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At what point did NEW lifters become junk out of the box and were.......

padam said:
People been discussing this for 20 years I think
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Probably longer! Reason I'm asking is I found 4 boxes of new lifters that have been in the cabinet since the late 80's early 90's and wondering if I should throw them on the scrap pile.
 
A knowledgable member here told me ten years ago there were no problems. Modern times, there may be a problem.
I have had an annoying tick all year. Decided to run the mighty 318 with the tick this past summer. But soon, it comes apart. Edelbrock told me about the fine tolerances, but admitted there may be a problem. About two weeks and I will have it apart.
 
Cranky said:
Probably longer! Reason I'm asking is I found 4 boxes of new lifters that have been in the cabinet since the late 80's early 90's and wondering if I should throw them on the scrap pile.
Click to expand...
What brand? hyd. or solid? I doubt they are junk. Good inspection of the lobe surface would be in order.
 
Cranky said:
Probably longer! Reason I'm asking is I found 4 boxes of new lifters that have been in the cabinet since the late 80's early 90's and wondering if I should throw them on the scrap pile.
Click to expand...
I would think those are worth taking a look at
 
pnora said:
What brand? hyd. or solid? I doubt they are junk. Good inspection of the lobe surface would be in order.
Click to expand...
Isky solids, number 3102H is on the box and not sure if the box is original to them based on the part #. Wouldn't the 'H' mean hydraulic?

DC hy P4006767....the last number I'm not sure of. Those lifters are in a Power House plastic lifter box.

Crane hy, can't read the number on the box anymore.

Crower hy 66032

And what am I looking for on the lobe surface. They are all new lifters and have never been installed....but always inspected new lifters for nicks etc before sticking them into an engine.
 
.0025-.0030” crown seems proper.

I will say this; any flat tappet cam and lifter is a wear item these days. That’s why going forward I will only use solids, because it’s easier to monitor wear. So these nos lifters should be far better than any chin&&se lifter available today, with the possible exception of the DLC coated lifters that have been discussed on this forum.
(All above IMO only)
 
I bought an entire valve train from Hughes about 12 years ago......... I never had a lifter or cam issue during any break ins, and I won't be expecting any issues this time around
 
Cranky said:
Probably longer! Reason I'm asking is I found 4 boxes of new lifters that have been in the cabinet since the late 80's early 90's and wondering if I should throw them on the scrap pile.
Click to expand...
No. You can send them to Oregon Cam Grinding will resurfaced them for $5.50/ea if they are used. Better than new.
Link
 
I bought a new Edelbrock Performer RPM cam and lifters ($50) that Summit had on store display probably 10 yrs ago, and put it in my GTX last winter and it has like new ever since.
 
AND another thing I will say is, there are so many variables involved with cam and lifter failures that even the experts can’t tell you the exact causes.

Powell machine has a lot of good YouTube videos. He will no longer deal with any flat tappet cams. And he used to resurface lifters.

That’s why if its bigger than stock with heavier springs I consider it a wear item.

There are many that can say they installed this cam and those lifters however many years ago and it’s fine. That’s anecdotal evidence and doesn’t take into account all the variables that you may have to deal with.
 
padam said:
AND another thing I will say is, there are so many variables involved with cam and lifter failures that even the experts can’t tell you the exact causes.

Powell machine has a lot of good YouTube videos. He will no longer deal with any flat tappet cams. And he used to resurface lifters.

That’s why if its bigger than stock with heavier springs I consider it a wear item.

There are many that can say they installed this cam and those lifters however many years ago and it’s fine. That’s anecdotal evidence and doesn’t take into account all the variables that you may have to deal with.
Click to expand...
One of the variables is today's oils....imo
 
I used all tne parts suggested by Edellbrock. Cam, chain and gears, lifters, springs, carb and manifold.
Also the valve stem seals.
Now I burn more oil than before, and have an annoying tick.
I will write more about this after I take some bits off.
 
It would be nice to read a study on when the cam and lifter failures really increased.
We have all heard that once the new cars were changed to roller lifters, the demand for flat tappet components dropped WAY off. The few manufacturers of flat tappet parts probably didn't have as much incentive to maintain high quality standards as they did when they supplied to the big three.
The LA series engines went to roller lifters in the mid 80s. I don't know about Ford or GM. I never heard of people having aftermarket cam and lifter failures until the late 90s, early 2000s. Nobody that I knew personally had it happen. My first one that I saw was a stock Chevy 350 in 1990. I attributed that to high mileage. The first aftermarket cam failure I saw was in an LA 360 I bought from a friend. I put a MP 280/474 in it in 2005 and it has been fine since. My own cam failures? I lost a Comp Cam in 2006, the replacement was covered under warranty and it also crapped out. I wiped a 292/508 in a 360 I had in my FrankenDuster Plymouth in 2009 maybe? In 2022, I lost a MP '528 solid.
 
Cam failures in factory Chevy small blocks began in the mid 80s. I bet I changed nearly 100 of them in 5 years. Some needed to be changed b4 they were sold. Lots never made 4000 miles. Some almost made the warranty period. And some were perfectly fine for way past the warranty period. All we changed were the cam and lifters gaskets and did an oil and filter change. Kim
 
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