Hey Guys,

I have two different lifters that are not spinning in my 440. Outside of a rebuild, I have a couple of ideas. The cam I was going to install was the MP .528 solid. I was thinking of having a couple of the lifters chrome plated to add some materail to the sides of the lifter. I measured the lifter bore to be close to .907. Has anyone ever done this? Doable or no?

Michael

If your lifters are .904 then you only have .003 clearance, that sounds pretty close to where it should be sometimes you can scuff the bottom of the lifters with scotch brite to get them rotateing, since they are solids you could also hit the bottom of them with a sandblaster to give them some grip. Remember they only really rotate over the lobe, not on the base circle. How are youchecking for ratation?

Not my idea. I put a black dot on the top of the lifter, and then I have someone turn the key while I hang over the engine and I watch most of the lifters spin. I am doing all of this with all of the valvetrain installed. The two offending lifters spin in the opposite direction as the rest of them for a half a revolution and then stop.

Michael

if they are not spinning and have enough clearance do others spin when in that lifter bore? have you tried swapping them around ?
Why is it not spinning due to the lifter or where it's placed is what you need to know. A sign of a lifter going south is the loss of the center of the crown. Are they used ?

then my dumb question are they all cleaned and oiled ? what oil is on them now ? Some oil when cold will be enough to throw you a curve ball and stop the lifter from turning

Hey Fred,

I have tried swapping lifters around a couple of times. As well as buying a couple of new Mopar lifters. The cam and lifters for the .528 are all brand new. I swapped out the .528 and slid in the .590 MP (used) and the same thing is happening. The .590 came from an engine that was working fine. I also tried a couple of borrowed Crower lightweight lifters that had a black facing on them on new .528.

I have been using Brad Penn break in oil on the sides of the lifters and Crane moly break-in lube on the lifters face for all of the attempts.

I also noticed that one of the offending lifers from the .470 Comp hydraulic that came out of it is concave. But, that came is very very old.

I fear a rebuild or a swap to a small street solid roller is probably the only way to get it out this year.

Michael

So is it only a few lifters or the lifter bores that are source of problem ?

I can't figure exactly from your reply

Right now I think its the lifter bore. If I coupd find a bigger diameter lifter I think it may work. If not, I am thinking I will have to rebuild or do the roller thing.

I always drive a burnishing ball through the lifter bores with a slide hammer to make sure of their size. Hughes recommends using WD-40 or some other light oil on the sides of the lifter and motor oil on the bottoms to verify rotation. After rotation is verified then put break in lube on the bottom for the start up.

Starting to hope that the burnishing ball may at least catch some random slight imperfection. Are those balls real hard? The lifter spins slightly for a moment.

Michael

Maybe a minimal to skim coating on the lifter if I can get it to spin.

If the burnishing ball is threaded all the way through. Perhaps I can get a long piece of threaded rod and make it work. Currently have the E-heads installed. I think there is enough wiggle room.

Michael

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Maybe a minimal to skim coating on the lifter if I can get it to spin.

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if a near dry or very lightly oiled spins I would not be that concerned as when it's operating temp that oil is then very thin there would be no problem

If the burnishing ball don't fix it then it is also possible the lifter bore is not straight up and down over the lobe. This causes there to not be one side of the lobe touching the lifter forceing it to rotate, the only way to fix that is to bush the lifter bore. Even running a roller in a bore that bad could cause un even loading of the lifter and make it wear out too fast.

Mike have you ran the motor before and were there any problems with the lifters

The motor has been in there for years. However, the last cam i pulled out had a cup shaped bottom on the lifter in one of the offending bores. Would chrome plating the lifter help? That would in effect make the lifter bigger?

Michael

Going tighter is only gonna make it worse

Perhaps a slight hand spin with a brake hone while I wait to see when i can get a burnishing tool..

Michael