[pontibeast]

My 455 is in the final stages of installation and I went with the Crower Hippo solid rollers to go with the Stump Puller cam as many people on here have said they had good luck with them. Now I am going to be losing sleep after reading this thread. I guess all I can do is keep checking the lifters and listen for a change in lifter noise. Does having a tight lash of about .0004 cold hurt or help with this issue? It's about 9.7 SCR with ported 6X-8 heads if that makes a difference.

[wheneaglesfly]

Originally Posted by i82much

Eh, I dunno. I've read plenty of threads with guys saying their hydraulic roller engines have been together for years. Did every one of those guys catch this issue and modify their lifters, or is there another explanation?

Everyone that used a Roller Cam back then used Solid Roller Lifters.
All Out Drag Race.
If you made it one season no failures it was a Good Combo & Deemed Reliable .
Lots of luck too.

The Best costs.
Easy to put $5,000 into the Valvetrain & its still not the best.

[Steve C.]

Stated- "...I went with the Crower Hippo solid rollers to go with the Stump Puller cam as many people on here have said they had good luck with them. Now I am going to be losing sleep after reading this thread. I guess all I can do is keep checking the lifters and listen for a change in lifter noise."

This thread was about hydraulic roller lifters. Regarding a solid roller set up as mentioned above. Among many, two very important things to keep track of:

1) Run adequate valvespring pressure and keep track of it. The loss of pressure is a killer on a solid roller set up on the street. And remember springs lose some pressure after run in.

2) Monitor your valve lash. If you lose lash and it won't stay consistent it is a good indicator of solid roller lifter issues.


.

[tom s]

Or lash cap issues!Tom

[TCSGTO]

Originally Posted by pontibeast

My 455 is in the final stages of installation and I went with the Crower Hippo solid rollers to go with the Stump Puller cam as many people on here have said they had good luck with them. Now I am going to be losing sleep after reading this thread. I guess all I can do is keep checking the lifters and listen for a change in lifter noise. Does having a tight lash of about .0004 cold hurt or help with this issue? It's about 9.7 SCR with ported 6X-8 heads if that makes a difference.

Since your running iron heads the lash will shrink with engine heat. Try around .008 cold then see what it is hot. If you don't have enough cold lash the valves could be held open when things get toasty.

[leeklm]

Interesting discussion... This is my 2nd pontiac engine in recent years, and while I do not think my valve train noise is excessive, it certainly is noticeable. I am running the Stump Puller with new style Comp Lifters and full roller rockers.

I posted a video of the engine running here...

https://youtu.be/kFAm5o3YnZE

Of course it is difficult to pick up detail sounds from a phone video-- but, does this sound "normal"? It has been a couple of years, but I think my old engine sounded similar, which was using the Johnson short travel Hyd Rollers...

Thanks for Listening!

[wheneaglesfly]

Originally Posted by leeklm

Interesting discussion... This is my 2nd pontiac engine in recent years, and while I do not think my valve train noise is excessive, it certainly is noticeable. I am running the Stump Puller with new style Comp Lifters and full roller rockers.

I posted a video of the engine running here...

https://youtu.be/kFAm5o3YnZE

Of course it is difficult to pick up detail sounds from a phone video-- but, does this sound "normal"? It has been a couple of years, but I think my old engine sounded similar, which was using the Johnson short travel Hyd Rollers...

Thanks for Listening!

Sounds like a Mechanical flat tappet cam with a few valves or rocker arms set loose.
I Think GTOFREEK is onto something with a Viable solution.

I only use solids.
After max performance & minimum 7K redline.

[67GP428]

Other than the loud lifters, is it safe to run the car like this? I feel like I have loud lifters in my newly built 400?

[wheneaglesfly]

Originally Posted by 67GP428

Other than the loud lifters, is it safe to run the car like this? I feel like I have loud lifters in my newly built 400?

