So...in 2023 do people still build hyd flat tappet engines * no rollers

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ValerianMagnum

ValerianMagnum

the little car that could
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Hi guys Wanting to build a stock spare 318 with a lightly better cam ( 360 2bbl cam ) for my 68 fury , im not in any hurry but i was wondering what was the best option nowadays since the hydraulic flat tappet lifters were or are problematic these days , everyone is switching to roller lifters and cams , must still be a brand like melling or oem lifters that can have some quality like they use ? Your opinions and tips are welcome , ***** btw i am collecting parts bit by bit for the new spare engine , and i see that some people on ebay say that their lifters wont be problematic and some others version on youtube will say that its in the breakin oils....

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from a good friends experience and quite a few that we have talked to comp retro-fit rollers aren't so reliable.
 
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I want to put a mild cam in the 360 in my D200, stock 2-bbl cam is kinda worn out (high miles). Solid flat tappet would be cool but not sure if I want the extra expense of adjustable rockers.

We have some granite machinist's tables at work I might use to check the radius on whatever set of flat tappets I get. I'm going to do a sh!tload of research first too before I pull the trigger on a flat-tappet cam. I'm willing to take a chance and not dump $1000 on converting to roller cam on this mostly-stock truck engine.
 
Last flat tappet cam/lifters I installed was about 7 years ago - it was a Summit small block cam kit. zero issues, engine still runs perfect. Yes, people still build flat tappet cams, solid and hyd.
 
i Completely Understand but...my goal is not to switch to a solid lifter / cam , its to know if theres really a company that can have better lifters than comp cams for exemple...it might sound silly but does melling or another brand x y z has better results than all the ones that are failing in the last 4-5 years or so ?
 
318willrun said:
Last flat tappet cam/lifters I installed was about 7 years ago - it was a Summit small block cam kit. zero issues, engine still runs perfect. Yes, people still build flat tappet cams, solid and hyd.
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i feel you buddy , thats when you did you 318 hop up if im not mistaken :)
 
I've upped my program over the years, but this car had a hyd flat-tappet in it. It was pretty big. Never had any kind of issues with it.

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So far so good with a set of crower cam saver lifters. Used a set in a small block and a big block. Also that wagon is COOL AS COOL Gets…!!! Love it. Swingn’
 
ValerianMagnum said:
Hi guys Wanting to build a stock spare 318 with a lightly better cam ( 360 2bbl cam ) for my 68 fury , im not in any hurry but i was wondering what was the best option nowadays since the hydraulic flat tappet lifters were or are problematic these days , everyone is switching to roller lifters and cams , must still be a brand like melling or oem lifters that can have some quality like they use ? Your opinions and tips are welcome , ***** btw i am collecting parts bit by bit for the new spare engine , and i see that some people on ebay say that their lifters wont be problematic and some others version on youtube will say that its in the breakin oils....

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I would just buy some engine Tech lifters and go get a cam from whoever you like I'm not sure if I would be using those white box cams but that's just my advice good luck
 
I used Melling camshaft and lifters and high volume oil pump in this 318 build. MTD-1, I am thinking this is a Stage 1 grind, broke in with no problems, just a spare engine for the Dart. I did not dial the camshaft in, did not have the tools at the time. I can tell it could be advance some, I will recheck it if ever gets installed.. now that I have the tools to do so.
 
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you could always send your cam to schneider or oregon cams and have the lifters faced and cam reprofiled.

or just buy a cam and have the lifters faced?
 
Dicer said:
I used Melling camshaft and lifters and high volume oil pump in this 318 build. MTD-1, I am thinking this is a Stage 1 grind, broke in with no problems, just a spare engine for the Dart. I did not dail the camshaft in, did not have the tools at the time. I can tell it could be advance some, I will recheck it if ever gets installed.. now that I have the tools to do so.
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Very cool and nice sound , any part # ?
 
Got all the parts from Summit. camshaft MTD-1 lifters JB-2011 HV pump M-72HV looks to be all in stock.
 
I just slid in a thumper into a 360 for a ‘91 4 X 4 W150.
Zero issues.

I take apart every lifter and clean them up and out for a double check.
The other important item I don’t see written about and wonder if it is done is to make sure the lifter bore is clear and clean as much as possible. As well as drop the lifter in, rotate the lifter around in its bore with a light oil & make sure it slides up and down beyond its normal travel range.

Then, after those checks, rotate the cam with the lifters on top of the cam to make sure the lifters rotate as well. If all of the above is done and checks out OK, the probability of failure is greatly reduced but not guaranteed. Just take the time to check & double check.
 
I’m guilty, solid cam in my 273. Even using dumb bell lifters. Noting beats the sound of a solid cam.
 
I will continue building with hyd flat tappet cams until I have a failure.
The thousands of cams changed, the few failures we hear about, the conditions of prep and use, break-in, are all arbitrary.

I will not use Comp crap ever again ! !
After refreshing some engines with very near terminal wear .
 
Go with the Crower cam saver lifters and a zinc oil additive and stop worrying about cam failures.
As a side note forget the 360 2 BBC cam get something better.
 
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