Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshafts, LA blocks

SquealinWheelin said

If we have a machined LA block, core plugs and cam bearings installed, a pre-covid HFT camshaft, yet don't have lifters yet, should I give up on the hydraulic Flat Tappet setup, and go retro roller$$? Mechanical flat Tappet? or risk failure? Of course on a tight budget...What would you do?

-3600 pound car, 2.76 gears, manual transmission, 360, going for daily driver.

Allot of failures out there with the new parts and oils .

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This has been discussed at meant several times and several videos have surfaced about this topic. I’ve written up a few times a check list and procedures on checks of parts and operation.

In a nutshell…..

Make sure you lifters have a bevel on the cam face side, (camshaft lobe must also have this) rotate in there bores freely and when it’s assembled. Isky can break in lube, pre lube the engines system, start up and run as close to instant as possible, frequently change the break in oil, add in an additive if need be.

My one and only HFT failure has come from me not checking the lifters ability to spin in its bore.

Almost 40 years of fooling around, swapping camshafts for the run of it, experimenting for the fun of it, only one failure. Several of the supposed “COVID” cams used, 1 failure due to my bad actions.

This will not guarantee your success.