Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of tool steel flat tappet lifters? Looking at Howards tool steel, extreme duty and their lite weight lifters. all have direct oiling, but i'm really interested in the tool steel if they don't cause any issues with cam lobes. Thanks

Dont do it , the reasons that Dwayne describes for my failure is IT.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2402051/flat-cam.html

Pro's would be much less expensive than GOOD roller lifters, Con's more expensive than conventional lifters(that seem more failure prone than in the past)

I have been using Trend/Barton tool steel lifters. (they're a little different than directly from trend as the body has no groove/space in the middle) No edm holes.

The same set have been used on 4 different cams in two different short blocks. I use either Schaffer's or Valvoline 10-30 racing oil with no additional additives.

Currently using Isky 8205 springs.....I'd have to check my notes, but I think they're around 150# closed and #430 open

Wow, glad I asked. Some seem to have no issues, but I think i'll stay with the Comp or the Howards non tool steel EDM lifters. Thanks

What type of cam is used with the tool steel lifters?

cast iron

did you ever say what Howards told you about the cam? I don't see anything in your thread.

Standard iron nitrated. The cam is a Ultradyne.

No, they wanted me to pay shipping to them & I was broke at the time, it was not the fault of Howards Cams, OR Trend lifters,it's just not something that works well for lots of street driving.

What is the theoretical advantage of tool steel flat tappet lifters ?
What is the reason they make them?
How are they ideally used ?

OK, on cast iron, non-nitrided cores, in theory ?

I honestly don't know. I was looking at them because their lighter than the extreme duty lifters.

I remember a little while that there were several instances of camshafts wiping lobes. It was found that the lifters available were a very similar surface hardness, resulting in metal tranfer from one to the other and lifters failing. Hence why nitriding is now an option on camshafts, the lifters are softer, so they wear gradually over time. The hard lifters, the opposite is going to happen, but the guys buying them aren't too bothered. DLC coated lifters are another thing altogether.

Think i'll stick with the comp EDM lifter. Had good luck with them so far.

Whats some of the weights you finding? What does the TS lifter weigh?

Any of you posters sitting on a set of TS small block units, used or? and want to dump them, pm me.

If I remember correctly the ultra lite is 85 grams, the tool steel is 92g and the extreme duty are 100gram. I believe the extreme duty is same lifter as comp edm.