[64speed]

I didn’t give much information with my post. We used ton of assembly lube and moly. Lucas 30 break in oil WITH a bottle of Lucas ZDDP. I changed the oil immediately, ran another change of break in for 500 miles. Switched to VR1 20/50 with Lucas oil stabilizer. Oil pressure was too high for winter so I changed at 1000 miles to 10-30 VR1. No oil stabilizer but a container of STP. Seems fine.

[Gach]

Originally Posted by 64speed

I didn’t give much information with my post. We used ton of assembly lube and moly. Lucas 30 break in oil WITH a bottle of Lucas ZDDP. I changed the oil immediately, ran another change of break in for 500 miles. Switched to VR1 20/50 with Lucas oil stabilizer. Oil pressure was too high for winter so I changed at 1000 miles to 10-30 VR1. No oil stabilizer but a container of STP. Seems fine.

Which hyd lifters did you use

[64speed]

Crower Cam Savers. I know opinions vary but I do believe that lifters from the same company as the cam matter.

[Gach]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Crower Cam Savers. I know opinions vary but I do believe that lifters from the same company as the cam matter.

I agree I know of three people that have used them and not have issues.

[scott06]

Originally Posted by 67Lemons

With all the negative reports of HFT failures let’s spin this to a positive place. WHO has recently within the last three years installed a flat tappet cam successfully & what did you do that you feel helped?

Did a Spotts 068 HL cam in2022 no issues. Used driven oil for break in.

[67Lemons]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Crower Cam Savers. I know opinions vary but I do believe that lifters from the same company as the cam matter.

I was going to go with the cam savers but they aren’t made in America now so I decided against them.I'm sure that they’re still a good lifter but I wasn’t who makes them now for Crower.

[P@blo]

Correction 1970 monte $300 all in

[Formulajones]

Never lost one in 40 years. Recently been successful 2 more of them but typically dont do as many as I did as most are roller these days

[TCSGTO]

Originally Posted by 67Lemons

I was going to go with the cam savers but they aren’t made in America now so I decided against them.I'm sure that they’re still a good lifter but I wasn’t who makes them now for Crower.

I was under the impression HyLift Johnson made the Camsavers for Crower and Howard’s. Where did you hear they are made offshore?

[67Lemons]

Originally Posted by TCSGTO

I was under the impression HyLift Johnson made the Camsavers for Crower and Howard’s. Where did you hear they are made offshore?

It was mentioned in another thread, they also don’t state that they are made in the USA. Typically a manufacturer will list items made in the US, without that who knows.

[67Lemons]

Originally Posted by 67Lemons

It was mentioned in another thread, they also don’t state that they are made in the USA. Typically a manufacturer will list items made in the US, without that who knows.

To confirm I just sent an email to Crower, it’s not fair for me to assume so I will correct my post if they tell me otherwise.

[68 Firebird]

Been running the on Melling SPC-7 for about 8 years. tech said breakin oil
was key and they really work best with 10w30 to pass oil instantly down to lobe at startup.

Gerry

[Jay S]

Probably picked up the info about Crower lifter from me on the other thread. I did a summit 2802 cam for a local guy with Crower cam saver lifter’s last summer. They are an OK lifter, but are not as good as HLJ, and the current price reflects that. The car is being restored and he has not ran it yet. So nothing to report. Which is most of the state of the cams I have done for folks the last couple years. Just for clarification, Hylift Johnson use to make lifters for Crower, that is true. Hylift Johnson actually does make some lifters for Crower yet. But they are sold as “Hylift Johnson lifter’s”, labeled that way, and the price is much higher than their standard Crower’s lifters.

Last couple years I have been sourcing NOS lifter from the late 70s and early 80s for HFT’s. Interestingly, some of these old NOS lifters seem to have a less convex face and a finer finish than what is being sold by current makers. The current Crower cam saver lifters are still made in the USA, just not by Johnson. Says made in the USA on the package, it means at least something about them is machined here in the USA.

I have not in anyway gave up on flat tappet cams. I have been doing a lot of roller cams though. For prep on flat tappets I coat the cams with the Lubricant usually provide with the camshaft, or find something similar when it does not come with it. Prefer the Driven oil for break in. If that is not available I add a break in additive. I only remove inner springs if the pressure is over 300 lbs over the nose.

[Jay S]

For years and years we did nothing of any kind when we broke in cams, other than spreading engine oil over the cam, using 15w40 oil, and varying the RPM’s for 20 minute of continuous run time. From what I understand, back when these engines were new the factory did even less than that, basically nothing to break the cam in. So something definetly changed with the issues that are around today. I only remember loosing one cam back in those days, and we had trouble with keeping that engine running the first 20 minutes. Eventually lost a rod bearing and a cam lobe, it was getting shifted at 7000 too, so not sure what failed first.

The most miles on a Pontiac with a HFT that I can think of right now on a pretty current flat tappet cam was installed in 2019, and has 25K on it, it’s a Crower 60919 with Rhoad’s super lube lifters (made by HLJ).

[phil400]

I recently broke in a Summit version of a stock 929 chevy cam,in my dads car, used Howard's Cam lifters,they said made in USA and were more expensive then Summit lifters, put the lube that cam with it as well comp cam assembly stuff all over the lobes and lifter bottoms, used regular oil with comp additive, primed the oil system prior to start, no miles yet but break went fine so far so good.

[64speed]

Just for fun I can show you a pretty gnarly roller lifter failure.

[Formulajones]

And make it clear it wasn't the lifters fault?
That's another unfortunate incident for sure but self inflicted.

You made that perfectly clear before but unfortunately some still blame the lifter somehow and lump it in with the handful of others as a mechanical part failure.

[OCMDGTO]

I've been running the Gaydosh Performance custom grind HFT in my sig for 5 years/11k+ miles. He uses Howard's cam and lifters, not sure what prep goes into it. Mook on here has the same cam with even more miles on his.

[64speed]

I am not sure what your engine combo is but on the old ass o meter from the roller cam I replaced with the 60919 HFT I can tell no difference in performance. Great cam if it’s a fit for your combo

[BigBlockPontiac455]

I used a lunati voodoo 703 cam 227/233 .500 lift hyd flat cam. The first set of Lunati lifters made a lot of clacking noises, I replaced them with isky anti pump up lifters and went through the whole break in deal again. I did not use weaker valve springs but do use zinc additive and ran it at about 2000-2500 for 15-20 minutes. It’s all good now I’ve probably put almost 2,000 miles on that cam.