solid lifter conversion?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
Likes: 8
From: Missouri
I have some vague instructions in the FE FAQ. I want to do this modification myself before I start getting involved with telling people exactly how it is done. Some just use shell type lifters. These have a smooth body all the wy down and will restrict some oil. Some also use the comp solid lifters and they have a slight recess in the body. The shell types are getting hard to find and cost a good bit. Many people are doing it and having good success but many experts say this is a bad thing to do. Makes you wonder. Here is the Q&A from the FAQ.
Q: How can I convert my FE block to run a solid cam?
A: The best way to do this is blocking off the oil to the lifters with a threaded plug. I will post pictures of this modification when I find an old FE block to do it with. This modification should be done prior to taking the engine to the machine shop to be cleaned and machined to ensure no metal shavings are left over. You can also run a solid cam by using the shell type lifters. This will greatly reduce the amount of oil flowing through the lifter area. Some have also used solid lifters that only had a slight recess to the body and they are having good success.
Q: How can I convert my FE block to run a solid cam?
A: The best way to do this is blocking off the oil to the lifters with a threaded plug. I will post pictures of this modification when I find an old FE block to do it with. This modification should be done prior to taking the engine to the machine shop to be cleaned and machined to ensure no metal shavings are left over. You can also run a solid cam by using the shell type lifters. This will greatly reduce the amount of oil flowing through the lifter area. Some have also used solid lifters that only had a slight recess to the body and they are having good success.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Eureka, Ca.
Could you just turn the lifter bearings so that the holes don't line up with the oil gallies? Or install solid lifter bearings. they wouldn'g have holes for the oil galleys would they?
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 97
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You could also use what they call "shell" lifters, they are not dumbell shaped like the original ford lifters, and they use longer push rods... they are almost like hydraulic lifters with the guts removed and no oil hole....
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 9
From: Sun River St. George
Steve Christs book "How to rebuild big block Fords" (available here on FTE) has clear advice on how to block the lifter oil gallery. Not difficult at all, can be done with the engine in the car!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 152
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From: Maple Ridge BC Canada
I just did this on my 390, Just picked up some round stock, turned it down with the drill press and a file, until it was a light interferance fit in the hole, cut them about 2" long and tapped them onto the holes...Works great
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I was going to do that to mine, but would up going with the shell lifters.
I really wanted to do it, but could not get a clear story of what tap sizes or plugs to use. If a few folks would have said that the stock plugs were such and such thread size I would have just gone with that. But there were lots of different opinions and I didn't want to do something I'd have trouble undoing later, like having too big of a thread that dug into something else. I even ordered a kit from DSC in hopes of getting the "standard" size plugs, but he was always out of stock with those.
Some said it's a pipe size. Steve Christ's book said it was a 7/16 screw size.
That's why I went with the shell lifters.
I really wanted to do it, but could not get a clear story of what tap sizes or plugs to use. If a few folks would have said that the stock plugs were such and such thread size I would have just gone with that. But there were lots of different opinions and I didn't want to do something I'd have trouble undoing later, like having too big of a thread that dug into something else. I even ordered a kit from DSC in hopes of getting the "standard" size plugs, but he was always out of stock with those.
Some said it's a pipe size. Steve Christ's book said it was a 7/16 screw size.
That's why I went with the shell lifters.
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