Stocker Tooled Steel Cam & Lifters

[JCChildress]

When using a tooled steel camshaft in a stocker, is everyone using coated lifters or is that just an option ? Is anyone using uncoated tooled steel lifters is what I'm asking I suppose ?

[Alan Roehrich]

Assuming everything else is good, you can run tool steel lifters on an 8620 steel cam billet. I don't like DLC coatings, at all. I've seen other having good results from the stuff Rocketman does.

[Glenn Briglio]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

Assuming everything else is good, you can run tool steel lifters on an 8620 steel cam billet. I don't like DLC coatings, at all. I've seen other having good results from the stuff Rocketman does.

Why not the dlc lifters?

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Glenn Briglio

Why not the dlc lifters?

WAY too many issues with various DLC coatings in the past. Compatibility issues with oils, other materials it interfaces with, etc. When it starts to come off, and it will, it's like a hand full of industrial diamonds circulating in your engine.

[65signet]

I use non coated tool steel lifters with a cast core cam for years.

[SDT1DYI]

A lot of variables here .
Ramp design, valve weight, spring pressure, Rpm, to name a few.
Cast iron cams with aggressive " Stocker" Ramps , tool steel lifters with 215/400 maybe 100 runs before there's lobe issues and need to be replaced.
More spring pressure , fewer runs, less spring pressure more runs.
Tool steel cam cores, DCL lifters , can run higher spring pressures , no break in issues.
PPPC in NC make a very good DCL lifter
Coating work done in France. Delivery sometimes can be longer than you want. Around 1,250.00 a set.

Steve Teeter Stk/SS. Q620/7888

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by 65signet

I use non coated tool steel lifters with a cast core cam for years.

Yep. Sold a few dozen sets. The trick for many engine builders was to break in the camshaft using Shubeck lifters, then put tool steel lifters in.There's another brief break in required there, but once the Shubeck lifters burnish the cast iron cam, the tool steel lifters will break in and run reliably, with good quality oil.


You cannot, under any circumstances, run DLC coated lifters on cast iron core camshafts. I know one lifter supplier told people you can, and it was disastrous. Cast iron is by nature abrasive, and DLC simply will not live on it.

[JCChildress]

I worked in an engine shop that did lots and lots of Late Model Stock engines ( all solid flat tappet ) . We used all cast iron cores and tooled steel lifters. We always broke in engines without the inner springs and used break in oil. I don't remember hardly ever seeing any issues.Our lifters were not coated at all.
I'm just wondering how the tooled steel cam would do with non coated tooled steel lifters. I won't likely own a set of Shubeck lifters. I had an engine builder put a set of Shubeck lifters in a 340 once and we never made a pass. The ceramic came off and it literally destroyed the cylinder walls and pistons. It was around 2000 I think....so 25 years ago.