alright....I'm about to drop the LT4 Cam in my 95 and was wondering before I got started if the lifters are absolutly needed for the LT4 cam....car has Pacesetter L/Ts, Magnaflow Cat-back, and SLP intake,everything internaly is stock......and no im not just swapping out cams...i got the Kit with the rockers, springs and such...was just wondering about the lifters.

 

Mileage on the car?

Over 100k and I'd change 'em out personally.

 

Car has 108k..motor has around 55k..

 

I have a set of lifters with 25k on them, they were apart of my LT4 hotcam, I stepped up to a Bret Bauer cam which I went to Morel lifters. here is a pic of the roller.

http://www.mainstreamtopics.com/~scr...r%20Roller.JPG

They are in perfect condition. If interested, send me a offer at blkscreaminmach@hotmail.com

 

Why would you waste time and money putting a LT4 cam into your car? Its hardly bigger than the LT1 camshaft. I hope you speaking of the Hotcam, which is totally different.

-Dustin-

 

I think he's got the HOTcam, because he's talking about the kit that comes with rockers, springs, etc.

I had about 125k miles on my car when I put a HOTcam in, and re-used the stock lifters. I inspected them to make sure there weren't any obvious problems, and put them back in place. The HOTcam is really not a wild cam by any means, so I think you'll be ok. Then again, if you were to replace the lifters just for peace of mind I could understand that as well- stock replacement lifters are pretty cheap (see Summit Catalog).

Instead of spending money on lifters, I would get upgraded valvesprings (the ones that come in your kit are marginal, and need to be replaced IMO).

 

I second that one.

 

Upgraded springs (above and beyond the ones in the hotcam kit) are completely unneeded if he's indeed running the hotcam. Heavier valvesprings would be a waste due to RPM range of the hotcam, and the increased pressure would actually cut into power production.

If he decides to run a beefier cam, then I agree 100%.

 

Not to be mean, but with all due respect, this post is completely wrong.

 

If you don't mind running marginal, just good enough parts on your car, then I agree- upgrading the springs is completely unnecesary

 

I agree here. If I remember correctly, the LT4 springs are 105 at the seat. After a short amount of time, I hear they really lose their strength/pressure. The Hotcam can make good power to 6200 or so but you ain't gonna do it with the stock springs.

 

GM thinks those springs are good for those rockers and that cam.

They've been selling them together for ten years, and many thousands of people are running that combo.

If that spring wasn't suited for that combo, then after ten years we'd have heard about valvetrain problems from at least several out of those many thousands.

How many threads can you find with valvetrain problems with that combo? I don't think I've ever seen one.

 

Those were an existing spring in GM's parts bin that is why they are marginal. GM does not do everything right they are managed by bean counters. The LT4 springs are marginal for the HOT cam in a LT1.

The other thing you should consider is the LT4 came with lighter valves which reduces valvespring pressure requirements, the kit springs are probably decent with those light valves just not really so good with the heavier LT1 valves. Such pesky little details don't matter when you have the ignorance of the masses on your side though huh .

The LT4 parts popularity is due to a vicious cycle of IGNORANCE, some knowledgable guys run those parts but most people running them just never bothered to learn there were other options many of which will produce more power.

 

When I was getting my parts together for the HOTcam/heads install, someone told me I needed to look into upgrading the springs. It didn't make much sense to me either, but after researching I decided it was somethign I wanted to do. The springs are good up to .525" lift, and guess what the HOtcam is- .525". I knew that I needed to rev the motor a little higher, and was not comfortable with those springs at 6000-6200 RPM. I'd rather spend a little bit more money on the front end and have springs I could trust, rather than risk having valve float and having to tear the springs off the heads later. I ended up spinning mine to 6200, and honestly probably could have gone to 6400 with it and not dropped off much judging from how it felt and what it showed on the dyno. I don't think the included springs would have liked 6200 and am a sure they wouldn't last at 6400.......

 

Nope, that's just your opinion, which you're certainly entitled to. This spring/cam combo has not only been run for years by yours truly on THREE different LTx engines, but by literally hundreds of F-body cars for years. We had plenty of engine and rear wheel dyno time to verify a good power curve and NO valve float, even at my self-imposed 6400 rpm redline. Unfortunately, that's the difference between internet bench racing and actual wrench time. If you've had a different experience, remember that it only takes one bad valvespring to ruin your day...