Solid lifters?

[Ortie666]

Anyone every try making, buying, or using solid lifters? Think it would work??

[TurboZ24]

Roller or flat tappet? Motor with a flat tappet cam origionally (3.1) or a roller origionally (3100)?

[hondaetr]

mechanical rockers

You can get the mechanical rockers at: www.engine-parts.com/GMV6.

Crane PowerMax Mechanical Lifter Camshafts for Non-Emissions Vehicles
Crane PowerMax F-228/3067-2-12 228 238 290 300 .460 .480 112 112
Fair idle, daily performance usage, good low and mid-range torque and horsepower, 3200-3600 cruise RPM, 9.5 to 10.75 compression ratio advised. Basic RPM 2500-6000.

Crane PowerMax F-248/3334-2-12 248 258 310 320 .500 .520 112 112
Rough Idle, performance usage, good mid and upper RPM torque and horsepower, 3800-4200 cruise RPM, 10.5 to 12.0 compression ratio advised. Basic RPM 3800-7200.

[geoffinbc]

They are avalible. But not for use on a hydraulic cam. All mild cams for the street are sold for use with hydraulic cams. The only solid tappet cams made are high rpm race cams. You could get a mild cam ground for use with solid lifters. But why?

[hondaetr]

solid lifters

They are avalible. But not for use on a hydraulic cam. All mild cams for the street are sold for use with hydraulic cams. The only solid tappet cams made are high rpm race cams. You could get a mild cam ground for use with solid lifters. But why?

Original question: Solid lifters?
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Anyone every try making, buying, or using solid lifters? Think it would work??
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No, they are not for use on hydraulic lifter cams, it would destroy the softer hydr. cam. That is why they are SOLID lifters and are used to be stable at higher engine speeds. A mild cam cant breath in the upper RPMs, and would be pointless to use for high RPM use which is the reason for solid lifters. They are great for Midget racing though and when you want to twist your motor to 6000-7000RPM! Motorcycles scream at 10000-16000+RPM and are wicked fast. This is not just because they are lighter.
Since horsepower is a function of torque output over time (engine speed), making big power requires spinning it faster. You will get valve float at higher RPM if you use hydraulic lifters. If you increase the compression ratio and have a standard or stalled auto tranny, you can take advantage of the radical cam profile and use solid lifters on the street. That is if you can pass the emissions in your area. Hope you find this info useful.

[SappySE107]

The stock hydraulic roller lifters work fine to 7000 even. Its the spring pressure related to high lift/high duration for top end power that really makes the solids tempting. The hydraulic lifters will have some give to them so you don't get the full lift/duration of your cam. Solid however is dead on with the cam minus any valve float you may have from weak valve springs.

I don't know how hydraulic lifters cause valve float though if your springs are strong enough. You would have the opposite in fact, with the lifters bleeding down to have less lift.

[hondaetr]

The stock hydraulic roller lifters work fine to 7000 even. Its the spring pressure related to high lift/high duration for top end power that really makes the solids tempting. The hydraulic lifters will have some give to them so you don't get the full lift/duration of your cam. Solid however is dead on with the cam minus any valve float you may have from weak valve springs.

I don't know how hydraulic lifters cause valve float though if your springs are strong enough. You would have the opposite in fact, with the lifters bleeding down to have less lift.

Hydraulic lifters only take up the adjustment slack that is caused by extended high rpm or over time, the weakening of the valve springs. Solid lifters will need periodic adjustment (removing valve covers is a PITA! on my S-15) and should be taken into account when replacing hydr. with solids.

Valve float is when the springs wont close the valve due to high engine speed and/or weak springs, but it doesnt matter if its a flat tappet or roller, or if its a solid or hydraulic. When the spring cant return the valve to a closed position after the cam event then there is valve "floating" between the seat and its open position.

[SappySE107]

"You will get valve float at higher RPM if you use hydraulic lifters."

"Valve float is when the springs wont close the valve due to high engine speed and/or weak springs, but it doesnt matter if its a flat tappet or roller, or if its a solid or hydraulic"

[prophiseer]

I agree with everything in this thread so far;

especially the comment on how pulling the valve covers is a royal nightmare on these motors considering you'd have to do it quite frequently to adjust the valves.

It's prob easier in a RWD app, though

[Ortie666]

deafanatly is eaiser in rwd, and its really easy when your engine is out in the open of a front tube chassis... I had to ajust my rockers soo much i replaced the 8mm bolt to a socket end cap screw, so i could use a t-handle to spinn them off. I was having such a nightmare with the rockers because i beleive with the aluminum head the nuts must be tightend all the way down(stock) or somthing cause once you crack the nut it spins off too freely to be a rocker nut.. and thats all i had was those nuts and a punch to score the threads to keep them from backing off.. well they kept on doing that.. i finaly got that problem cased enough that another problem sprung up... Gotta love crazy engines in crazy cars..