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Comp Cam lifters 5/16 push rod cups

5K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  blykins 
#1 ·
Hey All,

First post after trying to find this question with no luck.

Im rebuilding my FE 390 and bought Comp Cam 33-224-3 (268H) cam and matching lifters. After inspecting the parts and doing some research, the Comp lifters have a 5/16" cup and my factory push rods have 3/8" ball on both ends. I realize I will likely be ordering new push rods when I measure after my factory heads are machined.
My question is...how do us FE guys find suitable push rods with a 5/16 ball one end and 3/8" ball on the other to fit the factory rockers? I could order them custom I suppose as one option. My other thought was getting a set of new factory OEM hydraulic lifters to use with the Comp cam. Of course the guy at Comp says this would void any warrantee. Has anyone used OEM lifters with a mild aftermarket cam?
Any advice would be appreciated.

I think I have posted this in the right forum this time...
 
#6 ·
Extech...I used a marker to get witness marks on the push rod ball and it is definitely sitting on the thin chamfer at the edge of the lifter cup. I suspect it wont last too long like that. I dont have big spring pressure...but not liking how it is sitting. The stock lifters swallow up the whole radius of the ball.
I like the comment about the warrantee...not worth the paper its written on. Im leaning toward using a new set of OEM lifters...Im sure they wont be any less of a part than Comp Cam's lifter. Then I can use the standard size double ended 3/8" ball rods.
 
#9 ·
This is a common issue with some lifters, in some cases, it's a SBF lifter and height is wrong too. I have seen some from Comp with sort of a chalice shape allowing either cup size, but your witness mark shows it's the wrong cup. I now only use Lunati Camsavers when building a hyd flat tappet FE for this reason. They have the correct height and pushrod size.

You can buy custom pushrods, which would not be a bad idea to address preload per cylinder too, but they will likely surprise you on cost for a 5/16-3/8. You can also buy a set of Lykins Motorsports hyd non-adjustable 1.76 roller rockers, he designed them with 5/16 ends to allow a much cheaper pushrod to be used. That is what I have been doing on hyd roller FEs because they have the same design

Likely easiest/cheapest way is to buy some Camsavers, they are also a very good lifter. Be sure to check preload though regardless, I have found that most FE pushrods are long from the factory, and valve tips are often all over the place.
 
#10 ·
n2omike: I was thinking the same thing, but the lifters are the part number paired with that cam. I even emailed Comp Cam to ask why an FE lifter would be sized for 5/16" ball since they all came with a 3/8" ball

The Comp lifters share the same dimensions of the OEM lifters, with the exception of the cup size.

My427stang: I searched camsavers, looks like Crower makes them. Some of the forums suggest oil issues...like lower oil pressure on an engine that already has lower pressure. Do you run the stock volume oil pump without any issues? I would think this style of lifter would help with break-in as well

Since I need a little machining on the rocker valve pad, maybe they can touch up the cup for a 5/16"ball. Although the camsavers seem like the best way to go as long as they dont mess with oil pressure
 
#11 ·
There are no oil issues with the Camsaver lifters. I run standard volume oil pumps quite frequently and I have never seen an oil pressure issue with them, or with any other lifter (hydraulic roller, etc.) for that matter. They are great for flat tappet cam break-in's, and when I do a flat tappet build, I'm either using Crower Coolface or Camsaver lifters.

The pushrods are easy. Custom Trend pushrods are very easy to get and not unaffordable. My new roller-tipped non-adjustable rockers will make things a little easier if you're so inclined as they use a regular 5/16" ball/ball pushrod.
 
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