Lifter Brand (quality Vs. Cost) Recommendation?

[91BlckGT]

Hi all,

I'm in the midst of preparing for a rather extensive engine update. I budgeted about $3K for the work, and I'm already over-budget, so I'm trying to find options to maintain my plans for a solid street engine that doesn't break the bank.

Without listing all the parts, here's an idea of what I'm changing out in the valvetrain (to set context)

• AFR 165 58cc heads (with 7/16" stud upgrade as well as the hydraulic spring upgrade).
• Comp Cam Ultra Magnum steel rollers (1.6)
• FTI Custom Austemper camshaft (unless I switch to billet, leaning toward toward iron due to cost)
• Cloye Double-Roller Timing chain
• hardened pushrods

The car is a 91, with about 130 miles on it. Almost everything else except the block internals and heads are already aftermarket. When I'm done the only stuff stock left will be the block, crank, pistons, oil pump and pan.

Here's the question: It seems required to replace the lifters / spiders when swapping out a cam. Sure. But will the FRPP version at $160 be fine (along with another $50 for new spider / dogbones), or do I spend over twice that ($400) for a quality set of Lunati linked rollers?

I didn't budget for lifters at all (oops).

If you're looking at that list and going (geez, how did you get to $3K already?) the other stuff going on that doesn't really matter to the decision:

• Romac Red series balancer
• All the gaskets
• ARP bolts
• 30# fuel injectors

My wife is freaking out over the cost, so I'm trying to find a way to balance the budget, as it were.

 

[TOOLOW91]

I have the FRPP lifters in my 363 . No issues with them .

Morels are a nice piece as well .

Sent from my iPhone using my fingers while my auto correct makes me seem illiterate

 

[A5literMan]

Options in preferred order-Morel(best option),FRPP,or comp cam stock replacements. The morels are expensive though(twice as much). Really with your type of build you don't really need anything beyond a "stock replacement" quality lifter. The FRPP ones used to be a great option. The last few years I've seen more threads on them having having quality issues(they are made in China now-just saying). The common problem is the spring inside but others have had the bearing come apart(catastrophic engine failure). These are rare but it does happen. Not trying to talk you out of them it's just what I read/researched and I still went with them. I've heard similiar with the comp pieces. The ones I have not seen any negative feedback were the morels.

 

[elarm1]

I've had two bust on me FRPP. I tried to get something from Summit to warranty but there is NO WARRANTY. BEWARE!

 

[Boosted92LX]

I tried trw/sealedpower lifters once and they were ground so far out of spec on the o.d. The oil couldn't pressure them up and they rattled ike nuts! It took me a while to figure out, but i finally pulled them all out and went over them with a mic. Some where as far as .005" undersize. Bought melling brand and they were all perfect. Never again on sealed power.

 

[91BlckGT]

Thanks for the feedback! I was directed to buy either
Lunati LUN-72335-16 or Morel MRL-5323

Sorry about the font, cut & paste and didn't want to link to a sales website. So I pretty much know that these are the "best", but for a street car (not street/strip, not going to race it) I was looking for a lower cost alternative. Same thought process when on with the timing chain. I could buy a top-end $200 timing chain, but the $40 model is all I need.

As your response pointed out, the FRPP parts or Comp parts made overseas suffer from quality control issues. I just wanted sure how "real" that is, but personal testimonial means I really ought to get them, especially endorsements of Morel. When you are using linked bar lifters like this, do you guys know if I keep the stock spider and dogbones?

Looks like I'm dropping $400 on lifters then.

 

[Boosted92LX]

Thanks for the feedback! I was directed to buy either
Lunati LUN-72335-16 or Morel MRL-5323

Sorry about the font, cut & paste and didn't want to link to a sales website. So I pretty much know that these are the "best", but for a street car (not street/strip, not going to race it) I was looking for a lower cost alternative. Same thought process when on with the timing chain. I could buy a top-end $200 timing chain, but the $40 model is all I need.

As your response pointed out, the FRPP parts or Comp parts made overseas suffer from quality control issues. I just wanted sure how "real" that is, but personal testimonial means I really ought to get them, especially endorsements of Morel. When you are using linked bar lifters like this, do you guys know if I keep the stock spider and dogbones?

Looks like I'm dropping $400 on lifters then.

Man if you have a roller block, you don't need $400 link bar lifters... Just buy some good name brand stock style roller lifters for 160-200 dollars. Morel and melling both make good ones.

 

[RangerJoe]

Are your lifters in bad shape? The one lifters are tough pieces and will last a long while. No need for new dog bones and spiders either, unless they are broke.

