[b-man]

Tool steel lifters.

Perhaps the answer or at least your best bet for flat tappet cam longevity?

[tom s]

I don’t think tool steel lifters work on cast cams.Tom

[b-man]

They do work Tom.

I’ll be using a set on a cast air-cooled VW solid cam, like many others have done successfully.

$470 for a set of 8 lifters.

[64speed]

Another vote for Crower. I’m good (so far) with my 60919 and cam saver lifters at a tick over 4000 miles.

[Formulajones]

The biggest take away I've found is not going cheap on the parts and at least giving yourself some measure of success.

There are no guarantees in the hot rod world but for sure cutting corners will find you on the side of the road more often.

I have no issue with solid flat taper or hydraulic flat taper or even hydraulic rollers. I have a couple hydraulic roller engines that have been in service for 25+ years without a valve cover off and they get some abuse as well as 10's of thousands of street miles. One daily is a solid flat taper that has gone 60k miles so far and is perfect. Lash hasn't even changed. Nitrided that cam and installed solid lifters with a lube option on that one. Other daily is a hydraulic flat taper with Johnson lifters on a melling 068 and it's been flawless for years and 50,000 miles. Nitrided that cam as well.

[ponchjoe]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

The biggest take away I've found is not going cheap on the parts and at least giving yourself some measure of success.

There are no guarantees in the hot rod world but for sure cutting corners will find you on the side of the road more often.

I have no issue with solid flat taper or hydraulic flat taper or even hydraulic rollers. I have a couple hydraulic roller engines that have been in service for 25+ years without a valve cover off and they get some abuse as well as 10's of thousands of street miles. One daily is a solid flat taper that has gone 60k miles so far and is perfect. Lash hasn't even changed. Nitrided that cam and installed solid lifters with a lube option on that one. Other daily is a hydraulic flat taper with Johnson lifters on a melling 068 and it's been flawless for years and 50,000 miles. Nitrided that cam as well.

Agreed, I have a set of Hylifts to go with the Lunati but may buy the Crowers instead

[Jay S]

Originally Posted by ponchjoe

Agreed, I have a set of Hylifts to go with the Lunati but may buy the Crowers instead

At least you do not have the cheap Lunati lifters that use too come with Voodoo cams kits, they were a crap shoot. The Lunati Micro tol lifters were decent lifters, but they were an upgrade above their standard lifter. I have micro tol’s on a 704. Not sure why you would switch the Crowers if you have hylifts? 64speeds didn’t mention his builder took 2 sets of Crower Camsavers to find one good set that he was happy with. That builder checks the crown on the lifters before he uses them. Crower cam savers use to be made by hylift. But these days Crower advertises lifters as Johnson now when they are Johnson’s, and when they are not advertises as being Johnson the price is much cheaper. I don’t know for sure though who supplies Crower with lifters, these companies switch suppliers pretty frequently. With lifters you usually get what you pay for.

Having the cam nitrided and use the Hylifts is probably the most rugged combo for a HFT. On a mechanical it is the tool steel lifter with face oiling or a dlc coating, and having the cam nitrided or better yet, a tool steel cam$$$. Adding the oiling option is a good idea, it mostly helps for idle protection though on flat tappets.

[64speed]

Originally Posted by Jay S

At least you do not have the cheap Lunati lifters that use too come with Voodoo cams kits, they were a crap shoot. The Lunati Micro tol lifters were decent lifters, but they were an upgrade above their standard lifter. I have micro tol’s on a 704. Not sure why you would switch the Crowers if you have hylifts? 64speeds didn’t mention his builder took 2 sets of Crower Camsavers to find one good set that he was happy with. That builder checks the crown on the lifters before he uses them. Crower cam savers use to be made by hylift. But these days Crower advertises lifters as Johnson now when they are Johnson’s, and when they are not advertises as being Johnson the price is much cheaper. I don’t know for sure though who supplies Crower with lifters, these companies switch suppliers pretty frequently. With lifters you usually get what you pay for.

Having the cam nitrided and use the Hylifts is probably the most rugged combo for a HFT. On a mechanical it is the tool steel lifter with face oiling or a dlc coating, and having the cam nitrided or better yet, a tool steel cam$$$. Adding the oiling option is a good idea, it mostly helps for idle protection though on flat tappets.

Thanks for pointing out the 2 set check. I had forgotten about that. I do think that one would have been fine but Wayne warranties his work for a good while and I think he’s a little anal but what do I know.

