Sticky Roller Lifters

[DAVID C]

Has anyone heard of roller lifters sticking? My vacuum gauge fluctuates terribly below 1500 rpms. It has done this since the rebuild and installation of a Comp 212/212 roller cam. The work was done by a reputable shop known for Buick Turbo 6s. The engine seems to idle a little rough and rich, compared to stock. I can't find any vacuum leaks. The rebuilder says they have had some quality issues with some of the lifters. I think he said they were being produced in Mexico. Has anyone experienced this? Is there a way to check them, or narrow it down to a particular cylinder? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Dave C.

 

[bruce]

The *packing/ shipping grease* in one set I got was incredibly thick. Had take them apart and soak them in brake cleanner for 2 days, to desolve it. Luckily it was noticed when setting the valves was just getting odd results, if it'd have fixed rockers might have missed it all together.......

 

[NCTURBOS]

I had a set fo the Comp 853 lifters that would stick as well. (6) out of the (12) in the set had this problem. I sent all (12) back for a new set.

As with Bruce, I noticed the problem when setting the rockers up.


K.

 

[Lee Thompson]

CC

I just went through the BAD batch with CC. 3 out of the 12 had sticking plundger. Be prepared to pay shipping both ways on their mistake. I will never do business or recommend Comp Cam again. I caught it when adjusting the preload.

 

[DAVID C]

This is all good to know. Is there any way to check them to tell if they're bad? They have been in my car for 10 months now. They have only about 200 miles on them. What are the odds that they'll stand behind them? Did any of you guys run your car and experience similar problems? Dave C.

 

[Dusty Bradford]

We had a problem with comps roller lifters on the last motor we built. I found it when adjusting the valves on the T&D rockers. 3 of the 12 didn't even have a spring in them, only the plunger. They next day shipped a new set but they were taken apart before we installed them to clean the packing grease out.

I would think you would be able to hear a lot of valvetrain noise if your lifters were the problem. The sticking should cause excessive slack between the pushrod and rocker arm.

 

[PEACHS]

lifter plunger

The reason why the lifter plungers stick is because there are metal shavings inside the lifter body. The instructions say to wash the lifters with mineral spirits solvent. We cleaned/washed the roller lifters and got some machining shaving out of the body. After seeing that i sonic cleaned them until i didn't get any more particles out of the lifter. They all worked fine and none stick.

 

[DAVID C]

I do get some ticking, quite loud for about 10-15 minutes, till the engine good and warm. I've adjusted the T&D roller rockers several times. No change. During the ticking, the vacuum gauge is steady. I thought it was because the idle was slightly higher. Now it's all starting to make sense. Dave C.

 

[DAVID C]

I just removed my (sticky, noisey) Comp roller lifters. I want to take them apart to inspect and sonic clean them. How do you get the buttons out to remove the guide bars? I don't see how to dissassemble them until it's removed. Do they just pry out? They don't look like they are threaded. Thanks. Dave C.

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

all comp cams lifters suck

set them to 0 lash and be done with em

basically if your going with comp junk might as well go solid

 

[Blown&Injected]

Does not look like they can be taken apart beyond the snap ring and the cup but it does loosen up everything in the lifter.

I have several that were sticking after 2-3 days in mineral spirits and then 2 days in lacquer thinner. Still had 3 lifters that felt like they were chewing on rocks - read about the ultra sonic cleaning so I took them to the lab where there are some big sonic cleaners and let them go in an alcohol soultion - it helped a little more but they were still not as smooth as most of the other lifters. If I were on the clock the lifter cleaning would have been 20% of the entire job!!!!

These are Federal Mogul Performance Performance Parts # HT-5000RA roller lifters. I have read that the roller lifters are all the same but then there are 2 type listed with Comp Cams.

After all the cleaning and blowing out with air and finishing with oil for days while pumping them under the oil - they hold the solvent for ever!!!! - they felt good enough to go with but some still felt better than the 3 that were giving me the problem.

Engine saound very good and they adjusted just fine.

 

[Mike Licht]

all comp cams lifters suck

set them to 0 lash and be done with em

basically if your going with comp junk might as well go solid

Since there is only one company that make them for everyone and they are all the same what would you recommend?
Mike

 

[Lee Thompson]

Crane

I could be wrong but I was told by a Crane rep. @ the PRI show in Indy a couple years ago that they were making lifters for small block Chevy. Jegs and Summit show a Crane lifter.
Go solid like I'm going to do.

 

[DAVID C]

I soaked the lifters in a heated ultrasonic cleaner filled with xylene overnight. I now decided to take them apart and let them clean for a couple of days. I was only able to get the snap rings out. The cups don't seem to clear the buttons in the bore. My big concern is that I can't compress the plungers past the snap rings! Is that the way they are suposed to be? Does this mean they are solid roller lifters? They are suposed to be hydraulic rollers. Dave C.

 

[Blown&Injected]

David. the lifters are probably full of solvent. let them drain a bit and try to work them a bit, then try again

 

[FastRegalWE2]

what would you recommend?
Mike

ditto

 

[Blown&Injected]

ditto? where can I get that brand?
HA!!!!

OK, I'll go away now :redface: :biggrin:

 

[FastRegalWE2]

ditto? where can I get that brand?
HA!!!!

OK, I'll go away now :redface: :biggrin:

 

[Blown&Injected]

We had a problem with comps roller lifters on the last motor we built. I found it when adjusting the valves on the T&D rockers. 3 of the 12 didn't even have a spring in them, only the plunger. They next day shipped a new set but they were taken apart before we installed them to clean the packing grease out..

How did you take them apart?

I would think you would be able to hear a lot of valvetrain noise if your lifters were the problem. The sticking should cause excessive slack between the pushrod and rocker arm.

I got almost 2 tanks of gas thru the car before I heard some ticking then broke a Harland Sharp rocker arm. it looks like the lifter did not pump up and or stuck in the down position and let the push rod to slip out of the adjusting cup causing the pushrod to hammer the rocker arm leading to the failure.

 

[bison]

How did you take them apart?



I got almost 2 tanks of gas thru the car before I heard some ticking then broke a Harland Sharp rocker arm. it looks like the lifter did not pump up and or stuck in the down position and let the push rod to slip out of the adjusting cup causing the pushrod to hammer the rocker arm leading to the failure.

How much preload were you running? Must have been a lot or one of the lifters stuck when it bled down by being on top of one of the lobes. I dont see how it couldnt have been sloppy as hell when you first installed them for it to come out of the rocker cup. Had to have bled down and stuck at peak lift with the engine off.