[Jay S]

Just my opinion. But the Crower HFT cam shaver lifters are probably the best of the cheap HFT’s. I had a friend I picked a cam out for last week, and I suggested the Crower cam savers, which he ordered. Best of cheap was what I relayed to him, I guess that was what he was looking for.

Isky is probably the only other brand that is right in there for quality against HLJ. They are cheaper than HLJ, but more expensive than most lifters, and are a SBC core, which require different push rods.

It is really hard to tell how well the crown was machined looking at a photo. These days you can usually spot lifters made by HLJ by going off the price, they have gotten pretty expensive.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by Jay S

Just my opinion. But the Crower HFT cam shaver lifters are probably the best of the cheap HFT’s. I had a friend I picked a cam out for last week, and I suggested the Crower cam savers, which he ordered. Best of cheap was what I relayed to him, I guess that was what he was looking for.

Isky is probably the only other brand that is right in there for quality against HLJ.

Hi Jay, are you saying that Crower HFT lifters are made by Shaver?

Any thought on where Isky get theirs from?

[Jay S]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

Hi Jay, are you saying that Crower HFT lifters are made by Shaver?

Any thought on where Isky get theirs from?

Crower sells “Johnson” cam saver lifters for other brands (ford). They are advertise that way, and priced that way (expensive).

The Crowers are not Eaton/Delphi…and they look just like what Compcams sells, they are priced to compete with what comp sells..I think that kind of makes them Shaver’s doesn’t it? I can’t think of any other mfg they could be sourced from?


The Isky’s lifters used in Pontiacs are a SBC lifter that is called a “high band SBC” lifter. The only company I know of that made such a thing was Johnson Lifter’s in Taylor, MI..Not HLJ. Thought that was who made them at one time..and then Johnson quit making flat tappets. Now I have no idea…

[Jay S]

Here is an example of Crower’s “Johnson”cam saver lifters. Over $11 a lifter. Crower’s Pontiac offering is something different, priced cheaper. That is why I call the Pontiac cam savers the best of the cheaper HFT lifters.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by Jay S

Crower sells “Johnson” cam saver lifters for other brands (ford). They are advertise that way, and priced that way (expensive).

The Crowers are not Eaton/Delphi…and they look just like what Compcams sells, they are priced to compete with what comp sells..I think that kind of makes them Shaver’s doesn’t it? I can’t think of any other mfg they could be sourced from?


The Isky’s lifters used in Pontiacs are a SBC lifter that is called a “high band SBC” lifter. The only company I know of that made such a thing was Johnson Lifter’s in Taylor, MI..Not HLJ. Thought that was who made them at one time..and then Johnson quit making flat tappets. Now I have no idea…

IDK Jay, I'm so discouraged with the entire situation. Here's what I know for sure:

The folks making the most money off these lifters don't give one crap about the grief they are causing.

The engine builders that do the "right thing" are getting screwed on the deal, waisting a ton of time and loosing a bunch of sleep.

The customers are getting the shaft and most of them are just trying to enjoy a hobby.

As far as I know there are Hy-lift Johnson and imports. Thankfully as for now the imports look different than the Johnson's so it's easy to tell what you have the .

Hy-lift have their own issues and are priced way to high! My cost is close to $250 a set for the 951R's plus shipping and a drop ship fee, since I stopped stocking them.

The imports are a crap shoot. If they work. they are fine (atleast for a while) if they don't they fail in a big way. See my picture, these "import" lifters (repackaged by Crower, Erson, Lunati, Comp, Melling, and many others) were run on one of our USA made cam cores that was Nitrided, broke in properly without the inner springs and pre-lubed. The engine went about 30 miles, chewed up the bearings got abrasive crap throughout the engine, clogged the oil filter and ground off about .200 of material from the bottom of two lifter bodies (the other fourteen look great).

We feel our best option now are remanufactured GM lifters that we are modifying in house for performance applications. So far we have not had a single issue but only have about five engines in use with these lifters.

I ordered a set of Comp High Energy lifters and a set of their Pro Magnum. They were two different lifter bodies. The High Energy were imported ones most companies are selling. The Pro Magnums were a different lifter body I have never seen before. Don't know if they are any good but I'd certainly choose them over the High Energy.

Crower has purchased their flat tappet lifters (for a Pontiac) from Hy-lift for as long as I can remember. But when they were NA from Hy-lift they would buy them from another source and they would end up with an imported lifter. I'm guessing they are offering different price point lifters now to cover the huge increase in price for the Hy-lift parts.

It's a catch 22 for me. I hate to rag about the increased price for the Hy-lift product but when you pay a premium and still have failures it's a hard pill to swallow.

It's a real poop situation.

