The hard coat anodized. And still have some of the older steel plate versions running around.

Use two .015 valve spring shims on top of the spring against the plate...it will act like a roller thrust button and allow no wear. There is a correct shim that will fit in the plate, I think it's a c-200 but I would need to check.

 

We run 40 hours on our race motors before refresh - that's high RPM the whole time. With 220# seat and 550# open w/ the rev kits, and after that time the front cam bearing has just started to wear into the first layer of babbit (all the way through the teflon) so you have some other problem there.....

 

Thanks - that's good info.

 

Sorry to hear that David. My buddy's got several racing seasons and 5 Power Tours on his rev kit equipped LT1.

 

I'm running a Hydra-Rev kit. I installed it after a lifter spun in the bore and ate the cam (now thats alot of metal in the motor!!!). I'm using it as more of a safety item then to help spring pressures. I installed it in about a hour with the heads ON. Go to the parts store and pick up a GM door spring compressor. Its easy, compress the spring as much as u can and slide it into it spot under the AFR bar. Line up the spring with the lifter, not the AFR bar and uncompress it, sometimes you'll have to pull or knock out the spring compressor as there will still be some pressure on it from the spring. Then just simply tap the top of the spring into its seat. Oh before you uncompress the spring install the pushrod as it will keep the spring from poping out.


Jason

 

I see... everyones point pro and cons about the kit, I have an arm and leg invested on the top end. Having experienced valve float on my old setup and having replaced a bunch of parts because of it, I'd just like the cheap reassurance. As with anypart, if it's installed wrong your definantly going to find out later on down the road. These Cz28 message boards are a good way to cover yourself and help people out along the way by sharing info.

However,

I have a cool set of Beehives I installed on the heads. The guy at AFR said it wasn't necessary with the beehives, and the guy at Thunder said it wasn't necessary with the hives, but I want to make sure this thing is bullet proof. So that tells me I should install the kit. Everytime I listen to what someone tells me I shouldn't need, I do end up needing.

My only question is does the kit come with the "black" lifter retainers? I remember reading somewhere on here that they do not. It appears as if that piece helps assure the proper alignment of the springs, to keep them from "eating up" vital parts.

 

Yeah, you get the lifter retainers. It wouldn't work without them.

 

I also have beehives and still managed to spin a lifter, take out the cam and bend the spider up. Now, I am 100% sure that this will not happen again with the rev kit.

 

Yes the I had a problem with the lifter retainers. The AFR kit sitt's the springs right on top of the lifters and not a bushing like all the kits I have used in the past. What happens is the springs 'Dance' around on top of the lifter. This ate up the tops of my lifters in the 600 miles I had ran the kit AND one of them still had the spring wedged in between the lifter and retainer. As the lifter would go up and down so would the retainer!

So there I was about to have the VERY problem I was trying to resolve! I am shifting at 7,200 and do NOT want Valve train issues!

SO this is what I came up with. For the price of this crappy kit and a set of high RPM stock replacement lifters I could get Morel link bar lifters and never have this problem again. So I did

If I so choose in the future I can run a standard style Rev-kit and not have the worries or problems I had with the Hydra rev-kit.


Besides the part where it filled my engine with aluminum and metal flakes. The springs includes were just not as strong as many of the other kits I have used. Even with the plates flat against the heads they would bow out when going up and down instead of compressing straight up and down like they should have.

As I mentioned in my post I had questions from the begining as this is not my first engine but AFR assured me all was well and my worries were un-founded.


I wish they would have been correct...

 

Ellis, what was your lift at the cam?
Which kit do you prefer?

 

Exactly

 

why do all of these threads end up as "debates"

 

"Hydra Rev Kits" ruined lots of engine!

Go with Morels, be safe!!!

 

I think people are just trying to help.

Rich

 

The cam has .596/.608 lift. with 1.6s.

Heat, I realy am not trying to debate anything. To be honest with some more engineering this could be a great kit. I am thinking some better springs, Hardened anodized spring seats and lifter bushings(spacers on top of the lifters providing a seat for the springs) would make this a great kit! To be honest I thought I got shorted when I opened the box and there were no lifter bushings!

Seeing the damage I have seen with this kit I can not recomend them to my paying customers or anyone else

I DO recomend Morel lifters and good valve springs