Billet cams and lifter supply
 

So i think its time to have a serious conversation about the problem that we are having right now with lifters and cam cores .Again --- this time its billet or steel cams and what kind of lifter material you are going to put on the billet cam. This is a problem only with flat tappets, so those using rollersmay not even be aware. So how many 'just stockers" using flats are there?? If u r one of those racers or eng. builders that have tried ordering a set of steel lifters to put on your steel cam, you know there are none ,zero avail. anywhere,and back ordered 6months or more. It seems to me that the eng. builders don't want to talk about it in public. (why? maybe they all think that their customers (racers) believe that their builder is the only one who knows how to get a bigger cam lobe and use more spring pressure than all the other guys. LMAO as its some big secret haha (it isn't). All the top builders know how to do it. So no one talks about it. But NOW its a problem for everyone. Want a new cam ,great heres one.$500 Example -Want some steel tappets to go on that fancy new cam- sorry Sic dont got any. Well we have just a couple sets coated with DLC cost$2200 or more.and if they bounce just one time they will destroy your engine. Not our fault. So i started this thread because i know a little bit about materials and coatings, not everything ,but a little. So why dont some of you builders who belong to Classracer get in this conversation and see if we can find a solution,because it is not going away anytime soon. I know this likely does not affect the cars with smaller engines or cam specs. that dont use a lot of spring pressure. But most do. So as much as us older guys don't like all the rule changes, allowing not original parts ,it might be time to have this discussion with NHRA to save the pre 1987 cars. Because all of the roller motors (engines) do not have this problem. as Mr. William said "tis not that i love Caesar less, but that i love Rome (classracing) more. I am posting this on top forum also.

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

Good Luck This topic has been addressed many times over many years NHRA does not want to talk about it, oh they listen ,and look at the the damage shown to them but well you can see the results ,also their is the other Racers that the minute anyone says
Lifters they are quick to say that is one more step closer to super stock but they all have the all the many steps closer in there car !

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

This is a unique problem now that there are none. Compared to before where racers just wanted to switch to a roller lifter when flat tappet steel lifters were available. Not many will say anything until they are the ones waiting for a new set to be made. And then they find out 6 months to a year and at twice the price they were. The excuse that Stock would be one step closer to Super Stocker doesn't fly. Not when you have cars running in Stock that are closer to comp than to Stock. I don't need a set right now but I know several racers that are waiting for them. With no real time line when to expect any. I know one racer that was quoted recently $2400 and about a year wait. I get if the rules weren't changed and they didn't allow some of the valve train changes we wouldn't have this problem. That horse left the barn years ago. I try to look forward instead of what if's. BP

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

Yes, there is a supply chain issue with parts.
The current catalog solid lifters have metallurgy and manufacturing issues.

PPPC, Trend and Crower manufacture the best solid lifters for use with billet camshaft cores. DLC is a nanocomposite coating and there are different types of DLC coatings that contain a different matrix. Never seen a lifter fail due to the DLC coating failing to what you call "bouncing". The only lifters I have seen fail had a ceramic puck added to the contact area.

If you valve "bouncing" on your lifters, then you have other problems that need to be addressed such as an unstable valvetrain and/or valvetrain issues..

Stock Eliminator is not the only class being affected due to the quality of solid lifters. There are many circle track associations, with sealed and non-sealed engines experiencing the same issues and many are considering the allowance of roller lifters.

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

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Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

The other side of the coin is if all the associations including NHRA allow rollers. How long will it take to be a supply chain issue for rollers? Are they available for every engine make?

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

If you want roller lifters, they are legal...in Super Stock.

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

There are power making aftermarket parts now that are only available for Chevys like the Dart blocks and other rule allowances that are available for most engines but were a serious performance gain for mostly popular GM engines.

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

Why not just build a 1985 or newer and stay in Stock Eliminator most all have roller lifters from the factory , 38 years ago the American car manufactures pretty much switched to roller lifters ,and for a good reason the oil formulation changed , so fast forward to today ,like I have said before where were many of the keep the flat tappet cam alive racers when all the other rule changes over the years case in point a 68 Corba Jet C/SA went about 11.40 in 1978 ,today 10.30 I ran one 50 years ago ,and have a very clear understanding of how one goes over a second faster today. Wouldn't be all the rule changes would it, the same rule changes that apply today for most if not all the racers that say the same old if you want roller lifters ,they are legal ...in Super Stock
But wait what about all the rule changes racers took on there own to enhance other parts of the engine at a extremely high cost well we will just look the other way at those rule changes made by the racers themselves , the point is why other than for a few racers would the lifter problem be fixed by going to roller lifters at not only a much lower cost but ,and able to buy them .

Re: Billet cams and lifter supply
 

I am sick and tired of listening to the excuse "Supply Chain Issues". It is 2022, two years removed from Covid. All these companies showcase @ SEMA and PRI products they cannot produce, "Do your damn Job or close your Doors". I run a Construction Co in NYC, We NEVER stopped during Covid Nor Delayed projects. Incompetent people with excuses.