Cams and Lifters

[Michael C Henry]

I had a Crower cam w/ shell lifters Lasted 20,00 miles I hear thats normalStarted to go flat.Comp Cams doesn't reccamend roller fo street.Not enough oil being thrown up on rollers.any reccamendations ,stories,successes - failures?

[Jeff Frigo]

Should last a lot longer than that. Unless you have a '68 service block, it is not drilled for hydraulic lifters. A solid lifter cam is the way to go. As far as the cam wearing out that fast, I would check your lifter bores for size and angularity. You can have them bushed by a good builder, mine cost $500.

[Michael C Henry]

#1 exhaust and #7 intake went away bad.Lifters are toast. They came out OK through the cam compartment.Now it's on to remove the engine. It is going to be examined and redone if nessasary. I can't beleive that no one has a storry or oppinion on cams and lifters. Would a roller work? which brand would you recamend?What do you set your valves at when warm but not still hot ( aluminum heads cool so fast)?
I had a Ford cam in a 406 in 68.It was a C8AX 6250D. .600" lift 330° duration, and 115° overlap.600CFM holley .Itwas great but idled at 1800 RPM and 215 Temp 3even with a F100 trudk radiator and the front end cut out to fit it.I have another one like it in the basement now. I've had it since mid 1970.Still in the cardboard tube and all cosmolined. I kept bending Crane pushrods back then .I had the work done to the heads and valve guides (perfect circle valve seal and all) but the springs were binding I guess.Twisted it up to 8500 one night.Broke the next day.Tried a 324° and 1050 Tripower it wasn't as POTENT.I think that cam now would idle too fast and I'd never get Emissions to buy off on it.It has to idle under 1100(not go over during the idle test.)Called Comp Cams because I've heard they have a lot o Ford cams.and they can be reached. I tried the same setup shell lifters and all. I asked about a roller setup like I hear you guys bragging about, The tec I talked to did not recamend a roller for street use .Not enough oil being thrown up on roller axles at idle nto even 1000rpm idle. Does that sound correct even for a Sideoiler?

[Michael C Henry]

George Anserson responded by E-mail .He said that a roller set up is a 5,000 mile deal.He also said to stay with a solid lifter setup. So it looks like shell lifters again. It now appears that I have one of those 427 blocks equiped for hydraulic lifters. The lifter galleries are drilled the full length.I wonder if that would make a difference with hyd.rollers lasting longer?