Best hydraulic flat tappet lifter?

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greymouser7

greymouser7

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I believe I read that several people (here on the forum in different SBM threads) have had complained about hydraulic lifter failure due to manufacturing quality.

(Mild-moderate crane camshaft if that is a consideration)

Respectfully request recommendations.

THANK YOU!!!!!
 
We replaced 2 of the Crane hydraulic flat lifters that they supplied at just under 1000 miles. 1 was really shot; it would not hold oil and you could clearly hear the miss on one side of the exhaust. The 2nd was suspiciously soft when the engine was not running. They did not hesitate to send new ones. I don't know where they source their lifters these days.

Edit to add: These were bought in 2016.
 
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I have used several sets of comp lifters over the years and have had zero issues. I have been looking at the ones that have the little hole in the face for my next build, but I haven’t made up my mind if it is a good idea or a sales gimmick. Anybody have experience?
 
I too have had good success with Hughes anti-pump-ups purchased in 2004. They have over 100,000 miles on them and I got no complaints.I run them at 1/2 turn preload max ........................... some are currently at zero,lol, and ticking a bit, no biggie. I'm just a tic lazy
 
Solids in my 66 but a buddy has replaced a half dozen Comp's in his 440.
 
It would be helpful for everyone to add the info on when their good/bad lifters were purchased, like in post #6, since this problem seems to have cropped up in the last 5-10 years. So AJ's 14 year old Hughes lifters may be PP (Pre-Problem) and TMM's buddy's Comp's may be AP (After-Problem).
 
No issues with 3 Lunati cams and lifter sets, 2 VooDoo's (340 and 440) and 1 Bare Bones (Ford 460). Had a Crane wipe out but it wasn't the cam/lifters fault, guides were too tall. Had two Comps wipe out, one was from fuel wash (owner had a double pump that had issues). Comp in my dads 410 Mercury broke in fine.

It all comes down to proper clearances (rockers, guides, valve/piston, etc), proper springs, correct lifter pre-load, correct valve train geometry, degreeing the cam to crank, and break in.
 
EDM lifters (holes) if they worked so good, why didnt OEMs use them? I like Johnson. have solids and hydros. no issue a cleaning of 3 didnt fix. Crap in the check valve.
 
A friend showed up one day with a fresh 440 he had another shop build for him, a pretty hot engine. He asked me if I thought his new hydraulic lifters should be this noisy. I said to him as we stood afar off; are you sure they installed hydraulics?, cuz it sounds to me like all 16 are very unhappily clattering away. No,he said, and showed me a receipt for the cam-kit. Well I said you better take it back to the builder and have them check it out, cuz that ain't right.
Can't you just reset the lash? he asked. No I said that clatter is waaaay past relashing.
So he comes back a couple of weeks later, and it turns out, you guessed it, the cam had been toasted. They replaced that flatted FTH, with a Solid roller and now it was singing a new song.
He thought that big 68 GTX was pretty fast,and being old-school he wanted to race me. No, I said with that TC you got in there you don't stand a chance. So he comes back a week later with a 3200 he says. And wants to race, again.No says me, not with those tires, you don't stand a chance.
So one day, he comes back again with the biggest tallest street meats that fit in the stock tubs, and wants to race again.No says me not with those pussy springs back there, you don't stand a chance.
So he goes to visit his brother in Alberta who owns one of the fastest Buick GrandNationals in the world (says he), and those two cowboys find a deserted road and go at it. Of course the GN thoroughly kicks his azz,time after time, and now he's back with a long face, asking what he should do.
So he and I have been friends for a couple of years, so I tell him the truth, those pussy springs gotta go. You need to make a decision is this a street car, or a race car? Well, it's a street car, I just cruise it up and down mainstreet once a week weather permitting. Well says I then why do you want to race me all the time? Well, I just wanted to see if I could beat my brother's Buick. But now I know I can't; what should I do?
Well says I, you're going up against one of the quickest factory cars of all time..... with raw horsepower, and it's never gonna happen unless you put some serious technology in your suspension; how deep are your pockets?
Well says he, I got two kids in College now.
Well says I, then be content to know you have the Baaadest 440GTX probably in all of Manitoba, and woulda probably kicked my azz last spring,lol.
And we laughed.
What's that got to do with your question?
IDK but I'm old, and old people tell stories.
 
