Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

General engine tech -- Drag Racing to Circle Track

Moderator: Team

levisnteeshirt
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1912
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:53 pm
Location:
Contact:

Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by levisnteeshirt »

What's the latest ? Been seeing lifter failure at a shop that hasn't had a lobe go flat in 40 years.

I have a set of clevite lifters that says made in mexico on em ,, I bought em a couple years ago to just keep a set around ,, Im scared to use em
Geoff2
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1980
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 4:36 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by Geoff2 »

Get your factory lifters re-faced. Or any lifter made prior to 1995. You will then have reliable lifters. We have doing this here for DECADES.
bob460
Expert
Expert
Posts: 560
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2019 6:19 am
Location: Australia

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by bob460 »

TREND............but $$$$
User avatar
CamKing
Guru
Guru
Posts: 10709
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:05 pm
Location: Denver, NC
Contact:

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by CamKing »

We have no issues with our US made flat tappet lifters, and have them in stock.
They're made by Hylift Johnson, and are the only major lifter manufacturer, who's flat tappet lifters are 100% USA manufactured.
The bodies are produced at a foundry in Cleveland, and they are finish machined in Michigan.
This is the same lifter we've been selling for decades, and we sell thousands of them a year.
The price has almost doubled in the last few years, but they're a quality lifter.
We only offer the mechanical flat tappet lifters with an EDM'd oiling hole in the face of the lifter. In circle track applications, we found the oiling hole increases the life of the lifters and cam by about 300%.
Mike Jones
Jones Cam Designs

Denver, NC
jonescams@bellsouth.net
http://www.jonescams.com
Jones Cam Designs' HotPass Vendors Forum: viewforum.php?f=44
(704)489-2449
User avatar
COMP461
Member
Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:55 pm
Location: ALEDO TEXAS

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by COMP461 »

thanks, Mike I found a set of the Cam savers from GM Delphi I had a small slot cut in them. I really wished I had just used hydraulic roller lifters. It was a Big block corvette Mild 496.
It is not necessary to build a swimming pool to determine that a bowling ball won't float." .....Zora Arkus-Duntov www.facebook.com/COMP461
mag2555
Guru
Guru
Posts: 4585
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2011 11:31 am
Location: Heading for a bang up with Andromeda as we all are.

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by mag2555 »

The EDM hole lifters are the only way to go with solids!
You can cut a man's tongue from his mouth, but that does not mean he’s a liar, it just shows that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
levisnteeshirt
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1912
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:53 pm
Location:
Contact:

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by levisnteeshirt »

I bought the groove tool and used it on a friend's engine when i put it together ,, engine lost a rod bolt after 2 years of 8000 rpm in a dirt tracker ,, this was approx 6 years ago ,, the cam and lifters looked new except the cam broke in 2 pieces from contact from the bad rod

The groove tool and lifter bore hone till it just spun easily ,, proper break in ,, he wanted to shut it down after it had a slight problem ,, 10 min in ,, nope ,, no can do

I've been away from this stuff a while but it sounds bad out there ,, ,,

Good to know Cam King ,, I've got 2-3 new cams here but was afraid to put em in something
1972ho
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1299
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:52 am
Location:

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by 1972ho »

Don’t be afraid to run those flat tappet lifters just make sure you break it in proper light weight break in springs under 100# seat pressure use the right break in oil ect,ect and
KnightEngines
Guru
Guru
Posts: 2682
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by KnightEngines »

Mike, since we're here & talking about lifters:

My go to hyd roller lifter is a memory (crane), how do the hylift Johnson lifters compare?
They're significantly cheaper than the crane were, but more than the crappy morels everyone over here sells.

The morels fall flat on their face at 5800-6200rpm, the crane used to spin out to 7 no problem
russxr67
Pro
Pro
Posts: 238
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:13 am
Location: PERTH. WEST AUST

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by russxr67 »

KnightEngines wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:32 am Mike, since we're here & talking about lifters:

My go to hyd roller lifter is a memory (crane), how do the hylift Johnson lifters compare?
They're significantly cheaper than the crane were, but more than the crappy morels everyone over here sells.

