Camshafts and lifters are available in two basic formats—roller and flat tappet. And then within those two formats, they can either be of the mechanical (solid), or hydraulic variety. Fair enough. That should come as no surprise to most people reading this. But what makes up a flat tappet lifter? They’re typically hollow steel and
Camshafts are often erroneously blamed for valvetrain problems. Our friends at COMP Cams set the record straight in today’s video. It highlights several critical issues that are related to camshaft or lifter failure, but aren’t the fault of the cam or lifters—things like coil bind, oil contamination, and mechanical interference. More importantly, this video delves
There are many roller lifters available today. They range in quality from so-so to over the top. On the over-the-top end of the scale is the lineup from Jesel. Jesel manufactures a wide cross section of models including some very special lightweight keyed roller lifters that are the darlings of the pro stock/ultra pro street
Q: We have a 1974 Ford F-100 pickup we use as a tow vehicle. It has a 360-cubic-inch two-barrel engine running Crane stock replacement cam and “anti-pump-up” hydraulic lifters. The heads are fitted with TRW valves and springs that are close to OEM in the lift and spring pressure department. The rockers are stock ratio and
In a previous post, we showed you how to read your spark plugs. Now we’re going explain how to read your engine valves and valve-related components and translate what they’re telling you. The appearance of your intake and exhaust valves can hint at the current operating condition of your engine and foretell potential performance issues. Here’s what
You’ve got questions. We’ve got the answers—the Summit Racing tech department tackles your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we’re answering some basic valvetrain-related questions. J.H. Kegley, WV Q: Here are a few questions I have in regard to the valvetrain on my 1979 Chevy 3/4 ton 4 x 4, which has a 305-cubic-inch Chevy engine: Can you use
Rocker arms are among the most stressed components in your engine—and the most important, too. They’re essentially tasked with transferring movement from the camshaft lobes to the valves, making them a key cog in your engine’s power production. So are you getting optimum performance from your rocker arms? According to the valvetrain experts at COMP Cams,
Got questions? We’ve got the answers—the Summit Racing tech department tackles your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we add new valvetrain components to old “camel hump” cylinder heads. R.B. Las Vegas, NV Q: I recently acquired a set of Chevy “camel hump” small block heads. I am putting in screw-in studs so I can use Harland
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