COMP Cams New Evolution Lifters

[@JohnDoe-pv2iu]

You know what I got thinking about last night was so incredible and I didn't even realize it at the time! Back in about 1981, I was a 13 year old who worked as a mechanic's helper in the summer and after school. The shop was small (3 of us usually, including me) and I earned a little under a dollar an hour. I bought my first car for a little under 4 weeks pay. I paid 150. Dollars for a 13 year old 'Honey' of a car (well, it was to me!). It was a 1968 Ford Fairlane and the shop owner was helping me get a 428 performance motor built for it. It was a running and drivable car but I didn't have a license yet, so I had time to build that motor. It had a 390 FE but everyone thought of that motor as non-performance or even as Junk! Well, Mr Daniel's let me get some of the stock parts on his NAPA account but No hi-po parts. I mainly wanted a cam, intake, Holley 4 barrel and headers. The cam and lifters had to be purchased first because the other things could be added later. Well, back then a performance camshaft was mostly a solid lifter deal unless you had one of the most popular engines (SBC, BBC and SBF). We found a nice cam profile for a FE Ford in the Comp cams catalog and it was a Solid lifter cam. I called Comp Cams and was talking to the guy about the cam and he said we had picked a good one for my combo. The next thing was the crazy part. I told him that I had saved about 110. dollars and didn't have enough for all of their parts (cam, lifters, lube and timing set. That was about 140 bucks! The man on the phone told me to save some more but I explained that the man who owned the shop said my motor was coming off the stand SOON! That man on the phone sold me the cam, two 'envelopes' of cam lube and a single row timing set for around 85 dollars. The cam alone listed for around 65 dollars. He said he was including the lube as samples (instead of buying a 'tub') and the timing set was strong 'enough'. I asked him about the lifters and he asked me if I had a pencil. I did and he gave me a part number and told me to get the NAPA store to order those. It was a Dorman part for Ford factory replacement solid lifters for a 427. He told me they would work alright and should cost around 20-25 bucks. They were perfect and we had found the adjustable factory rocker setup off a 428 Cobra Jet. They were rail mounted cast rockers that had an adjuster with a 'ball' end and one end of the pushrods was cupped for it. The machine shop shimmed up some valvesprings from God knows where when they did the valve job on the heads. They cut the heads about 70 thousandths to boost the compression, as well. As a kid, I didn't quite understand what it all really meant that these people were not trying to make the most money, as much as they were all helping a kid build his first motor. They were smarter than I thought. That man from Comp Cams bought a customer for life by telling me where to get lifters I could afford! I have put ONLY Comp Cams camshafts in every motor I have built since then (my motors are probably around 3 dozen)! A company would never consider doing something like that and wonder why they don't have 'Brand Loyal' customers.(?)! That car ran sweet with it's used iron intake and rebuilt used Holley and the exhaust note was perfect from a solid lifter cam motor through a set of 49.95 headers and a pair of Cherry Bomb glass packs! The factory rocker setup wasn't great. I had to adjust the lash every few weeks but that was alright. That was a great time in history and kids now hear about my pay and think it was bad. I want to see a kid buy a 2011 automobile for 4 weeks pay, nowadays! Ya'll Take Care, John

[@davidkeeton6716]

It would be nice if Comp Cams would actually make some flat tappet lifters that would last more than an hour of run time. That's right, I followed their instructions to the letter, by the numbers, used their cam lube, and I had a lifter wear about 9/16" off of it in an hour of total run time. 25 minutes of break in at 2000-2500 rpm. Shut it off, changed the break in oil and filter the next morning. Put in Valvoline VR oil designed for flat tappet lifters as it is high ZDDP zinc and a new filter, filled before threaded on. Cranked it up, started adjusting timing and mixture and valve noise started getting louder. Shut it off, pulled a valve cover and one lifter was killed, worn down that much. All the other lifters have zero convex to them and a sharp edge on the contact surface, on their way to failure. I had to take it down to a bare block. $$$ and a lot of labor. Never Comp Cams again.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

What engine/cam/springs? What was your seat pressure open and on the seat?

