I am planning on doing a cam swap soon and wanted to see what everyone was using for pushrods and lifters in their valvetrain. The cam will be midsize, nothing radical. Probably something from Bret Bauer in the LE2 range, maybe a bit smaller. Revving 6400-6500 at the very most. I hit the track maybe once or twice a year, but I do like to get on it occasionally on the street.

Pushrods: Bret likes Hi-tech Comps @ $120 a set. I currently run a set of $30 Hardened Comp ones, but I am not sure if they are up for the challenge. Anyone use any other brands or type?

Lifters: Now some people dont change them with cams, some do. I am still deciding what to do, but if I did change them what does everyone recommend? I am not a fan on Comp R's. Although I did see a set of Federal Mogul ones at SDPC for $100 a set, anyone use those? They seem nice, and I have heard some good things about them from my Akron buddies.

I dont mind spending a little more money on something better or that needs to be put in, but if one will work just as another for less $$, sign me up.

-Dustin-

 

I used the hardened pushrods 30$ and the replacement lifters from comp 200$ but then again i havent started my engine yet so these might not be the best parts. Though these are the parts lloyd recomended to me so.... I took his word for it and it should be running by monday.

 

I'm using Comp Cams chromemoly pushrods and Comp Cams "R" hydraulic roller lifters and have had no problems whatsoever.

 

I bought a cam 227/233 525/534 lift from combination motorsports and they told me that the $30 hardened pushrods would be find to use. I don't know how big of a cam you are going with but I would think they would be okay.

 

The reason I dont want the R's arent quality, its the way they work. I dont think its necessary for what I am doing.

I dont know how big it'll be either, Bret doesnt like to give out specs, so I wont know till right before probably. But its going to be around the LE2 cam size, maybe a bit smaller, therefore we are talking smaller than the CC306 I think.

-Dustin-

 

Comp Hi-Tech's and Comp R's here. If I get enough money I will be swithing to Morel lifters instead. The Comp R's are OK, but they are a pain to adjust and the quality has decreased with the new style ones. If you are going to be running Beehive springs you can use stock replacement lifters without worries. With pushrods I am 100% in agreement with Bret, my reasons may be different than his...but here is is. You may be able to get away with a $30 pushrod, but you might not be able to as well. If the quality of that pushrod is not up to task and something happens to it, you could bend the valves or something along those lines, and that will be far more expensive to fix than the $90 extra you have spent on the Better pushrods. I have broken alot of **** in my day, when using inferior parts that i took a risk with...so now this is my motto for parts. Not bashing CMS here at all, but sometime there advice is taken as gold, and that not necessarily the case. Many people call them, and get a spring set, lifter, or pushrod recomendation....i don't agree with them all the time. I think that the 612 springs aren't up to task for half the stuff people get them for. Now I don't know if CMS is telling them that these springs are what they should use or not, but I am def NOT a believer in their springs. This could be the same way with the pushrods as well, they may recomend them, but i see they sell the Hi-Tech's as well...I wonder what they run in the engine's they build?

 

Well I appriciate the information and experience you've shared. I feel the same way about 612's, seems everyone who has them gets valve float or some other problem. Sounds like I'll be doing stock lifters since I am pretty sure I'll be running beehives. This being the case, I'll have plenty of left over funds from lifters to go the extra mile on pushrods to Hi-tech. My stockers only have 70k on them, 30 of which were babied. Do I need new lifters all together? Would $100 Federal Mogul ones work if I needed new ones? Grease used FM's in his H/C setup with no problem...well till he blew the motor at 6800rpm, but it wasnt the lifters it was bearings.

The setup looks like this:

Bret's "Black Magic" Cam
Beehive Springs (918's I think) /Retainers, etc
Hi-Tech Pushrods 7.200"
Pro Mags 7/16 NSA (Have)
Cloyes Double Roller Timing Chain Set
Stock Lifters or Federal Mogul

Thanks

-Dustin-

 

Your stock lifter's and hardened pushrods will be OK at the power level and cam size you will be running.
If ya was going to run 500psi of spring pressure on the nose your pushrods wouldn't work neither would your lifter's. The stock lifters will take you to 500FWHP and 7000RPM'S.
Ya can make the stock lifter's just like a "R" lifter by adjusting, after they are quiet, to 1/8 of a turn.

 

I use the Hi-tech's and Comp R's. With that said, I should have just stuck with my low mileage stock lifters. Between the cost of the lifters and paying Speed Inc to adj. them correctly I'd be way ahead cost wise right now.

 

older style Comp R lifters (no failures)

Trick Flow chromoly pushrods 7.3" $90

 

I have a set of Comp R's in my car now, and discovered yesterday that a retaining clip broke off one of them. Im researching lifters now as well. I like the Comp Hi Tech pushrods as well, thats what I run. Has Comp done anything about this retainer problem? If it wasnt such a pain in the *** to change valve springs in the car, I would just put a solid in it. My springs right now are 140 closed, and 340 open, I wonder if stock lifters can handle that and occasional 6600 RPM's.



Nick

 

I don't think stock lifters can handle 140 close pressure springs.. Also I think for your cam these springs are weak.. I think you should go with 977 or 985 comp springs if you will not go with beehives.. If you get beehive springs (less mass) stock lifters can handle.. (also an hydra rev kit help a lot)

 

So far the springs have worked fine, and there were no signs of valve float on the dyno. Oh, and I just ordered a set of Morel's today, I should have them on Wednesday, bye bye Comp R's.



Nick

 

I'm running Comp OEM lifters as i ended up breaking, or cracking 9 retainer clips in my Comp R's.

 

Which one is better choice?:
1)Comp cam OEM lifters (850-16) with hydra rev kit?
2)Just Morel lifters? (hydra rev kit doesnt fit with Morel lifters)