Choice for EDM solid flat tappet lifter.

-
cpearce

cpearce

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Messages
1,636
Reaction score
1,502
Location
Edson
Good morning everyone,

I am about to buy some solid flat tappet lifters, I know there have been concerns over manufacturing quality over the last few years. I can get a set of the Comp lifters through Amazon for a little less cost due to Prime free shipping. If however they are substandard, I have no issue spending more for something else as the savings becomes irrelevant if you have an issue.

Mechanical Flat Tappet Direct Lube Extreme Duty Lifters; AMC / Chrysler V8 Howards Cams 91718 | Howards Cams

Performance Series EDM Solid Lifter Set AMC, Chrysler 273-360, 383-440/426 HEMI

https://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=search&search=5012edm&partid=24238

Perhaps as I usually do, I am overthinking this?

Any comments welcome.

Ps. I can have the Comp to my door in Canada for $400 Canadian, all others with shipping etc come in around $500 CDN.
 
Last edited:
Crower Camsavers or Rhoads V Max with the super lube option.
 
One example does not a guarantee make, but Howard’s EDM gets my vote. I also used Schneider Racing cam lube (their paste like grease, very unique) I’d disassemble any EDM and thoroughly wash and verify the holes are clear regardless. And just a note, per Mike Jones of Jones Cams, they use the same vendor as Howard’s, only difference is Jones specs a slightly larger oiling hole. Can’t recall the size he said his are. Here’s a low use set of Howard’s...

5C0186D1-0A18-4C96-BB3C-EFC56817C3E3.jpeg
 
Last edited:
FWIW...I have the Comp ones in my avatar's 408. No issues yet in 18 months of street and strip use.
 
Last edited:
You can make your own EDM lifters with a Dremel & cut off wheel......on any lifter, sol or hyd.
Use a .020-0.025" wide cut off wheel. Grind a groove from the oil band to within about 1/8" of the lifter base, about 0.015" deep, not critical. Been doing it for 25+ yrs.
If you don't want lifter failure, try to find a set of 25+ yr old lifters, new or used. If used, have them re-faced. Not sure if slant 6 sol lifters can be used. I have also used hyd lifters by using spacer under the piston to make them solid. Grind a shallow groove or flat on the piston top prevent any chance of it pumping up.
 
I have a comp solid I had custom ground and nitrided for my roadrunner. I opted for Howard’s edm lifters. Just didn’t have a warm and fuzzy about the comp lifters. Probably would have been fine with the comps, who knows anymore. Been going strong for 6 years now. The groove down the side of the lifter also helps. GM sold something similiar as replacement for the 4.3L. That’s where the idea originated. They had a small flat ground on one side. They use to also groove the lifter bores on the small block chevys. Those are generally harder on cams than about any of the V8’s. Nothing new or inovative.
 
Last edited:
Comp also make a 'grooving tool' that allows you to groove the lifter bore, but engine needs to be apart to do this. Not a good idea IMO to put a notch in cast iron....
 
I have some Comp solids and older Johnsons that I havent installed yet.
2 things working in your favor is Black Friday coming up and Summit offers "free" shipping to us in Canada if we spend $400 Cdn i believe. See what Summit offers?
 
mopar head said:
Do the edm`s negate the need for rotation?
Click to expand...
No. All emd lifters do is introduce oil directly between the lobe and lifter face. IMO, they are a gimmick. How much splash lube from the spinning cam and crank do you think gets on the cam lobes and gets between the lobes and lifters? Here's a hint. A LOT.
 
RustyRatRod said:
No. All emd lifters do is introduce oil directly between the lobe and lifter face. IMO, they are a gimmick. How much splash lube from the spinning cam and crank do you think gets on the cam lobes and gets between the lobes and lifters? Here's a hint. A LOT.
Click to expand...
Ever pre-lube an engine (before installing the intake) with EDM lifters and seen how much oil actually spooges out from that hole under the lifters onto the lobes? I have.
You don’t think there’s any benefit on initial cranking, especially for engines that sit for extended periods of for time, of any additional oil being delivered via EDM’s before actual splash lube after start/ up?
If EDM Lifters cost the same as regular solid lifters you’d use them, don’t tell me you wouldn’t!:poke:
 