[@davidkeeton6716]

@@MuscleCarSolutions Ford FE, Comp Cams that came in the Edelbrock Performer RPM box along with the lifters that were in a plain black box with a label on it with a part #. Nowhere did the lifter box say Comp. All this was in the large Edelbrock box. The valve spring closed pressure is 145, open is 350.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

@@davidkeeton6716 congratulations. You’ve just figured out why that cam wiped. Waaaaaaay too much spring pressure. Like 90-120 on the seat and 200 open is the MAX you want to run. For initial break in and for a few hundred miles. Then you can go to the matching spring set and a good zinc oil. And on a big heavy valvetrain a slower break in RPM would help too. 1800-1900 would be the max I’d go. The cam and lifters didn’t fail you. Too much spring pressure did.

[@JARRETT7121]

This is a common problem you thought you bought Comp Cam lifters but they were knock-offs from a country in the Orient it happens A lot's been going on for over 10 years

[@Marksracingengines]

I hate to even reply but...like Muscle Car Solutions said, That's to much spring pressure. I build engines with flat tappet cams with ridiculous lift and valve events because of class rules that require flat tappet cams on a monthly basis. some of these cams require spring pressures close to roller specs BUT I break them in with lighter springs and "Driven BR" break in oil (I'm not a big advocate of VR1 anymore). You know why everyone bashes Comp Cams flat tappet cams? Because Comp sells more cams than anyone else...of course they have more failures, because they sell more cams. personally I throw rocks at Howards cams...but that's my issue with them. look, every cam company has some sort of flat tappet issue, but I'll have to admit Comp has been leading the way in a solution's for flat tappet issues and are the easiest to deal with on warranty claims. Also flat tappet cam cores aren't what they use to be and that's a whole different story...but they are all made in the good ol'e USA along with most of the lifters that are failing. It's not comp...comp has solutions...like nitriding...and the DLC lifters...NOT Chinese parts! OK Bash Flat tappet cams but please don't bash Comp cam's. they are a good company as are most cam company's in this country...OK End Rant.....

[@tedschanhals8117]

My engine builder just put them in my 496 big block it's a 10 and 1/2 to 1 compression motor I have a comp 244/244@50 612 lift Magnum . We're running a dart oval port intake HP 950 Holly.... And massaged GM 049 large Oval Port heads..... Can't wait till we Dyno..... Through my research I'm hoping to see 660 we'll see can't wait 👍

[@rollydoucet8909]

New Comp hydraulic roller lifter setup in a Pontiac 400 cu in engine. A wheel on one of the lifters broke in two pieces, and the cam was ruined. That was last May. New parts are still unavailable from Comp.

[@jimmy_olds]

Do you still have to run a bronze or melonized distributor gear with that cast roller?

[@michaelbarbarigos9334]

No

[@ChrisMcCutcheon-wj2pp]

Just keep in mind everyone, alot of heat treating process is not legal in the US. Comp has never had a good record on warranties. I have used quite a few comp cams, I prefer Herbert, crane, or even howards, Elgin

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

All cams are heat treated in the US after the cores are made. The ones comp makes in house are heat treated somewhere in Arkansas. You might be thinking of another process but heat treating on cam cores, shafts is legal in most places.

[@alanmeyers3957]

Where do you guys get your info, completely wrong.

[@ChrisMcCutcheon-wj2pp]

@alanmeyers3957 I have been building engines off all types, I have watched all these processes leave this country, I don't need anyone to question my experience, I lived it

[@fantaseahorse4696]

Brother, are the tie bars removable on the Evolution lifters? Looks like a torx or torx plus fastener...

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

No. The link bars are not removable.

[@n00blike]

I may have missed it but is that same tech in the flat tappet hydraulic lifters? or just for the rollers?

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Totally different. This is a cartridge type of lifter. The new flat tappet lifters are DLC coated.

[@jesseduke694]

Sounds like a good thing? What kind of air filter is that you had on that engine? & are you happy with it? I live in a very rural area & it gets pretty dusty around here witch the K&N filter takes a oil witch will clog up fast. Yours looked like it dousnt require oil? I like it??

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

It’s not a dry element filter. It must be cleaned and reoiled. amzn.to/3vsDZj4

[@jlangenfeld5479]

Those evolution lifters look impressive. I'm building a 400 sbc for strong street use. I'm not too concerned about it, but for the race guys who do... the question becomes since they are 18% thicker and have a cartridge how much weight does it add to the lifter compared to the conventional hydraulic roller?

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

There is a slight difference in weight but its not as critical as the other components. Having the stability for higher RPM is an easy trade off.

