Used flat cam.....

Who on here accually will buy a used hydraulic flat tappet cam with suposedly matched lifters, and run it?

We have a guy comeing inn next week with an older GM, and he has a used cam from a "buddy" and he wants us to put it in. I told him we would but there is absolutely NO guarentee that its going to work without any issues.

He didnt understand that at all. I told him I would feel better if he bought a new set of lifters becaust you can not guarentee the lifters didnt get accidently switched around.

Hopefully he either buys a new set of lifters, or I scared him enough that he just gets everything new.

I have done it myself, but I pulled the cam out of a running engine, and swapped them out right there, no boxes duct taped together.

Kasey

The thing that always scares me from using a used cam & lifters is that even if you do keep the lifters in the same order, the two blocks would have to have been machined exactly the same to ensure the same lifter-to-lobe wear pattern. I figure the odds of that are about slim and none, short of both blocks having had their lifter bores bushed by the same machinist using exactly the same equipment.

Personally, I wouldn't build it at all unless he bought new lifters. Even if he agreed there was no warranty and if anything happened it was all on him...I still wouldn't put my name on it. No matter what happens, you built it.

Quote:

---

The thing that always scares me from using a used cam & lifters is that even if you do keep the lifters in the same order, the two blocks would have to have been machined exactly the same to ensure the same lifter-to-lobe wear pattern. I figure the odds of that are about slim and none, short of both blocks having had their lifter bores bushed by the same machinist using exactly the same equipment.

---

I've heard this stated before and while I'll agree there can be a problem I don't think it's all that critical. I've had my solid flat tappet Hughes/Engle cam in two different stock blocks, a 68 340 and an 89 360 block with the same lifters. I've never had a problem with it even without any additives to the Mobil 1 oil I used.

Of course new lifters would be prefered but as long as he knows it's all on him, and you put it in writing with him signing, I'd do it. I take whatever I can get these days.