flat tappet question
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 251
Likes: 79
flat tappet question
hey fellas
Heads are coming apart and I've taken the flat tappets out and cleaned them in my ultrasonic cleaner. They look really clean and nice. I know the cam side of these tappets have a slightly convex surface which is barely obvious if you hold 2 tappets together at their bottom edge. On my tappets they sit entirely flat against one another. Of course this is due to wear on the cam. The cam looks very good, smooth no marks. Granted I need to measure the lobes, which I will. My question is, how imperative is it to replace these tappets? We're doing this rebuild on a budget and hope to be able to reuse these tappets and cam.
Please give me your thoughts - thanks!
Heads are coming apart and I've taken the flat tappets out and cleaned them in my ultrasonic cleaner. They look really clean and nice. I know the cam side of these tappets have a slightly convex surface which is barely obvious if you hold 2 tappets together at their bottom edge. On my tappets they sit entirely flat against one another. Of course this is due to wear on the cam. The cam looks very good, smooth no marks. Granted I need to measure the lobes, which I will. My question is, how imperative is it to replace these tappets? We're doing this rebuild on a budget and hope to be able to reuse these tappets and cam.
Please give me your thoughts - thanks!
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,826
Likes: 2,339
As long as the lifters look good and you put them back in the hole they came out of, and the cam is good I'd rather have them than new junk lifters.
If you get a new cam you have to get new lifters. you could put new lifters on your old cam.
In a perfect world a roller cam would be the answer, but that's not cheap.
If you get a new cam you have to get new lifters. you could put new lifters on your old cam.
In a perfect world a roller cam would be the answer, but that's not cheap.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,620
Likes: 340
From: Albuquerque
If you've mixed up the lifters and can't put them back in the same hole I would not use them again. New lifters can also be problematic, if you go that route get the best you can find and do serious breakin.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 251
Likes: 79
yes sadly the marks that we put on the lifters are no longer reliable now that they've been cleaned (shoot!) so I think lifters and pushrods are in our future.
Are there any reliable lifter sources? I've seen lots of junk out there... don't wanna spend hard earned $$ on crap
Are there any reliable lifter sources? I've seen lots of junk out there... don't wanna spend hard earned $$ on crap
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,826
Likes: 2,339
This has been covered more than once and the information is conflicting. what is not debatable is the fact flat tappet cam failures are far more common than they used to be. when Johnson closed down a while back that makes every flat tappet lifter I can find imported from Asia. meaning junk. if you can find some older NOS ones on ebay or something that's what I'd do.
The fact is flat tappets are obsolete now even for classic vehicles, so nobody is going to tool up to make quality lifters. if you're sticking with flat tappets and can't find older ones I'd buy from Howard's Cams, they have always sold the best available.
The fact is flat tappets are obsolete now even for classic vehicles, so nobody is going to tool up to make quality lifters. if you're sticking with flat tappets and can't find older ones I'd buy from Howard's Cams, they have always sold the best available.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 688
Likes: 210
I just broke in my flat tappets and seems to be doing fine.
Make sure you follow proper break in protocol, using good quality break in oil w/ ZDDP. If you're running a stiffer spring, consider removing the inner spring during break in.
Make sure you follow proper break in protocol, using good quality break in oil w/ ZDDP. If you're running a stiffer spring, consider removing the inner spring during break in.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2,635
Likes: 764
I have Hylift Johnson USA made flat tappet hydraulic lifters in stock. They are available and I just bought a couple of trays of them, Ford, Chevrolet and I have Mopar ones on order. Time will tell if they are truly superior to imported ones.
Last edited by DaveMcLain; Jan 7, 2026 at 02:15 PM.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
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Johnson certainly was the best, and may still be. but from what you can read when Topline bought them a couple years ago they didn't continue to make the bodies here they are importing them from Asia, likely the same source the garbage lifters. but they are assembled here so they can say made in USA. if someone can find something that proves otherwise that would be useful.
My experience with Chinese junk hasn't been very good , so ask yourself, do you feel lucky?
My experience with Chinese junk hasn't been very good , so ask yourself, do you feel lucky?
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Joined: Jan 2025
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From: White Bear Lake
Johnson lifters and good oil such as Driven Break In (for break in,duh) and Driven Hot Rod for normal use should keep you in good shape. I just built a new engine for my '68 Riviera and that's what I used, zero issues in 4500 miles.
-Steve
-Steve
Last edited by AppleFordParts; Jan 7, 2026 at 03:36 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 251
Likes: 79
Yea so I've spoken to the machine shop that's gonna deck the heads/intake and block. They can supply me with new hydraulic lifters and rods. I've said I don't want to buy junk and they've said they understand and have quality parts. Now, this could be a complete sales pitch but they seem pretty stand up so I hope they're legit. As they'll be doing work on this motor I kinda feel that they've got some skin in the game (and aren't just some reseller of parts). It totally burns me that the lifters I have which I no longer know which belongs in which hole can't be used. I know all about cam breaking in and so forth...just burns me that our cleaner did such good job it work the marks off. My bad... should have tested to make sure an indelible marker wouldn't wear off ...
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2,635
Likes: 764
Johnson certainly was the best, and may still be. but from what you can read when Topline bought them a couple years ago they didn't continue to make the bodies here they are importing them from Asia, likely the same source the garbage lifters. but they are assembled here so they can say made in USA. if someone can find something that proves otherwise that would be useful.
My experience with Chinese junk hasn't been very good , so ask yourself, do you feel lucky?
My experience with Chinese junk hasn't been very good , so ask yourself, do you feel lucky?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,502
Likes: 339
From: Wildwood Pa
There are companies out there that will take your old lifters & regrind the cam end to new specifications. Can't recall who they are though.... someone in the northwest. Break 'em in like a new set of lifters.
Edit: a quick search turned up Oregon Cam Grinding for lifter regrinding.
Delta Cam out of Washington state does this as well, check this video:
Used to be some valve grinding machines had a setup that would do this, "reface" the cam end of lifters.
Edit: a quick search turned up Oregon Cam Grinding for lifter regrinding.
Delta Cam out of Washington state does this as well, check this video:
Used to be some valve grinding machines had a setup that would do this, "reface" the cam end of lifters.
Last edited by scottscott; Jan 7, 2026 at 04:26 PM.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 251
Likes: 79
resurfacing is a great idea...I had wondered about that...I'm gonna ask the machine shop to see. As these lifters appear to be OEM (this truck was in a heated space from 2001 until I bought it 18 months ago) it's in really good shape. I'd rather spend some $$ on resurfacing then roll the dice on aftermarket, assuming the resurfacing works and I can find pushrods that'll account for the machining