[@rogerdodger6888]

I realize I am a little behind on watching this video, but at 3:54 doesn't that look like rust in that new lifter? I have recieved rusty cam and lifters from this company before. J ust my thoughts. Suprised no one else mentioned it. Otherwise a good video.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

I can assure you there was no rust on these lifters. But it does remind me I did a video on why you have to clean your lifters before they go into the engine. Get any of the dust or contaminants that may have been picked up in the packaging and wash them down. Best practice for any lifter install. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqqXk5mEr7CNhas

[@davidkeeton6716]

@@MuscleCarSolutions A respectable company would coat them in oil, and package them in a clean environment and in a package that protects them from moisture. So I am not talking about Comp. These are precision parts that must be made correctly in every aspect along with their cams because these people accept ZERO RESPONSIBILITY for any product failures. ZERO Always the customers fault.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

No lifters are coated in oil when they leave a manufacturer. They’re coated in an anti-corrosion coating that needs to be cleaned off. Sounds as though we may have stumbled onto your problem with your cam. You want others to take responsibility but since you’re not responding to my question in your other comment, I’m going to assume you used the wrong springs for the break in.

[@timweb1510]

Dang, I still need lifters for my gen 3 5.3. I cant afford the big names and I’m trying my best to avoid noisy lifters. Don’t even know if I should consider GM/Delphi ls7 replacements or summit brand. Been told to stay away from morel for the noise. Idk

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

They’re all a little noisy. Some worse than others. Until now. Doing a stock rebuild? Or just replacing the noisy factory stuff in a daily driver?

[@timweb1510]

@@MuscleCarSolutions no sir, I’m building a sloppy stage 2 turbo setup on an engine stand. I have the engine opened up to the heads and want to choose some lifters this week to buy to get the project back on track. I read many bad reviews and it worries me about many brands. I don’t need lifters for performance, I’d like them to be quiet.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

I guess whatever you can find if you’re going that route.

[@vrm86gt]

any update on these? how are they working out?

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Flawless. Quiet and easy to set lash. Several friends had them in drag week cars. Worked perfectly.

[@joeyvillarreal7281]

Came in late on my lunch these can go into stock gen 1 400sbc ?

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Yes. These are the ones I bought. Retrofit for the Gen 1 small block. The link is in the description.

[@VinoRatRodbuilds]

Great show this week. Thanks for the good info 😉

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Thank you sir! Appreciate that!

[@HWPcville]

I need 8 tappets for a 30 yo diesel engine (Westerbeke) but none can be found. Are there businesses that could/would make them for a relatively reasonable cost?

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Is it a hydraulic lifter? My guess would be no. It’s not just a matter of making it. There’s a lot of work that goes into it. If they haven’t made one before, you could probably buy a brand new diesel truck cheaper.

[@HWPcville]

@@MuscleCarSolutions I was afraid that was what the answer might be. Thanks for the quick reply.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

@@HWPcville keep searching the internet. You might get lucky and find something.

[@DesertRatFabrication]

Good video, looking forward to see them go in the engine, do you have the Chevelle or El Camino anymore, got your stickers yesterday, i will send you a couple of mine thanks, do you prefer Bone or Brian, lol, later buddy

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Chevelle I still have, the El Camino moved on down the road to its next owner! Call me anything! Just don’t call me late to the staging lanes! 😆

[@DesertRatFabrication]

@@MuscleCarSolutions right on man😀😀

[@hybridmusclegarage4590]

sweet!! Looking good! Great info as always.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Thanks man!

[@geoffreymills9932]

Are these made of the Chinesium crap the rest of your stuff is made of

[@SOLDOZER]

Would not touch any cam or lifter by Comp these days the way they are sending out junk.

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

You’ll have fun with my new video on Sunday then!

[@CCAutoWorks]

Nice stuff looks good

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

Thanks boss! Eager to get this new little small block rebuilt.

[@VernDecoste]

These things are junk trying to run them in a 347 SBF with a Lunati Bootlegger have had nothing but problems....had a couple lifers that were so noisy right from new had to replace them now after I make a high rpm run they bleed off and are incredibly noisy until I drive a few miles to pump them back up.... These lifters are lucky if they have 100 miles on them..... Tried to talk to their tech about them absolutely no help what so ever....

[@MuscleCarSolutions]

@@VernDecoste how are you setting lash?