[Jay S]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Thanks for pointing out the 2 set check. I had forgotten about that. I do think that one would have been fine but Wayne warranties his work for a good while and I think he’s a little anal but what do I know.

Your builder did good. That is an extra level of detail that is not done often.

I did a cam for a friends 389 and went with Crower camsavers in the similar time frame as your engine. Couldn’t buy hylifts at the time. He has not got it running yet though. I still think they are the best of the cheaper lifters.

[Jay S]

Kind of Anal and successful with cams tend to go together.

[Formulajones]

Having the cam nitrided and use the Hylifts is probably the most rugged combo for a HFT. On a mechanical it is the tool steel lifter with face oiling or a dlc coating, and having the cam nitrided or better yet, a tool steel cam$$$. Adding the oiling option is a good idea, it mostly helps for idle protection though on flat tappets.[/QUOTE]


That's basically it in a nutshell and what I was conveying. Ya have to spend a little more money these days to get at least some sort of reliability and cross your fingers no matter flat taper or roller.

Like b-man mentioned I'm doing tool steel lifters on the solid flat tappet for a bug engine as well. Just that is nearly $500 for 8 lifters. But it gives me some insurance.
I have all flat tappet cams nitrided these days too.

[chiphead]

Any concerns about FT cam lubrication and low operating speeds? If the engine is loping around at 1800 RPM in OD, is that going to provide a flat tappet cam enough oil thrown on the lobes? Seems a mild FT grind with valvesprings under 270lbs would live longer? Meaning no XE lobes and/or 995 spring setup.

[Formulajones]

Mine idle around well below 1800 all the time with over 100,000 miles between the 2.

Shucks with the over drive in one it's barely over 1800 on the highway lol

[64speed]

God I hope there are no oiling issues at low engine speed cause at 50 MPH I am barely over idle

[Steve C.]

'Splash lube' at lower engine RPM... real or perceived ?


.

[tom s]

in early years I think hard face overlay cams used tool steel lifters.Was popular at Isky.Tom

[67Lemons]

Originally Posted by Jay S

At least you do not have the cheap Lunati lifters that use too come with Voodoo cams kits, they were a crap shoot. The Lunati Micro tol lifters were decent lifters, but they were an upgrade above their standard lifter. I have micro tol’s on a 704. Not sure why you would switch the Crowers if you have hylifts? 64speeds didn’t mention his builder took 2 sets of Crower Camsavers to find one good set that he was happy with. That builder checks the crown on the lifters before he uses them. Crower cam savers use to be made by hylift. But these days Crower advertises lifters as Johnson now when they are Johnson’s, and when they are not advertises as being Johnson the price is much cheaper. I don’t know for sure though who supplies Crower with lifters, these companies switch suppliers pretty frequently. With lifters you usually get what you pay for.

Having the cam nitrided and use the Hylifts is probably the most rugged combo for a HFT. On a mechanical it is the tool steel lifter with face oiling or a dlc coating, and having the cam nitrided or better yet, a tool steel cam$$$. Adding the oiling option is a good idea, it mostly helps for idle protection though on flat tappets.

I’ve been trying to research who is making Crower’s cam saver lifters & can’t find an answer, I’ve emailed them two times with no response, when I get some time I guess I’ll have to call them again to see if they can give me an answer.

[Jay S]

Originally Posted by 67Lemons

I’ve been trying to research who is making Crower’s cam saver lifters & can’t find an answer, I’ve emailed them two times with no response, when I get some time I guess I’ll have to call them again to see if they can give me an answer.

It has been a couple years…Shane is the person I have always talked to at Crower.

[Formulas]

is there a pic available of the plunger area of the Crower cam savers?

[ponchjoe]

Hey guys,

I am building a 408 for my 67 LeMans with a TH2004r and 3.55 gears. Intent is just a street cruiser and hit the highway when I want to. The engine is a .040 68 400 block, 670 heads, I just picked up the heads and will be having them gone through with new everything and get good forged pistons to get a compression to 9.5:1 max. May even go 9.25. I want to use a stock lockup stall converter

I am looking for some ideas for cam choice. I have a Lunati 702
Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 219/227
Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .468/.489
LSA/ICL: 112/108

I was also thinking of going roller and would like recommendations. What about Howard’s 4/7 swap cams? And what’s the LS7 lifter use I’ve read a little about?
Thanks as always for your input.
Thanks