Interesting LIfter Problem.... Anyone else have this happen?

[Dan Gray]

I fired up the car this weekend to take her for a spin when i noticed a lifter tick. So i goosed the throttle to see if it changed and it made a horrible rattleing noise. So i tore down the top end to find that the "H" shaped retainer that holds the roller lifters straight is broken and my lifter on cyl #1 has turned 90 degrees and has now ground the **** out of my cam.

SO! Has this happened to anyone else? i have made a few phone calls and i have had No one say they have ever heard of it happening. So my Question now is, do i just replace it with stock lifter and retainer and call it a fluke or is there an aftermarket lifter setup out there for the factory Roller blocks that eliminate the stock "H" retainer.
My motor is no where close to stock(look at signature) but i know im not running the biggest cam out there so what does everyone think???? Replace it with stock parts or look aftermarket??

Thanks Dan

 

[black87ttop]

Well to be honest with you,you mite not want to hear this but if it ground the cam down like that you know the cam will have to be replaced and the engine will need to be torn down and have all the metal shavings cleaned out. I have never heard of this happening and i would consider it a fluke, but there is an option, its not cheap tho. You can buy linked lifters that are bridged together and eliminate the H style hold down, they run about 400 to 500 dollars tho. I have them on my 347 becuase i run a mexican block and they are from the late 60's early 70's era and did not have the H hold down, so these are what you use when running a roller cam in an older block. They will also work in the roller blocks, you just throw way the little dog bones and H bracket

 

[ninety15.0]

I've heard if it a couple times now...especially with the Dart block. they dont have enough clearance for the dog bones. Most engine builders with clearance these areas so you can use the factory spider to hold them down. But black87ttop is correct in saying that link-bar lifters are the only way to go in an engine like that. You have spent sooo much money on the bottom end...why not spend an extra 500 bucks to make sure you dont rotate a lifter and wipe out a cam lobe or even worse the whole bottom end b/c of all the metal shavings. good luck man

 

[ShortThrow50]

the dog bones seemed pretty solid to me. How the heck could one of those break when there isnt any stress put on them

 

[ninety15.0]

Its just that the Dart block isnt clearanced for the dog bones. the original poster runs a dart block. I read a thread over on corral about this the other day. Same thing....block wasnt clearanced, dog bone came off/broke, lifter rotated, ate the cam. definitely sucks.

 

[PUNISHER RACING]

Yes this happens when you get up to around .570 inches of lift or so the dogbones were not made for that much lift and the body of the lifter actually pushes the bogbone up and breaks it.

 

[SilverBullit]

Yup.....happened to me as a matter of fact! I can't recall if I actually heard anything pop or break, but I did notice my car was down on power. Got it home and tore it down and the intake lifter on the number 8 cylinder had broke the roller tip off. Needless to say I pulled the engine to get all the pieces and what not out. It scored my cam on the lobe too. I took the cam into a local shop and they were able to fix it. Sorry to hear that about your car, I thought I was the only one....