Usual scenario:all the lifters rotated freely in their bores,etc. proper break in,including GM EOS,and correct valves springs.Cam/lifters
where Sealed Power..don't recall the specs/part #,other than lift: .500/.505
3 failed right after the 20 minute break in.
Motor is a 69 402 with those .319 domes and 820 giant open chamber heads.

At that point I'm guessing it's a mis-machined block. Not uncommon to have the lifter bores off on those.

Jody

What kind of lifters? In the last go around with my sons truck we used the Lunati Micro Lube lifters and the xe274h,and so far its holding up fine,,,knock on wood graemlins/clonk.gif ...in the previous two cams we used the cam and lifter kits,,,Crane Energizer,,,Lunati Bracketmaster hydraulic cams. I'm not sure if its a spring pressure thing or what,but each time with went with a little bigger cam too...Vortec heads with Z28 springs.

Chris are you spinning up the oil pump before hand until oil comes out of every pushrod hole?


Correct springs is one thing, but are they set-up to the right installed height. Did you check the open and seat pressures at the height that they were installed at?

For cam breakin i always used some real weak valve springs off a high milage motor that has no inner springs. Also I do have a cure for your problem. Email me and i can show u exactly what to install to get oil right in those lobes with a devise i have used for awile now that i made. You do have to drill and tap 1 hole and 2 small ones to install... Anyone interested in it email me..

Criss since there have been no good after market hydraulic lifters on the market for the last 4 years we have gone back to the AC Delco lifter P/N 5232720 and alway use break in springs on the engines we build or we use break in rockers and on the solid lifter engines we build we buy either Schubeck lifter or we use the ones from Precision Products in NC and so far have not lost a lifter or a cam yet. Sure those lifters a pricy but it sure beats tearing engines down and cleaning the debis out of them and reassembing them. We don't need that kind of practice.

And on most of the blocks we prepare we check the lifter bore placement and either bush back to std. or go to .875 lifter or the .904 lifter
and on some of the early big blocks we have found some issues with the placement of the lifter bores and had to correct them.

WWW.CNCBLOCKSNORTHEAST.COM (http://WWW.CNCBLOCKSNORTHEAST.COM)

You guy's are scaring me, my 496 and my CC 282S solid cam to death!!!!

Do you think I will have a problem breaking my cam in with a seat pressure of right at 125 pounds??

pdq67

No mis-machined block here..the old Comp 292H thats over 10 years old is going back in that came out perfect.
Motor was rebuilt as it had .180 domes previously with giant 120+ cc's open chamber heads.Ran like a turd with the low compression and the big 292H cam.
This was a Sealed Power cam/lifter kit as I previously mentioned.
This happened to a seasoned, top engine builder/mechanic that assembles probably at least 10 motor a year..more of an FYI than anything here.Every precaution was taken,everything checked out-by the book!

just keep reusing the lifters you know are already broke in.......lol.......dont know what to say.......infact going to go break in another cam now.....305 comp cam in a chevelle.......350 sbc.........should go just fine..........i put together the heads last night....spring height check and all clearences check.....everything passed........so all should go just fine......

do you put Moly lube on the lobes and heals of the lifters? Dont put it on the sides of the lifters, just the heals.

Spinning up the oil is the absolute LAST thing that you do. After every single step is finished, you pull out the distributor, spin up the pump while turning over the engine by hand until you see pressure on the gauge, AND you see oil coming from the holes in EVERY rocker arm.

Sometimes it takes a minute to see oil coming out, and it should be coming out consistantly.

Then install the distributor so that it will fire up without too much messing.

My big block ate (2) Comp flat tappet hydraulics in a row.Went to a lunati roller,problem solved. smile.gif

Originally posted by pdq67:
You guy's are scaring me, my 496 and my CC 282S solid cam to death!!!!

Do you think I will have a problem breaking my cam in with a seat pressure of right at 125 pounds??

pdq67 Seat pressure ain't a big deal, open pressure is.

Pick up a set of stock 460 ford springs. They are real cheap.
They will give you somewhere around 60-70 on the seat & well under 200 open as I recall.
Don't remember the exact numbers but I can check if you want to know, I've got a set around here somewhere.

I use break in rockers as I'm kinda lazy :D

For solids, I've had real good luck with Isky's with the EDM hole for higher pressure springs & the standard ones for under about 320 lbs.
There are others but I know Isky's are Stanadyne which is the only company I know of still making lifters here except the real hi dollar ones.
Lot's of other stuff out there but real hard to tell what you are getting :(
Unfortunately, no names on the lifters any more so you have to take the word of the people you are getting them from.
The Precision lifters Carl spoke of can also be gotten from Crower but as he said they ain't cheap,,,unless you have to do it over of course.
Then the $300 or so will seem a bargain ;)

On Hyd lifters,, so far no problems with the premium Isky 202's. Not positive who supplies them but if I start having any trouble I would not hesitate to go to the AC Delco lifter.

I either use the EDM'd lifters or groove the lifter bore for regular solids & all hyd.

This is what i made to stop all the lifter problems. Spray oil right onto the cam lobes. I Made this with just copper tubing and some holes drilled .030 above all the lobes and also drilled and tapped into the end of the oil gallery. Has no affect on oil pressure. Has been using that for years now in several flat tappet engines, If you need one i can send anyone one for cheap.. here is some pics..

http://www.forbiddensecretscds.com/top.jpg

http://www.forbiddensecretscds.com/bottom1.jpg

During assembly, you can assemble the cam and lifters with just oil, and check that all lifters spin while turning the cam by hand. Then while running, pull the valve covers (prepare for a mess) and check that all pushrods are spinning. If the 'shrods aren't spinning like tops, shut'er down cuz it's gonna fail soon.

I bought solids for my Son's 331 from Competition products, the salesman said they are repackaged GM lifters and have been having no failures, We'll see, it should be on the test stand soon.