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Lifter Inspection questionnaire

Have you found “used” flat tapper lifters when purchasing new

  • Inspected the crown and had no used lifters

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • Inspected the crown and found one or more used lifters

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Didn’t inspect the crown; why would I... they are new lifters

    Votes: 2 33.3%

  • Total voters
    6
thanks for this! It’s a great idea/check

so have the pushrod rods off? no spring load etc?

just wanna make sure I’m not misreading
I do it with everything assembled and lubed up real good, just to check it. I will then pull the lifters back out and smear some more assembly lube on the lifter faces, pushrod ends, and cam lobes before putting it back together the final time. Coat the lifter sides and bores with motor oil.
It might seem like extra hassle but IMO to do it right requires installing/removing things usually several times before final button-up.. don't be in hurry.
 
Hey I’m sorry I wasn’t more specific; totally on me...

the disassembly and re-lubing makes all kinds of sense

What I was unclear was the marking and rotating, and if this was done before the pushrods go bad in like it seems:

(thanks again and for the response and sharing this great tip/advice)

...And I always mark my lifters with a marker pen and rotate the eng with just the lifters sitting on the cam as they should move and rotate some even like that...
 
Imo, the bulk of cams having problems getting through the break in period as the result of being assembled with “used lifters” is on my “extremely unlikely” list.

Does UT think he got sold used lifters 3 times in a row?
Twice for the cams that went flat, plus the ones for the video?

He talks about how careful he was putting it all together....... but didnt catch that the lifters are used?
Twice?

I dunno if he was sold used lifter 3 times in a row or not... yeah that sounds unlikely

but if he was being truthful about the first one he checked they had was bad, that is something, buts it’s hard to say anything with out a percentage stated

He did admit about just “popping them out of the box & lubing them up” @ 9:30 in the video

no disputing with you that he was not scrutinizing heavily

but seems a lot guys are that way and unless there’s something glaring at them may miss it

also if “defective returns” made it back on the self, why wouldn’t “used” lifters (returned as new) make it there also?

seem like a lot folks would do that if they could get away with it... just my opinion though

Thanks for bringing the aggressive cam profiles; think there is more to that than I was aware of and will read up on it.

thanks for the comments; a lot of good info
 
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Funny thing as I remember my auto shop teacher in high school teaching us to take two lifters and put them bottom to bottom and make sure they rock since the bottom of the lifter has to be concave outward some in order for the lifters to rotate on the angled cam lobe. And he taught me that in 1973 and I always do that. Ron
 
It might seem like extra hassle but IMO to do it right requires installing/removing things usually several times before final button-up.. don't be in hurry.

That’s my take on it as well.
I’d also add, don’t be in a hurry to get the break in process “done”.
If you’re doing it in the car, I’d prefer to see someone run the motor for 100 miles or so before putting the inner springs in.

Especially when you’re dealing with a fast rate cam with a lobe profile designed to utilize the full diameter of the lifters being used.
 
Funny thing as I remember my auto shop teacher in high school teaching us to take two lifters and put them bottom to bottom and make sure they rock since the bottom of the lifter has to be concave outward some in order for the lifters to rotate on the angled cam lobe. And he taught me that in 1973 and I always do that. Ron
You meant convex. Concave is dished, hence conCAVE.
 
That’s my take on it as well.
I’d also add, don’t be in a hurry to get the break in process “done”.
If you’re doing it in the car, I’d prefer to see someone run the motor for 100 miles or so before putting the inner springs in.

Especially when you’re dealing with a fast rate cam with a lobe profile designed to utilize the full diameter of the lifters being used.
That's something I never thought to do, for added 'safety cushion'...thanks
 
That’s my take on it as well.
I’d also add, don’t be in a hurry to get the break in process “done”.
If you’re doing it in the car, I’d prefer to see someone run the motor for 100 miles or so before putting the inner springs in.

Especially when you’re dealing with a fast rate cam with a lobe profile designed to utilize the full diameter of the lifters being used.

I guess if that’s being done, depending on the lift, stock 1.5 rockers could be used also to reduce loads (if the build has 1.6) with an old set

very cool/good info, thanks again!
 
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You meant convex. Concave is dished, hence conCAVE.

Yes as you are correct as thats what I meant. Thanks for correcting me on that. What can I say I will be 65 soon and am getting older and dumber I guess. :wetting: Thanks , Ron
 
That’s my take on it as well.
I’d also add, don’t be in a hurry to get the break in process “done”.
If you’re doing it in the car, I’d prefer to see someone run the motor for 100 miles or so before putting the inner springs in.

Especially when you’re dealing with a fast rate cam with a lobe profile designed to utilize the full diameter of the lifters being used.

I ran my 63 for about 2 weeks when I broke in the cam back when I started the eng in it now. Then after 2 weeks I put the inner springs back in. Ron
 
thanks for this! It’s a great idea/check

so have the pushrod rods off? no spring load etc?

just wanna make sure I’m not misreading

Yes I just sit the lifters on the cam by themselfs and turn the eng over a few times and they should turn a little like that. Ron
 
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