Lifters and compatible camshaft materials

[Matt80]

I've just come across this statement on a Supertech lifters box:

IMG20240213150602.jpg

Lifters are nitrated and per my machine shop guy, they never had issues with billet steel camshafts, but I read this and wanted your opinion, thanks

[rgalajda]

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) Coated Flat Tappet Lifters

[Polysphere]

I have never heard of "nitration" being used on steel parts.....I suspect they meant "nitrided"

[Momus]

Nitrided.

[Matt80]

Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) Coated Flat Tappet Lifters

That's the idea, as long as it'd be possible to dlc coat nitrided (nitrated?) lifters

[Matt80]

I have never heard of "nitration" being used on steel parts.....I suspect they meant "nitrided"

Me too! But this is what they have written: translated from a chinese paper? I thought they were made in usa

[Polysphere]

I have never heard of "nitration" being used on steel parts.....I suspect they meant "nitrided"

Me too! But this is what they have written: translated from a chinese paper? I thought they were made in usa

Usually Chinese translations not only screw up vocabulary but also sentence structure too (unless they have an English-speaking person guiding them). I have heard many "Western" people use "nitration" or "nitrated" in this same (incorrect) way.

[modok]

What exactly is a billet steel camshaft made of I wonder? it's not like there is a standard.
I'm surprised they even have a warning label.

[Geoff2]

Wonder if people really know what they are talking about......when they are recommending a process that they cannot spell correctly.

[digger]

i always thought you wern't supposed to have the same type of materials rubbing at high pressures to reduce the risk of galling, microwelding etc this seems to what they are referring to.

[CamKing]

What exactly is a billet steel camshaft made of I wonder? it's not like there is a standard.
I'm surprised they even have a warning label.

Exactly, what works against a "Billet" S7 steel cam, may not work against a "Billet" 8620 steel cam.
We only make billet steel cores, and depending on the application, we use one of 4 types of steel.

[PackardV8]

i always thought you wern't supposed to have the same type of materials rubbing at high pressures to reduce the risk of galling, microwelding etc this seems to what they are referring to.

OEM hardened iron cams with hardened iron flat lifters were the standard for more than a hundred years before roller cams became the standard.

High spring pressures, reformulated oils, longer life spans, is where it gets sticky. That's why DLC, to provide the interface.

[Matt80]

So is it better to follow that advice, stay on the safe side and DLC the lifters or the camshafts?
While I've never heard about this need before?
I do run billet steel camshafts with ISF finish, and should make a difference, as far as i understand

[CamKing]

There were steel flat tappet cams, before I was born, They ran against Chilled Iron lifters. They ran Chilled Iron lifters in NASCAR, against the stelite welded flat tappet cams. In the late 90's, good Chilled Iron lifters became impossible to get. After a bunch of R&D, NASCAR teams started making the cams out of powdered metal, and using DLC coated tool steel lifters. Some teams even DLC coated the cams and the lifters.

[Wolf_Tm250]

Been there me too
Asked them about which billet steel they were referring and got this reply:

IF it is a billet steel, then it needs DLC