Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

Does Crane still make hydraulic roller lifters? Can't figure out their ownership any longer. They are in the same building as CPG Comp.

much has changed in last decade or so.
Harvey Crane sold out before he passed in 2013. Seems company now at Olive Branch, Mississippi.
seems catalog lists roller lifters.

https://cranecams.com/content/99194-14% ... %20Res.pdf

HDBD wrote: ↑Sat Oct 17, 2020 9:04 am Does Crane still make hydraulic roller lifters? Can't figure out their ownership any longer. They are in the same building as CPG Comp.

Use Morel

Crower Hydro rollers are the best, they have been to 8000 rpm flawlessly!

mag2555 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 5:59 am Crower Hydro rollers are the best, they have been to 8000 rpm flawlessly!

The crower's are made by johnson lifters

If this is true, it still doesn't change the fact that they are very good lifters. I have personally had trouble with Morel.

rebelyell wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 9:28 pm much has changed in last decade or so.
Harvey Crane sold out before he passed in 2013. Seems company now at Olive Branch, Mississippi.
seems catalog lists roller lifters.

https://cranecams.com/content/99194-14% ... %20Res.pdf

Dang! there must be at least half-dozen cam companies in Olive Branch MS or within 15 miles
bullet-ultradyne, crane, comp, huggins, lunati
and seems Crane & Comp & Lunati share the same 8649 Hacks Cross RD address

seems Crane & Comp & Lunati share the same 8649 Hacks Cross RD address

That’s where everything gets shipped from.
It’s also the new distribution center for Edelbrock.

I recently had a serious issue with Crane Hyd lifters in a 502 BBC. I usually presoak lifters before installation. This particular part number 26535 is high priced and recommended by Mercury Marine as replacements of OE.
So, I install lifters, push rods, roller rocker arms. Rotate engine to set preload and think all is good to go. Prime engine oil and it's ready for delivery........not so. I find out that 3 of the lifter cups have bottomed out and stuck in the lifter. They won't return or pump up.
I talked with Crane and evidently they had some knowledge of this and recommended replacing lifters or try to unseat the cup by blowing compressed air thru the push rod. That did work on one of the lifters.
I assume some of the blame on this because I catch the problem and thought I was merely setting preload after obtaining zero latch when I was actually opening the valve.
I've built a lot of engines over the years and never experienced this, guess I better pay closer attention next time.

When tightening the rocker nut to find the 0 lash point to then add the hyd plundger preload do not spin the pushrod to sense 0 lash.
Instead move the pushrod UP & DOWN. You will then accurately find that point if 0 lash using the UP / Down method. Try it.

I was told by someone at Shaver who makes the Comp hyd rollers is that if the lifters after being built sit on a shelf a long time the lube put in them can harden and leave a ring that can restrict movement of the plungers.We found 4 like that when the valves were being set on a new engine on the engine stand.Not sure what the right thing to do if you can clean them yourself or just send them back for replacement.We had ours replaced.FWIW,Tom

F-BIRD'88 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 8:32 pm When tightening the rocker nut to find the 0 lash point to then add the hyd plundger preload do not spin the pushrod to sense 0 lash.
Instead move the pushrod UP & DOWN. You will then accurately find that point if 0 lash using the UP / Down method. Try it.

I’ve been using the “spin the pushrod” method with short travel lifters; does that mean when I THINK I’m at zero lash, I’m actually likely well past that point and I’m probably using too much preload?

I hated the imprecision of the “no spin” method as I just don’t have enough experience to be comfortable that I’m doing it correctly.

I looked up the recommended plunger travel that my lifters were supposed to have and did the stud size + thread count calculations to make me feel better about the accuracy but the potential lack of accuracy of finding zero lash still bothered my desire for precision...

Adam

Yup the UP&DOWN method will let you find that point of 0 Lash better. Allows better hyd lifter plunger preload setting by getting the 0 lash point set more accurately.
Try it.

CIGARETTEDFL wrote: ↑Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:33 am I recently had a serious issue with Crane Hyd lifters in a 502 BBC. I usually presoak lifters before installation. This particular part number 26535 is high priced and recommended by Mercury Marine as replacements of OE.
So, I install lifters, push rods, roller rocker arms. Rotate engine to set preload and think all is good to go. Prime engine oil and it's ready for delivery........not so. I find out that 3 of the lifter cups have bottomed out and stuck in the lifter. They won't return or pump up.
I talked with Crane and evidently they had some knowledge of this and recommended replacing lifters or try to unseat the cup by blowing compressed air thru the push rod. That did work on one of the lifters.
I assume some of the blame on this because I catch the problem and thought I was merely setting preload after obtaining zero latch when I was actually opening the valve.
I've built a lot of engines over the years and never experienced this, guess I better pay closer attention next time.

Yes the mercury Marine drop in lifters are way too costly for what the quality level is. For all this time they have had the market cornered in some ways on what they call "proprietary parts" and are not afraid to charge unheard of prices.
A single rocker arm which back then were the Crane gold now the Comp Gold but they want over $100 each.
Crane supplied steel billet roller cams with a cast dist.gear ad'd on for all the common distributors and related valve train components till they closed some years ago then they had to switch suppliers.
I bet those lifters you got were Hi-Lift Johnson P's O S. I got stung with the same issue same problem.

The other Johnson makes a drop in lifter that is the same internal design as their tie-bar lifter.
They are much better quality then any other lifters out there.
BAM also makes a very good lifter as well. It seems like most guys look at cost as the main reason for their choice which is a steep learning curve when they have an issue they can't resolve with noisy valve train.

That mith of roller rockers are noisy is bullS^^t. As most know a correctly build valve train will be just as quiet as granny car is.The main reason is lifters that are malfunctioning creating the noise.

NewbVetteGuy wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:45 am I’ve been using the “spin the pushrod” method with short travel lifters; does that mean when I THINK I’m at zero lash, I’m actually likely well past that point and I’m probably using too much preload?

I hated the imprecision of the “no spin” method as I just don’t have enough experience to be comfortable that I’m doing it correctly.

I looked up the recommended plunger travel that my lifters were supposed to have and did the stud size + thread count calculations to make me feel better about the accuracy but the potential lack of accuracy of finding zero lash still bothered my desire for precision...

Adam

Pushrod between 1st and middle finger, thumb on top of rocker above pushrod seat, move the rocker up & down. Easiest way when using stock-type locknuts. It's not really an issue using poly-locks, those you can just run them down finger-tight until you feel it stop, that's your zero lash point.