The morels fall flat on their face at 5800-6200rpm, the crane used to spin out to 7 no problem
I’ve used the cheaper morels for years and haven’t had that problem. The price of the morels has risen significantly recently so I’m looking at the Gaterman lifters. Heard good things about them . Pricing is decent as well.
racear2865
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1595
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:58 pm
Location: tenn

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by racear2865 »

just looking at lifters. 2 things have to be prevalent 1: Convex curvature on lifter face and 2: hardness. You have to have both.
Now if u want to include the cam, then u have to have taper. The lifter has to be offset to the lobe and it must spin on the camshaft. If it no spin, then it no last. ---Flip lifter upside down and us dial indicator to measure curvature. If you cant do this, put to lifter together on their face and you better be able to see daylight all around the edges. Hardness is a hard one to determine if you dont have a ahrdness gage but can be approximated. Saame on camshaft on hardness but taper can be checked in between centers
reed
KnightEngines
Guru
Guru
Posts: 2682
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by KnightEngines »

russxr67 wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:20 am
KnightEngines wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:32 am Mike, since we're here & talking about lifters:

My go to hyd roller lifter is a memory (crane), how do the hylift Johnson lifters compare?
They're significantly cheaper than the crane were, but more than the crappy morels everyone over here sells.

The morels fall flat on their face at 5800-6200rpm, the crane used to spin out to 7 no problem
I’ve used the cheaper morels for years and haven’t had that problem. The price of the morels has risen significantly recently so I’m looking at the Gaterman lifters. Heard good things about them . Pricing is decent as well.
Put them on an aggressive .400" Lobe with 160lb+ seat pressure & they bleed down at higher rpm, power nose dives & motor staggers coming back to idle for a second or 2 as they pump back up.

Used in milder stuff they're fine - but what's the point of a roller if I can beat it's performance with a solid flat tappet at 1/3 the price?
User avatar
CamKing
Guru
Guru
Posts: 10709
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:05 pm
Location: Denver, NC
Contact:

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by CamKing »

KnightEngines wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:32 am Mike, since we're here & talking about lifters:

My go to hyd roller lifter is a memory (crane), how do the hylift Johnson lifters compare?
They're significantly cheaper than the crane were, but more than the crappy morels everyone over here sells.
I have not used the Hylift Johnson hydr roller lifters on any aggressive cams.
They work great with .375" lobe lift and a PAC 1218X spring
Mike Jones
Jones Cam Designs

Denver, NC
jonescams@bellsouth.net
http://www.jonescams.com
Jones Cam Designs' HotPass Vendors Forum: viewforum.php?f=44
(704)489-2449
MELWAY
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1005
Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: melbourne australia

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by MELWAY »

CamKing wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:18 am We have no issues with our US made flat tappet lifters, and have them in stock.
They're made by Hylift Johnson, and are the only major lifter manufacturer, who's flat tappet lifters are 100% USA manufactured.
The bodies are produced at a foundry in Cleveland, and they are finish machined in Michigan.
This is the same lifter we've been selling for decades, and we sell thousands of them a year.
The price has almost doubled in the last few years, but they're a quality lifter.
We only offer the mechanical flat tappet lifters with an EDM'd oiling hole in the face of the lifter. In circle track applications, we found the oiling hole increases the life of the lifters and cam by about 300%.
Mike
Is hylift Johnson back to producing flat tappet lifters again?
There is pretty much none in Australia
3370lb Sedan 9.89@136MPH 358chevN/A
User avatar
CamKing
Guru
Guru
Posts: 10709
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:05 pm
Location: Denver, NC
Contact:

Re: Has a Dependable SBC flat tappet lifter been located ?

Post by CamKing »

MELWAY wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:36 am Mike
Is hylift Johnson back to producing flat tappet lifters again?
There is pretty much none in Australia
Yes, that's all I sell.
The Foundry they used went bankrupt during the Covid shutdown, so they had to contract with a foundry in Cleveland. That put them way behind.
The first run of Chevy mechanical lifters shipped around the beginning of the year. Shortly after, the Chevy hydraulic lifters shipped.
We've sold over 1,000 of them this year, and have had no issues.
Mike Jones
Jones Cam Designs

Denver, NC
jonescams@bellsouth.net
http://www.jonescams.com
Jones Cam Designs' HotPass Vendors Forum: viewforum.php?f=44
(704)489-2449
Post Reply