontiacs I drove back then.
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interesting post….
 
Oh boy I better start out with a not telling people to mix and match LOL BUT, I think there's one hell of a lot of precautions that we take to make our minds feel comfortable. In one heck of a lot of areas that the factory never cared about...
 
What Isky cam nm?
bvvc of ISKY adv durations they are unique for his HYD
and for Mega series different for Opening and Closing sides !
we were an isky WD
great quality
revved like crazy
easy on the valvetrain (few warranty problems)
any recent masters or still the 40 year old stuff?
all except his one Max wedge grind and Top Fuel were "universal" masters
 
Well you guys do what you want. I'll put new lifters on a new cam. (unless it's like a hydraulic roller in a Magnum)
 
until Ken says he won't do it anymore and there's not enough material left I'm going to keep sending my cam and lifters back to be reground...
 
oldkimmer said:
Absolutely not. There may be nothing wrong with it. But it’s not for me. Kim
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of course to each their own and I chair on whatever you do for yourself to be the best.. it just comes down to I guess what makes us comfortable and feels good in our mind. My good feeling comes from handing somebody what is now a core and having them personally do the Machining on them handing them back to me taking my cash and shaking my hand... (Actually had to take it off the polishing lathe to put it in a box and hand to me)...
 
JBurch said:
I would try it, put it under the heading of "The acquisition of knowledge" that's how you learn. It's true it could be a total failure, or it just might work.......if you don't try it you will never KNOW.....To KNOW, implys certainty.........it's a worthy endeavor to try it
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That's what slant sixes are for
 
Just a reminder... What if.
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I cannot afford the best stuff, but I buy the best stuff I can afford at the time. Case in point : I wanted to do a stroker engine for a few years. Didn’t happen. I came across a 470 stroker that was built in 1998. This was in 2016. In 2013 it got new solid roller lifters and valve springs and a good check over. In his car it was still running the same time as when it was built. Still going strong. It has run 10.40 in my car ever since. Kim
 
oldkimmer said:
I cannot afford the best stuff, but I buy the best stuff I can afford at the time. Case in point : I wanted to do a stroker engine for a few years. Didn’t happen. I came across a 470 stroker that was built in 1998. This was in 2016. In 2013 it got new solid roller lifters and valve springs and a good check over. In his car it was still running the same time as when it was built. Still going strong. It has run 10.40 in my car ever since. Kim
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I can't afford to even buy the cheap stuff that's why I have to have my old stuff reground... Case in point LOL.. I had to buy all the individual pieces for my Stroker motor over a long period of time, there was no way I could afford anything like that all at once... Still can't...
Truthfully I did have one or two thousand to swing around back then, but that was back then LOL...
(I'm "assuming" the air is pretty clear on whether to not or to use mismatched lifters and going on with the conversation at hand)
 
Wyrmrider said:
What Isky cam nm?
bvvc of ISKY adv durations they are unique for his HYD
and for Mega series different for Opening and Closing sides !
we were an isky WD
great quality
revved like crazy
easy on the valvetrain (few warranty problems)
any recent masters or still the 40 year old stuff?
all except his one Max wedge grind and Top Fuel were "universal" masters
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Hey wyrm... This is all old Isky grind stuff I am 99 percent sure....designed in the late 60's. Advertise durations on the new hyd I got are at .012 lift, so that 256 is really a slow ramp 270 or 275.
I could not say if they have any newer stuff. This is for Opel CIH and Isky has or can get the blanks.
 
318willrun said:
Didn't read all the posts, but I have re-used lifters and had them mixed up. I've not had a problem, but the spring pressure was like a factory spring. However, just because I didn't have a problem doesn't mean I recommend it. I recommend new lifters.
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NO, no you didn't. LOL if I had to, I'd do it again. and luber up with wheel bearing grease. lol
and still win the best 2 out of 3. lol
 
From my short time on the forum it seems like folks here come from all different backgrounds and have widely varying goals.

Some have a good sized budget and are after that last 1% on everything.

Some are just trying to get by building a car with whatever they can get reasonably. This often means living in the “waste stream” of the big budget guys. If you change your cam out every six months, you are probably providing some good used parts to someone who otherwise couldn’t afford them.

Nothing wrong with either one. It is just what it is.

Sometimes the advice on the forum is a little over the top for someone with little experience. A guy asks a question about fuel line. The first reply is don’t use rubber, use stainless steel braid. The next reply is stainless might fail, use gold. The next reply is gold isn’t good enough, use platinum. Of course, I exaggerate...

Not that the above might not be good advice, but OP probably doesn’t want a $500 fuel line on his $2000 car.

I am probably somewhere in the low middle. I would rather have five $20 bottles of wine rather than one $100 bottle.

After being gone from the hobby for ~30 years, I really appreciate all the help here. It has saved me lots of time and money. I like spirited discussions and having fun, but seems like we could all be gentlemen in our disagreements.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I know, right? Just because you have done something in the past, doesn't make it right. It means you got lucky. Lifters just don't cost that much. I admit, the way we are right now, I'd have to save up a minute, but no way would I take a chance on using used lifters. I Caint believe this discussion still has people somewhat endorsing it. What is it Ron White says? "You caint fix stupid"
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Or it means you had a problem and never knew it. Just because you think its ok doesnt mean everything is really ok! I had a 318 that ran "fine" I went to change the valve cover gaskets and found a broken rocker and a bent push rod that cylinder was completely gone it had been running on 7ish cylinders for God know how long. It never made a noise or anything. So i can see it to be possible to run a cam with used lifters and get a flat cam on one lobe or 3 and never know it and run it that way. I guess you would find out when you changed your oil tho. Maybe lol
 
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