Question on lifters and cams

[zeeboost]

Hi all, I just changed my came out from a hydraulic to a solid and I have a set of hydraulic lifters and solid lifters for it. I know you're not supposed to, but I was wondering if I would hurt the engine by putting in hydraulic lifters in there with the solid cam. Reason being is that they are much more maintenance free, and since I'm in college and have a job etc. etc. that is a big + for me. The engine is a 350...if you need any other info about it just tell me and I'll let you know. Thanks for any help in advance.

[Kevin Shasteen]

Wouldnt that defeat the purpose for installing a Mechanical Cam?

 

If you are dead set on this-perhaps you should call the tech line of the cam company where your cam was purchased.

 

Kevin,

(Yea,Still an Inliner)

[Guest oldZguy]

First let me state that it's been 30 years since I messed with a SBC, but if I remember right to run a mechanical you need different push rods and maybe different rockers too.

 

and just to answer your question I don't think so... I think the lift height is different on a mechanical because you don't have the cushion of the hydralic lifter. I may be wrong, but why would they sell two different ones if they were really the same???

 

Lance

[rustorbust]

Its not suggested to do but you can run mechanical lifter on a hydraulic cam but not run hydraulic lifter on a mechanical cam. Push rods and rockers are the same whether it is a solid or hydraulic.

[zeeboost]

See here's the thing. I've had the hybrid for roughly a week and a half, and when I drove it home, I noticed a lot of blow-by on the passenger-side valve cover breather and a large loss of power. When I took the valve covers off and let the engine run, I noticed that on the passenger side two of the valves weren't moving. I took out the lifters and this is what they looked like

 

 

So now I'm positive the camshaft is also screwed up...DING! I pulled it out and it had two lobes completely rounded off and one was on its way. I knew a guy that had a camshaft for sale so I went and talked to him and he said that he'd sell me his Lunati cam and lifters for $100 -- brand new. So I thought great, I don't have to wait for one to come in, I get a great brand, and it's cheap. I bought it from him and found out that the cam and lifters are solid, versus the previous one which was hydraulic. So, like I said, I do have both lifters that I need -- hydraulics and solids, but I was just going to check with you guys to see if I could still use the hydraulics, because I really don't want to be adjusting the valves every six thousand miles give or take. I think I'm going to end up putting the solids in there, though. I here that you get used to adjusting them after a while, so maybe it won't be so bad. Anyways, now you know where I'm coming from and thanks for the help.

[Mike C]

You should NEVER EVER EVER run used lifters on a new cam or switch the lifters lobe to lobe on any cam. You can run solid lifters on a hydraulic cam, but to no gain. The solid cam is ground differently on the take up and the ramps because of the different dynamic nature of the two styles. IMO, your best bet is a $99 Crane Energizer from Jeg's or Northern Auto Parts. And I think Summit will price match either of those places. IF you do run the solid cam, most likely you will need a valve spring change and you should check rocker geometry as well as piston to valve clearance.

[grumpyvette]

first thing you need to do is FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THE OLD CAM TO FAIL,THEY DON,T JUST HAVE FAILURES,THERES A CAUSE!!

first read this

http://www.cranecams.com/instructions/valvetrain/camfail.htm

let me say this, in 38 years of building engines and working on cars Ive seen my share of guys with flat cam lobes and 99.999% of the time the CAUSE is either failure to break-in the cam correctly (ABOUT 10%) or FAILURE TO CAREFULLY CHECK ALL THE CLEARANCES,and/or the VALVE TRAIN GEOMETRY and VALVE SPRING PRESSUREs (ABOUT 89%)

now you can ignore what I say,.... but chances are excellent, youll be replaceing a second cam if you do!

BTW just some info, all that metal from the lifters and cam lobes did not vanish! its now floating around in your engine somewhere and not all of it got caught in the oil filter, at the bare minimum, change the oil and filter, but you should pull the pan and clean the engine at least! and the correct thing to do is to pull the engine for a cleaning of the oil passages in the block and a careful check of the rings and bearings

[Tim240z]

[b']BTW just some info, all that metal from the lifters and cam lobes did not vanish! its now floating around in your engine somewhere and not all of it got caught in the oil filter, at the bare minimum, change the oil and filter, but you should pull the pan and clean the engine at least! and the correct thing to do is to pull the engine for a cleaning of the oil passages in the block and a careful check of the rings and bearings[/b]

 

Man, Zeeboost...I bet that's not what you wanted to hear!

 

Tim

[zeeboost]

Well Tim, you're right, I was hoping I wouldn't hear something like this, but I'm glad I did. I asked for help and this forum gave it to me. Thanks you all for your help. I've already changed the oil and filter, and I dropped the pan a couple of days ago -- didn't really seem like any shavings were in there, just a couple on the bottom. The problem was only with two lifters, and the heads only have 1000 miles on them, so I don't think there should be much in there, but it would be wise for me to go ahead and check it out. The two valves were the two intake valves closest to the firewall on the passenger-side. I just thought of another question -- what's the cylinder order on an sbc? Thanks.

[grumpyvette]

 

this may help

[zeeboost]

Wow, that's perfect. Thanks grumpy.