Flat tappet lifter failure

[Terry Cain]

Has anyone done a cost comparison? How about a (god forbid , if ya have a failure) time comparison of available parts?

[Larry Hill]

On the six pack car it’s way cheaper to use the DLC lifters than to buy new cam, pistons, machine work on a harder to find block, timing set, bearings, and cleaning everything.

[Terry Cain]

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

On the six pack car it’s way cheaper to use the DLC lifters than to buy new cam, pistons, machine work on a harder to find block, timing set, bearings, and cleaning everything.

Larry,
Not talking about a cleanup in aisle 3 after failure. What I'm asking is it cheaper to run roller lifters/cam vs flat tappet.
Flat tappet coated lifters are $1248 PPPC (quoted 10/5/2023)
Rollers are around $900 Crower
Cam- A Billet is around 8-9 hundred for Big Block and I wouldn't run a cast cam with the weight of valves and spring pressure in a Big Block if they paid me.
Seems on the flat tappets the coating wears off over time (some pretty damn quick lol) and lifters have to be refinished and coated (if ya catch it in time). Cost quoted was $550-$650 (they have to take the old coating off) for coating and around $5 per lifter plus shipping ($35 with insurance) to refinish, etc.
What's the life on a roller lifter running "stocker" springs and RPM?

[Doug Hoven]

Maybe if you softened your cam lobe up a touch you wouldn’t have to run so much pressure….. I doubt a roller lifter would live with the spring pressure I have. If you think bouncing a flat tappet lifter off a lobe is bad, try it with a roller lifter.

[bubski]

Bubski is thinking like OK let's go roller for all !! Since this is "stock" wouldn't it be in the best interest of the rules to stay "stock" ??? So !! Ffford n Chevy "stock" rollers have a .700 lifter wheel diameter !! Every aftermarket roller is .750,.760 not really "stock" where you're supposed to abide by the "stock" rules !! Such as lifter diameter which is enforced but cam bearing diameter is a gray area !! Let's get even more into it !! .250-.280 lobes are not in every cam companies master list !! But Bubski's sure for a few bucks more they'll make a few concessions !! Sooo !! Now you can have a universal roller cam rule and make everyone with a roller go to stock roller diameters and spend some more cash on a set of lifters that are now legal !! However Bubski doesn't know of any race lifters at stock roller wheel dimensions !! However Bubski is sure a few will step up to the "cause" and kindly beat YOU over the head with a "stock" diameter roller lifter and accompanying valve train package !! Maybe it's time to break out the "lifter tru" and reevaluate your camshaft and valve spring choice !! SS has unlimited cam lift and the like !! Show Bubski a 305 with 1.250 lift !! It's not feasible and a BBC with an unrealistic camshaft is also unfeasible !! Sometimes you gotta work within the parameters you're given !! Cheers !!

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by bubski

Sometimes you gotta work within the parameters you're given !!

I couldn't have said it any better myself! Thanks Bubski!

[Dwight Southerland]

How come nobody campaigns for a limit on valve spring pressure?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland

How come nobody campaigns for a limit on valve spring pressure?

I'm good with that!

[Terry Cain]

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland

How come nobody campaigns for a limit on valve spring pressure?

Let's make it fair. If your valve weighs X you get Y amount of pressure. If it weighs Z you get a set amount.

Oh, wait a minute. Didn't they use to do that? Wonder why they changed? Hmmmmm

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by Terry Cain

Let's make it fair. If your valve weighs X you get Y amount of pressure. If it weighs Z you get a set amount.

Oh, wait a minute. Didn't they use to do that? Wonder why they changed? Hmmmmm

Isn't the class you are running called "Stock". So if manufacture "F" used a better valve spring than manufacture "G". That might have bin a reason to maybe run manufacture "F" engine. At some point it seems people who run manufacture "G" felt entitled to be able to run manufacture "F" type springs. Before you ask, no I don't run a car in stock and have not for over 45 years.



Stan