I would say no.
If you have ever seen the carnage damage done when a roller lifter wheel fails & the tiny needle bearings scatter throughout the engine..........Like a Nuclear A- Bomb went off inside of the engine.
1 needle bearing will destroy all.
I have seen $40,000- 50,000 dollar dirt track race engine destroyed by this manner.
Only parts usable again was the Valve covers & Intake manifold.

[wheneaglesfly]

Not just Pontiac Land........this stuff happens in the Corvette world too.....All dreams come to an end instant.....

[tom s]

Scott,remind me to listen next time I see the car.Hyd roller cam and lifters?Tom

[67GP428]

Lifters. Sounds like it's only from #1 cylinder? There's more to my story. Will have to talk more in depth. Might have different issues? Thanks Scott

[dataway]

Does anyone run plain, no roller, solid lifters anymore?

My only experience with them has been on old motorcycles .... they make some noise, and need adjustment now and then, but they tend to be pretty bullet proof, rarely seen one fail.

Is there a reason they are not commonly used on hot rods these days?

[wheneaglesfly]

Originally Posted by dataway

Does anyone run plain, no roller, solid lifters anymore?

My only experience with them has been on old motorcycles .... they make some noise, and need adjustment now and then, but they tend to be pretty bullet proof, rarely seen one fail.

Is there a reason they are not commonly used on hot rods these days?

I do.

ABSOLUTE 100 % RELIABILITY.

Ron Iskenderian custom ground for me recent.

[wheneaglesfly]

Running 4,000- 7,000 RPMs 75-80 % of the time on the street.
10,000 miles each time before teardown to inspect & freshen the engine.
Cam & Lifters like New.

[wheneaglesfly]

Originally Posted by dataway

Does anyone run plain, no roller, solid lifters anymore?

My only experience with them has been on old motorcycles .... they make some noise, and need adjustment now and then, but they tend to be pretty bullet proof, rarely seen one fail.

Is there a reason they are not commonly used on hot rods these days?

Everyone wants Roller.
Solid Roller does give more HP.
But if you over rev or springs fail premature......Kiss the engine goodbye.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by dataway

Does anyone run plain, no roller, solid lifters anymore?

My only experience with them has been on old motorcycles .... they make some noise, and need adjustment now and then, but they tend to be pretty bullet proof, rarely seen one fail.

Is there a reason they are not commonly used on hot rods these days?

I have 3 cars here with solid flat tappets. No issues with them at all. I check them once a year is all that's needed.
One thing I won't do is run a solid roller on a cam that was ground with hydraulic rollers in mind. If I want solid rollers, I'd run the proper stick to go with it.
On the hydraulic roller deal, the noise seems hit or miss. The previous 455 my father ran was a Comp hydraulic roller cam and lifter that was custom ground by Kauffman. That engine was dead nuts quiet for several years and he drove it 2-3 times a week.

[wheneaglesfly]

When were Dirt Track Racing I chose an Isky Flat Tappet cam for our 010 4-bolt Main SBC.
369 Cubic inches.
Redline was 8500-8800 RPMS.
6.86 Gears in the Ford 9 inch.
Screamed for 20-200 Laps.
Wet sump pan. 10-quarts made for Left hand roundy round racing.
Iron Eagle heads.
Won near ever race including against 434 sbc Big guns.

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by dataway

Does anyone run plain, no roller, solid lifters anymore?

My only experience with them has been on old motorcycles .... they make some noise, and need adjustment now and then, but they tend to be pretty bullet proof, rarely seen one fail.

Is there a reason they are not commonly used on hot rods these days?

Just got done machining a 421 for darbikrash, and he is running a solid flat tappet cam that was nitrided. Running the Hylift/Johnson solid lifters with the EDM hole in them.

[AG]

Here is a pic of a Crane HR lifter, the lower oil band is the same height as a hydraulic Pontiaxc lifter. The side pic shows the machining similar to what LSM did.