Of course all the above is JMHO

[64speed]

I’m not an expert by any stretch but I just received my Crower Cam Saver lifters and the machining looks great.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by 64speed

I’m not an expert by any stretch but I just received my Crower Cam Saver lifters and the machining looks great.

Can you post a picture of the lifter body?

[chrisp]

Harley-Davidson motorcycles sold in the United States are not actually made here, but assembled here. Harley contracts manufacturing of parts to plants located all over the world, including Germany, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, and Mexico.

[RocktimusPryme]

With most of this stuff, especially in the hot rodding world, it seems the best most of us can do is buy parts based on reviews from people we trust.

Just pick your expert, or better yet a consensus of experts, trust their opinion and roll the dice!

[Cliff R]

Harley Davidson Twin Cam engines used Hylift roller lifters till 2001, then went to cheaper Delphi parts. They are NOTORIOUS for lifter noise and several companies make parts to help quiet them down.

I put Hylift roller lifters in mine plus the "rocker lockers" and it turned it from a "thrashing machine" to a sewing machine as far as noise is concerned. Going by memory 4 roller lifters were right at $160 back then.........

[track73]

I was told at one time the most "American" made car was Honda..

[P@blo]

Originally Posted by track73

I was told at one time the most "American" made car was Honda..

Yeah and those are probably mabe in Canada lol

[Shiny]

Watch Topline's automated manufacturing video and you can understand how the cost of making a lifter (or anything else) might be less in another country. Not sure if this reflects their current process, but I am sure their investment in custom equipment would have to be spread over a LOT of parts. And the market for old Pontiac parts is probably two levels below "a LOT" in their world.

https://youtu.be/lLx_2UKcjS4

[64speed]

I can’t get a good picture of the machining swirl on the bottom

[Jay S]

Maybe you remember better than me Paul. I don’t think Crower ever listed lifters as being Johnson’s in the past. I think all the Crowers were Johnson’s, so there was no need for different pricing or advertising.

When the HLJ lifter took the big price hike, about the time frame when they switched to this other foundry, the price of the Crower Pontiac lifters didn’t follow the price hike. That got my attention that crowers offering changed.

Never has been a better time to buy a lifter surfacer!

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by Jay S

Maybe you remember better than me Paul. I don’t think Crower ever listed lifters as being Johnson’s in the past. I think all the Crowers were Johnson’s, so there was no need for different pricing or advertising.

When the HLJ lifter took the big price hike, about the time frame when they switched to this other foundry, the price of the Crower Pontiac lifters didn’t follow the price hike. That got my attention that crowers offering changed.

Never has been a better time to buy a lifter surfacer!

Agree with all the above. Johnson would run dry at times and Crower would have to buy from a different source. The only thing I'm not sure of is when the big price increase came from Hy-lift. They used to be around $100 a set then they jumped to $160 and not long after to $250.... I haven't sold any in a while but I thought the $250 price was just before the Michigan foundry that made their lifter bodies closed.

Again, even at $250 a set it wouldn't be horrible if they were trouble free.

Remember when Crower offered their "money saving" cams and were reboxing the popular Camshaft Machine grinds? I get what Crower is doing, they're just trying to stay open. I wish them well they make great products... Their shipping department profits can only keep them afloat for so long.

[Formulas]

one time in the early 90's i put in a new cam and lifters, small cam stock old springs decided to spin the oil pump before i put in the pushrods

WTH glitter of copius amounts came flowing out of the tops of the lifters when pressure hit them

i have a reversable air powered 950 rpm drill motor i keept spining the pump until the glitter stopped and i was comfortable all the oil went through the filter a few times because at that point the cat was already out of the bag

lifters have been sketchy for a long time

[Steve C.]

???

Crower CamSaver Hydraulic Flat Tappet Pontiac V8

https://crower.com/hydraulic-lifters...ontiac-v8.html

And here with no band around the lifter body:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cro-66056x3-16

However JEGS states, "Product images may differ from actual product appearance."

https://www.jegs.com/i/Crower/258/66...4aAlPtEALw_wcB


.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Steve C.

???

Crower CamSaver Hydraulic Flat Tappet Pontiac V8

https://crower.com/hydraulic-lifters...ontiac-v8.html


.

Yep, and if you click on "more information" nothing extra, no info on the lifters. There is literally no description about the lifters at all that says they are anything other than a regular flat tappet lifter. No hole on the face of the lifter either that I can see. 64speed's picture of the lifters he received doesn't show a hole either.

So what makes them a "cam saver" ???

[Formulajones]

Here are the lifters I used, and you can clearly see the .012" hole in the face of the lifter. Squirts oil right on the lobes of the cam.

https://www.compcams.com/tool-steel-...chevrolet.html