Joe

 

[mikestang63]

FRPP quality has been hit and miss. Most of the parts are now made in China. If you are going through the expense and time to have Ed make you a cam, go with the lifters, springs, and other valvetrain components he recommends. Morels are quality pieces. It may cost you more to do it now, but you will do it once and do it right.

What HG, intake, and exhaust gaskets are you using
what size injectors and MAF
What intake

 

[RangerJoe]

I'm sure Ed will recommend the best product on the market, which will be the Morels. However, I told him I would be running FRPP lifters and dog bones when I ordered my cam. .613/.588 lifts and 227/235 durations on my FTI cam with stock style lifters.

Joe

 

[91BlckGT]

Yeah, I'm sourcing all my parts from FTI. He had a very rational reason for recommending the Morel: Made in the USA quality. I agree for the most part.

Are your lifters in bad shape? The one lifters are tough pieces and will last a long while. No need for new dog bones and spiders either, unless they are broke.

I have no idea what shape the engine internals are in, I last had the intake off about 10 years ago. I've been slowing building up this car over 25 years (most of it documented here since 1999 when I got really serious about it). I'm working on the assumption that there is going to be wear pattern after the car being so old and well loved. And really no reason to *not* replace them if I'm going through the trouble to buy the upgraded valve train.

FRPP quality has been hit and miss. Most of the parts are now made in China. If you are going through the expense and time to have Ed make you a cam, go with the lifters, springs, and other valvetrain components he recommends. Morels are quality pieces. It may cost you more to do it now, but you will do it once and do it right.

What HG, intake, and exhaust gaskets are you using
what size injectors and MAF
What intake

The rest of the engine has a 76mm C&L MAF (which I'll have to retune to new injectors), power pipe, 65mm throttle body, Edelbrock performer 5.0 upper/lower. Still stock injectors, but I'm going to swap 'em out for 30#. There is nothing really exceptional or unusual about the build. Stock computer still. Never even had the heads off before, should be a fun project.



I'll probably blog about the build here. Anyway, here's my full shopping list. Where the lines are blank is where I'm evaluating other things. not ready to buy everything yet, not in any real hurry other than I want Ed to kick off the cam grind before he gets too backlogged.

 

[mikestang63]

1. PLEASE sell the C&:L and get a Pro M or PMAS MAF
2. the 65MM TB is too small for your build IMO , I would go 70
3. for HG I would either get Felpro 9333Pt1 or MLS gaskets
4. for intake get the S3 version with the steel gore not the print O seal
5. Not a fan of scorpion RR . I would get crane or Pro Comp
6. You'll want and Adjustable FPR- I like the Kirban
7. You wont know the pushrod length unti you check. dont get stock ones- get hardemed one piece
8. get a standard oil pump- mellings

 

[91BlckGT]

1. There's no discernible benefit to my particular street build to sell a hand-polished piece that has run perfectly for 10 years to go a Pro-M. I'm not trying to wring out every ounce of power. I acknowledge that Pro-M is a superior model, but this piece has served me well for a long time.
2. Probably. But the accufab piece was expensive, and it's pretty polished, and works fine. For a street-only car, I'm looking to maximize torque, not top-end HP. Ed is aware of these parts and are taking them into consideration for the grind. If it was a +20HP change across the band, but it's really only going to choke me from 6000+ RPM, an area I will spend little to no time on the street. My request to him was to maximize the power band from 1500 to 6000 RPM.
3. haven't researched 'em much, but both of those are on my list.
4. Any particular reason?
5. Agreed, I since yanked them from my list. I'm going with Steel Ultra Pro Magnum 1632 SBF ones. I read too many horror stories about aluminum stress points, although the odds are good I would have been fine either way. Steels only a bit more money, and felt like a safe bet.
6. Good to know. The 24# injectors are too small for the duty cycle that I *think* I'll be act, and 30# is a tad bit large. Might need to back the FP off, but I'll likely take it to my local shop for the dyno tuning runs when I'm done.
7. Of course. It wasn't called out on the list, but I'm going to wait until the heads are on, buy the tool to measure, and then buy the hardened push rods.
8. I will at some point, as I explained to Ed I'm doing the oil pump later. I found this great install guide online:

http://302budgetbuild.com/install-oil-pump-screen-small-block-302-v8/

But I'd like to drive it a bit after I get the top stuff done, save up more money, and then tackle the bottom.

One note: The upper stuff *is* intended to be replaced when I someday grow bored and add a blower. But I also am not interested in testing the limits of the stock block, and my thought was that 8# of boost would more than compensate for the air flow restrictions, and that those restrictions would be beneficial (kinda like the nascar restrictor plates) to keep me from getting overly eager and cracking the mains or block. That and my near stock T-5 would go out long before then as well. And if I change my mind, moving to an RPM upper and 75mm TB would likely be what I'd do.


Thanks for the feedback! much appreciated.