[pontiac 455ho]

Hello all a question does the 301 use standerd pontiac.lifters on summt it list lifters the fit 301 to 455 same number. Just wanna make shure I order the right one. As I found a bad lifter. Also to make my valve train adjustable do I just buy poly locks and new rockers.

[rexs73gto]

The lifters are the same & all you need to make them adjustable is the poly locks , you don't have to buy new rocker arms unless your going to a bigger rocker like 1.65's. The poly locks just replace the rocker arm nuts that are on there at present.. You said you had 1 bad one, you are replaceing all of them new aren't you???.

[Tim Corcoran]

I don't believe you need to replace all the lifters just because you have one bad lifter. I would just replace the bad one and use proper break-in lubricant on that lobe and lifter and go thru the proper cam break-in procedure. You might install the poly locks and the lifter noise may go away after they are adjusted properly.

[pontiac 455ho]

all I know is that motor works put in a969 lifters so I was just gonna replace all of them so thete the same type and ill get the poly locks to

[pontiac 455ho]

Lifter number comes back to buick 455 that is what motor works so what lifter do I get buick or
pontiac lifters I dont wanna get the wrong ones

[Tim Corcoran]

Make sure you get lifters that are specifically made for a Pontiac motor. Pontiac used the same lifters for all their engines from 64 on.

[BVR421]

301 lifters are the same part # as some Buicks and some Cadillacs. Not the same diameter as bigger Pontiac. I cant recall the #number offhand but its not the same as 'big brother' motors. PMD had no reason to make the 301 lifter the same as the earlier 951 lifters. The 'real' Pontiac motors were long gone and never to return before the 301 so they started using a few parts that were the same as sister brands. Same deal with rod bearings, 301s rods are different than the big motors.

If you want the right lifters stay away from Summit, go to a real parts house. Preferably in your home town.

For locking adjustable rockers you dont need new rockers just ordinary 3/8" locknuts on your stock rockers
get the locknuts from the hardware store or use 16 new stock chev v8 rocker nuts

How do you know that lifter is bad? If its just ticking, change oil with some Rislone. That has cured noisey lifters in millions of old cars.

[pontiac 455ho]

My local orily has sealdpower ht969 lifters in twi diam 8.42 and 8.442 I know pontiac id 8.42 and the lifter was not pumping up so I lossend the rocker and now the lifter will not go down so it holding the valve open now runs like crap. The current lifters in the engine are melling jb2077 so I want a better lifter I know the 77and 79 301 use differnt lifters. The only differnce I see between the 400and 301 lifter is the oil hole on the301 is a little higher . Im getting differnt answers some say normal lifter others say 301 only I have 1 chance to do it right as it is a daily driver no room for error

[Tim Corcoran]

Sorry for the bad info posted above. I guess I didn't know the 301's were different.

[Ben M.]

Go to Autozone, get part number JB-2077 lifters (traditional Pontiacs use JB-951). They are made by Melling still in the US and the quality of them is good. Since this isn't a performance cam or engine, just use the OEM style replacements and call it good.

[BVR421]

Tim, even though they are different I wouldnt be surprised if a regular Pontiac or Chev lifter would work as well as anything. But then I have no experience with a 301.
Plus the OP wants it right the first time so I think he ought to use the right part number.
I used to look at a lot of lifters when I was in the warehouse and one run of a part number would have different placed oil holes from another even if the same part number. It always seemed like 'close enough' was the order of the day for some lifter makers. Especially the lifters that came from Mexico and Memphis.

[pontiac 455ho]

Heu I found some crower 66056 for 301 ,are they.good lifters that will last and it cool tim you would think that pontiac would just have keep it simple. And the last time I got lifters they did not macth some wear chevy in melling boxes. So if the crower are good ill go with them 80 bucks crower tech told me that they have been modified to work in the 301 I hope there right.

[rexs73gto]

BRV421 is wrong , the 301 came out in 77 & was used in all of the GM lines. It was put in everything from Impalas to Lemans up to 81. The 301 was actually planned for the 74 T/A as a twin turbo engine to replace the 455SD as everyone was going to small size but big power , but the twinturbo got cancled in mid design . It was a Mac Mckeller designed engine. The same person who designed the Ram Air IV cam & several other projects. The HT 951 lifters are used in the 301 the only difference in the lifters with the other part number is they are a low ball lifter design as most all the Pontiac line used a high ball lifter, but they work the same.

[74Grandville]

I swapped the cam in my 1979 301 and the lifter band was different then a traditional pontiac. I do remember scratching my head on this. I had bought some 301 lifters and originally thought they were wrong, but when i pull out the orginals they were the same. I just made sure with the added lift of the 066 cam, that the lower band would not go below the lifter bore.

I think a tradional pontiac lifter would work, just wanted to share what I found in my experience. maybe it depended on the year.

another thing i found. the orginal springs seem to be the same as small block chevies.

[Rocky Rotella]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

The 301 was actually planned for the 74 T/A as a twin turbo engine to replace the 455SD as everyone was going to small size but big power , but the twinturbo got cancled in mid design.

Rex, where did you find this information? I'd like to learn more about it.

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

It was a Mac Mckeller designed engine. The same person who designed the Ram Air IV cam & several other projects.

We need to clarify something here. Mac did design the 301, but it wasn't ever designed to be a performance mill and he was the first to admit it. The Siamesed intake port and runner design was specifically chosen for its effects on economy. Mac told me that they tested to see what provided the best fuel economy and removing the common wall improved fuel economy more than the efficiency leaving them in place did.

If you're referring to the 303, that's a totally different engine developed at a different time with a different intent.

[pontiac 455ho]

I called crower and the tech saidw the oil hole is high enough for the 301 s im.gonna order them monday and new gaskets. Thnaks for all the help go pontiac power

[Batman]

I have 301 lifters and standard Pontiac V8 lifters in front of me right now. The 301 Johnson HT969 are the exact same .842 width and 2.00 height as a standard Pontiac lifter. The top of the oil band on the 301 Johnson's is about .12 lower and the band is about .14 wider than the Lunati, Crower and Erson standard V8 Pontiac lifters that I have to compare to.

[pontiac 455ho]

I just look on mellings site it show both the 951 liftet abd 301 2077 the 301 oil hole is way on top while the 951 is in the center. So is crower wrong aboght the 66056 lifters working in the 301

[pontiac 455ho]

Since the cam is already 7 years old ans the lobes are good do I have to run conventioal oil forr new lufters to break them in right now im using mobl1 if do ill get some gtx and zinc addtive

[pontiac 455ho]

I got a email from melling saying that jb2077 are eaton lifters made in mexico so now im not sjure abpught ordering the jb2077