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nm9stheham said:
It would be helpful for everyone to add the info on when their good/bad lifters were purchased, like in post #6, since this problem seems to have cropped up in the last 5-10 years. So AJ's 14 year old Hughes lifters may be PP (Pre-Problem) and TMM's buddy's Comp's may be AP (After-Problem).
Click to expand...
Mopar Joe's 440 was built about a year ago. He bought the cam kit and the machine shop warned him there will probably be issues. They apparently had issues with other Comp lifters. Some of the new stuff isn't as good as the parts built a decade ago. I sold Comp back in the late 70's as well as TRW with no issues.
 
AJ/FormS said:
A friend showed up one day with a fresh 440 he had another shop build for him, a pretty hot engine. He asked me if I thought his new hydraulic lifters should be this noisy. I said to him as we stood afar off; are you sure they installed hydraulics?, cuz it sounds to me like all 16 are very unhappily clattering away. No,he said, and showed me a receipt for the cam-kit. Well I said you better take it back to the builder and have them check it out, cuz that ain't right.
Can't you just reset the lash? he asked. No I said that clatter is waaaay past relashing.
So he comes back a couple of weeks later, and it turns out, you guessed it, the cam had been toasted. They replaced that flatted FTH, with a Solid roller and now it was singing a new song.
He thought that big 68 GTX was pretty fast,and being old-school he wanted to race me. No, I said with that TC you got in there you don't stand a chance. So he comes back a week later with a 3200 he says. And wants to race, again.No says me, not with those tires, you don't stand a chance.
So one day, he comes back again with the biggest tallest street meats that fit in the stock tubs, and wants to race again.No says me not with those pussy springs back there, you don't stand a chance.
So he goes to visit his brother in Alberta who owns one of the fastest Buick GrandNationals in the world (says he), and those two cowboys find a deserted road and go at it. Of course the GN thoroughly kicks his azz,time after time, and now he's back with a long face, asking what he should do.
So he and I have been friends for a couple of years, so I tell him the truth, those pussy springs gotta go. You need to make a decision is this a street car, or a race car? Well, it's a street car, I just cruise it around up and down mainstreet once a week weather permitting. Well says I then why do you want to race me all the time? Well, I just wanted to see if I could beat my brother's Buick. But now I know I can't; what should I do?
Well says I, you're going up against one of the quickest factory cars of all time..... with raw horsepower, and it's never gonna happen unless you put some serious technology in your suspension; how deep are your pockets?
Well says he, I got two kids in College now.
Well says I, then be content to know you have the Baaadest 440GTX probably in all of Manitoba, and woulda probably kicked my azz last spring,lol.
And we laughed.
What's that got to do with your question?
IDK but I'm old, and old people tell stories.
Click to expand...
Great story AJ!
 
toolmanmike said:
Mopar Joe's 440 was built about a year ago. He bought the cam kit and the machine shop warned him there will probably be issues. They apparently had issues with other Comp lifters. Some of the new stuff isn't as good as the parts built a decade ago. I sold Comp back in the late 70's as well as TRW with no issues.
Click to expand...
Good info, IMHO. Yes, I've been putting in hydraulics for over 40 years in various motors and this issue starting showing up less than 10 years ago for me. Thinner oils seem to make he problem worse (or more apparent) too.
 
pishta said:
EDM lifters (holes) if they worked so good, why didnt OEMs use them?
Click to expand...

That's easy. COST. It almost always comes down to cost. EDM is a painfully slow and expensive process and adds about $50 a set from a quick search on Jeg's. The factories couldn't supply the number or lifters required if there was an EDM process involved without investing cubic millions of dollars in production equipment. The standard design works fine for every day use so there is no reason for the factory to use them. Engines usually last past the warranty period so they are happy. Doesn't mean that there isn't a better or more effective solution for a high performance application.
 
