Weak lifter

[Clint L]

Try Comp or Driven break in oil. I’ve used both brands without extra additive and all went well.

 

[mtnmankev]

Try Comp or Driven break in oil. I’ve used both brands without extra additive and all went well.

I don't know how much zinc levels have dropped in oils, but when i built my stroker 20 years ago, I used Valvoline 10w30 and no additive, and all went well.
I didn't even run the engine for 15 to 20 minutes at high idle, I simply set the timing, adjusted the carburetor, and drove the truck.
The machine shop says they see no problem using a detergent dino oil during break in period, so i am on the fence about using $60 worth of oil for a 500 mile break in.
It's like medications, everybody has a different reaction to them and how they work for that individual.

 

[Mike Harrington]

I honestly don't think anything as far as the type of oil or additives etc would have given different results in this instance. The lifters are unhardened Chinese junk first of all!!
I don't plan on using the lifters that come with the new kit... probably going to use Howards

 

[Bennyt]

Years ago I worked for PAW, which at the time was the largest seller of domestic performance camshafts in the world, and was in responsible for testing the hardness of cams that purchasers complained of going bad/ flat. These are some things I learned; I'm sure some has changed in 20 plus years though.

The lifter has the tightest clearance of any part in the engine at 0.003, if I accurately recall. This means even the smallest speck of dirt, rust, contaminant will cause an issue and prevent rotation, pumping up, etc. which will cause a cam failure.

Back then, there were only 3-4 lifter manufacturers in the US. Isky, Crane Technologies, & I don't remember. Your no name Summit, Jegs, etc. was made by the same people that probably manufactured the OEM and on the same line which was probably Crane.

I think there was only 3 Cam blank manufacturers in the US; Crane was the largest.

Not saying it isn't possible but after testing probably 1000 plus cams and lifters, we could never ever find one that was below the Rockwell hardness level. The process of cam manufacturing of pouring a hot liquid metal into a cold mold and cooling was the heat treating process. If it wasn't done correctly, it would be an obvious problem and would be so badly deformed it could not be possible to continue onto the grinding process.

Pretty much every cam manufacturer, replaced the cam under warranty with no questions asked regardless of fault.

 

[Mike Harrington]

I understand what your saying but these lifters do not even have the ring around the bottom like all hardened lifters have.. at least all that I've ever seen