12many said:
Ever pre-lube an engine (before installing the intake) with EDM lifters and seen how much oil actually spooges out from that hole under the lifters onto the lobes? I have.
You don’t think there’s any benefit on initial cranking, especially for engines that sit for extended periods of for time, of any additional oil being delivered via EDM’s before actual splash lube after start/ up?
If EDM Lifters cost the same as regular solid lifters you’d use them, don’t tell me you wouldn’t!:poke:
Click to expand...
Well that's about the extent of it. Once running and broken in, what's the difference? lol And as for the price, EDMs are still cheaper than rollers. I HAVE EDMs in the Ford 400 I have ready to go in Gladys. I found them on sale. Well.....they're technically NOT EDMs they are Crower Camsavers which have a flat ground into the side that puts pressurized oil right on the lifters. But you're right. I'm sure they're beneficial during initial startup and break in.
 
RRR,
Post #11. Do not need to bet. I have been doing it for 25 + yrs, never a failure. The groove is actually more reliable than a small hole in the lifter base, which can be blocked by metal smear ort small debris.
 
I have the Howards EDM lifters in my 318 but haven't run it yet, im hoping all goes well with them.
As stated earlier pull them apart and give them a good cleaning and blow out with compressed air, they looked pretty good out of the box but there was a bit of very fine metallic dust that came out of them during cleaning.
I have also have ran the comp lifters with success in the past but have heard a lot of bad things about comp products since then, so I try to avoid the brand if I can now.
 
cpearce said:
Good morning everyone,

I am about to buy some solid flat tappet lifters, I know there have been concerns over manufacturing quality over the last few years. I can get a set of the Comp lifters through Amazon for a little less cost due to Prime free shipping. If however they are substandard, I have no issue spending more for something else as the savings becomes irrelevant if you have an issue.

Mechanical Flat Tappet Direct Lube Extreme Duty Lifters; AMC / Chrysler V8 Howards Cams 91718 | Howards Cams

Performance Series EDM Solid Lifter Set AMC, Chrysler 273-360, 383-440/426 HEMI

https://www.hughesengines.com/Index/products.php?browse=search&search=5012edm&partid=24238

Perhaps as I usually do, I am overthinking this?

Any comments welcome.

Ps. I can have the Comp to my door in Canada for $400 Canadian, all others with shipping etc come in around $500 CDN.
Click to expand...

Just a heads up, I ordered the 5013 XL lifters from hughesengines.com, it took 12 days short of a year to arrive.
Maybe manufacturing times are better now.
 
Bewy said:
RRR,
Post #11. Do not need to bet. I have been doing it for 25 + yrs, never a failure. The groove is actually more reliable than a small hole in the lifter base, which can be blocked by metal smear ort small debris.
Click to expand...
DO it to a slant 6. It will do nothing since the lifters are not pressure fed. You would have lost the bet.
 
OK, fair enough. Would that negate post #2?.
This is the SB section, not slant6, which do have pressure fed lifters.
 
Bewy said:
OK, fair enough. Would that negate post #2?.
This is the SB section, not slant6, which do have pressure fed lifters.
Click to expand...
You said any lifter, solid or hydraulic. Those were your words.
 
Bewy said:
OK, fair enough. Would that negate post #2?.
This is the SB section, not slant6, which do have pressure fed lifters.
Click to expand...
Why would it negate post #2? The Camsavers, while they'll fit and work in the slant 6, won't function, since there is no pressurized oil to the lifters. But again, YOU said ANY lifter and you were wrong.
 
I run Comp EDM solids, wanted to give the cam every opportunity to survive. It does NOT replace rotation. Installed 10 years ago, has to be 1000 passes. Still going. I did think the hole would end up being plugged due to its size. Been in there 3-4 times and checked each one. All clear.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Why would it negate post #2? The Camsavers, while they'll fit and work in the slant 6, won't function, since there is no pressurized oil to the lifters. But again, YOU said ANY lifter and you were wrong.
Click to expand...
And some EDM lifter, just like yr camsavers example, will fit and work in a slant 6. The fact that there isn’t pressurized oil to the lifter changes the actual lifter in no way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top