Crane anti pump ups with a quarter turn preload, fresh build with 3k miles no issues. 65'
 
AJ/FormS said:
A friend showed up one day with a fresh 440 he had another shop build for him, a pretty hot engine. He asked me if I thought his new hydraulic lifters should be this noisy. I said to him as we stood afar off; are you sure they installed hydraulics?, cuz it sounds to me like all 16 are very unhappily clattering away. No,he said, and showed me a receipt for the cam-kit. Well I said you better take it back to the builder and have them check it out, cuz that ain't right.
Can't you just reset the lash? he asked. No I said that clatter is waaaay past relashing.
So he comes back a couple of weeks later, and it turns out, you guessed it, the cam had been toasted. They replaced that flatted FTH, with a Solid roller and now it was singing a new song.
He thought that big 68 GTX was pretty fast,and being old-school he wanted to race me. No, I said with that TC you got in there you don't stand a chance. So he comes back a week later with a 3200 he says. And wants to race, again.No says me, not with those tires, you don't stand a chance.
So one day, he comes back again with the biggest tallest street meats that fit in the stock tubs, and wants to race again.No says me not with those pussy springs back there, you don't stand a chance.
So he goes to visit his brother in Alberta who owns one of the fastest Buick GrandNationals in the world (says he), and those two cowboys find a deserted road and go at it. Of course the GN thoroughly kicks his azz,time after time, and now he's back with a long face, asking what he should do.
So he and I have been friends for a couple of years, so I tell him the truth, those pussy springs gotta go. You need to make a decision is this a street car, or a race car? Well, it's a street car, I just cruise it up and down mainstreet once a week weather permitting. Well says I then why do you want to race me all the time? Well, I just wanted to see if I could beat my brother's Buick. But now I know I can't; what should I do?
Well says I, you're going up against one of the quickest factory cars of all time..... with raw horsepower, and it's never gonna happen unless you put some serious technology in your suspension; how deep are your pockets?
Well says he, I got two kids in College now.
Well says I, then be content to know you have the Baaadest 440GTX probably in all of Manitoba, and woulda probably kicked my azz last spring,lol.
And we laughed.
What's that got to do with your question?
IDK but I'm old, and old people tell stories.
Click to expand...
was that guy named Mahoney?
 
Exactly
Johnson Makes lifters- the others don't
anyone make an edm Hyd?
otherwise grind a flat on the side like a small v6 chevy
see the Johnson catalog picture of HT-2095 or go buy one
but a v block on your magnetic plate grinder and a couple of quick passes
works
 
gzig5 said:
That's easy. COST. It almost always comes down to cost. EDM is a painfully slow and expensive process and adds about $50 a set from a quick search on Jeg's. The factories couldn't supply the number or lifters required if there was an EDM process involved without investing cubic millions of dollars in production equipment. The standard design works fine for every day use so there is no reason for the factory to use them. Engines usually last past the warranty period so they are happy. Doesn't mean that there isn't a better or more effective solution for a high performance application.
Click to expand...
The standard design works fine for every day use so there is no reason for the factory to use them So they come out with rollers? Whats cheaper: one machining process or an entire new production line with 12 more parts and umpteen more machining processes? EDM came late to the show (1967, CNC controlled 1976) but would add pennies once it was brought online. even simpler, how about positive cam lubrication, not splash? What happened to the Schubeck ceramic faced lifters? Another great idea that used a 90 cent ceramic disc bonded the the face of a lifter. All the rage said they...but no more. When you charge $450 for a set of 16 lifters with some ceramic pucks glued on.....and 12 people bought them....what do you think is going to happen? Bottom line, use a diesel oil rich in zinc or just go roller.
 
By chance, got cam card , on file ....or at least a grind number ? Crane Cams ,are usually really good on valve train. I'm curious what grind you are looking at ,and recommended open and closed spring pressures.
 
I've used Comp almost exclusively. Some Engle. Some Crane, I buy the lifters with a cam. Never had a single failure or noise. Including 4 sets of Comps last year in various displacements. Most lifter issues are not the lifters. Might be the process, the install, the block itself... Rarely the lifters. Simple fact there.
 
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