Hy-Lift Johson Variable Duration Lifters - Do they work?

Road Grabber said:

I am planning a build sheet to include a "Hot Street" Hughes cam SEH2832BL-10 in a 440-6 pack engine with 10.25 to 1 pistons with the closed chamber 240 Trickflow heads. I am currently able to use my power brakes with 11 vacuum using the existing purple shaft .284/.484 cam.

View attachment 940905

The Johnson lifters boast increasing idle characteristics and bottom end torque. Relying on oil pressure to properly manage performance seems a bit unreliable and too good to be true.

View attachment 940901

Does anyone have any experience with these variable duration lifters?

Hughes also offers a "tight" lifter that react faster?View attachment 940900

Click to expand...

Dodge Bros said:

I think that cam is really to small to need a variable duration lifter also. The faster the ramp the less effective the variable duration effect is. The Hughes cams have a pretty aggressive ramp, really do not need the variable duration on a cam that size with any sort of decent compression.

But, we (curiousyellow71) and I, run vmax or vpro superlube lifters on hft cams when ever we can if the engine has an adjustable valve terrain. There are benefits to them beyond the variable duration feature.

Jones cams did some testing with the Rhoads vmaxs a while back and was impressed how they held on to the high end power. That is saying something, those guys are not easy to impress.

Click to expand...

Bighead440 said:

Personally, I think that cam is fine as-is for your setup. Aluminum heads with better port flow usually work well with more lobe separation than factory iron heads, so why not get Hughes to grind it on a 112-114*LSA if you are needing more vacuum or smoother idle? If you have to try the variable-duration/ Rhoads-bleed thing, get one size larger Hughes cam with the wider LSA. Hughes will do that for a small fee. A B motor with a short 3.38" stroke and your compression ratio would be more suited to the size setup you are contemplating, IMO. The Rhoads original and Crane "HI-Intensity" lifters do work, and the Crane are pretty quiet. My favorite are the V-MAX Rhoads, that adjust off the BOTTOM of plunger travel. Almost unlimited RPM potential (as stated earlier), like a solid cam.
My point is: your cam is really too small for variable duration lifters in a flat-top piston (10:1 actual) 3.75" stroke motor.

Click to expand...

wyrmrider said:

x2 on avmax style lifter crower also has them
that's a LOT of spring presure
x ref to the howard catalog or lobe catalog and see what howad recommends
find out wha the durations 2,006 and .200 are
run the stiffest pushrods you can fit
use the b3 racing industries kit- did you read his three tech reports
use viton seals when you cut your guides for dual springs
do yu have light valves

Click to expand...

Road Grabber said:

Thanks for the advice and experience from all of you. I appreciate all the input. Sometimes we over think when starting over. For me it's because these cams are a new breed compared to older Direct Connection..showing my age...cams. If the cam doesn't really push the need for the variable lifters I will stay with the 5003s "stiiff" lifters that are supposed to work well with the Hughes "designed for Mopar" cams. I was impressed with their cam comparison article. Howards was very close to their performance as well.

I have considered the hydraulic roller lifters. When I read about the hydraulic rollers they sound nice but I wonder about the cost justification. Hughes said that both their flat tappet and hydraulic roller cams perform about the same but the rollers last much longer. I don't know if I will have to worry about being around for an extra 100,000 miles in a car the gets driven only a couple thousand miles a year so adding intermediate gears, pump shaft, cam button, expensive roller hydraulic lifters is a big cut in the wallet.

I enjoy the lumpy sound the current cam has now with 11 vacuum. No one seems to provide vacuum specs with dynos. It would help those who want to keep the power brakes working without adding canisters or whatever.

Click to expand...

beanhead said:

Every setup has it's drawbacks, rollers included. Use a good break-in oil and follow the proper procedure, get your preload setup right and you'll be good to go. As far as vacuum specs, they can't really say because the vacuum you get is so dependent on how it's tuned, the valve and piston ring seal, etc..I've seen on here where guys with the same cam as me get 10-11" when I'm getting 13-14".

Click to expand...

Dodge Bros said:

I think that cam is really to small to need a variable duration lifter also. The faster the ramp the less effective the variable duration effect is. The Hughes cams have a pretty aggressive ramp, really do not need the variable duration on a cam that size with any sort of decent compression.

Click to expand...

Bighead440 said:

My point is: your cam is really too small for variable duration lifters in a flat-top piston (10:1 actual) 3.75" stroke motor.

Click to expand...

rumblefish360 said:

I disagree to a point. Let’s start with a better choice in cams for the drive train at hand. Which is what after the engine size?

So far, that is all we have. I’d like to know the car weight, transmission in use, gear ratio and tire size.

While the engine is big enough to make the power to easily push the car, is this a 4 spd or auto with what converter? Also, can the converter handle the larger duration camshaft without ill effects? Is the gear ratio numerically high enough to provide enough torque multiplication to move the car weight and stock stall converter?

Your assumption of the cam not needing or actually making good use of the variable duration lifter is reaching a bit far IMO.

For example only......

If the Rhodes (basic) lifters provide there maximum 20* duration cut, the 228*’s of duration turns into a 208* duration cam which will work excellent with a stock trans/converter/2.76 geared rear.

@Bighead440 , the deleted portion of your post I like.
@Dodge Bros , be it a fast rate ramp cam or not, (which I like the faster rate myself,) any cam will benefit from the variable duration lifter if the intent is geared to what there for. A faster lift ramp rate am will show the exact same effects no less than any other cam would. To say otherwise is ignorant and blind.


Again gents, the rest of the combo is missing and I think it needs to be known.

Click to expand...