Let's have a discussion about... Lifters.

[The_Bishop]

One of the things I'd really like to get done this winter is the heads/cam swap on my '98.

I have a set of 243 heads all set and ready to go, along with an EPS camshaft (222/226 .597/.598 113 LS). Also have an oil pump, timing chain, cam retaining plate, etc. All I really need are gaskets, pushrods (I know I need to measure) and lifters.

Did some reading around on LS1 Tech, which may have been a mistake. I read tons of conflicting reports on what lifters were good, which ones were crap, which ones were noisy.

It's apparent that the signal to noise ratio on LS1T is badly weighted in the 'noise' direction.

So now I ask:

What lifters? I'd really like to avoid a sewing machine under my hood. I'm aware of preload having a direct effect but it seems that some lifters are more prone to noise than others.

Enlighten me.

[LTb1ow]

How much do you want to spend.

[The_Bishop]

$2.

In all actuality I'd like to avoid spending $500 on lifters. I'm getting so burned out on the lifter thing that I'm kicking around the idea of selling off the EPS cam, swapping valve springs and putting a hot cam in there so I can run the ls7 lifters and be done with it.

[LTb1ow]

Tis a bitch ain't it?

I did knee jerk and bought pricey ones cause **** doing that game again.

I believe BTR has some non link bars that ranks above LS7 grade but below the 600-700 price range.

[Dudbird113]

Im looking at lunati sig series link bars

[The_Bishop]

I'm bouncing between the Morel 5313 drop ins, or the Morel 5290 link bar lifters. About $100 difference in price.

[Dudbird113]

From what ive read morel makes lunati, and sometimes the lunati is cheaper than the morel

[WSex]

My comp cam lifters make no noise

[sweetbmxrider]

Since you'd have to yank the heads to change them, I'd lean more towards spending money/saving future time approach.

[The_Bishop]

Yeah, I hear that. Hence my indecision. OTOH, I spoke to the cam manufacturer. His exact words:

GM LS7 lifters will work fine. No need to do anything too trick on lifter selection for that application.

That makes me lean towards the 5315 drop in lifters with new trays. Or are the link bar lifters really that much more secure? According to the dyno of nearly the same combo (Same cam, heads, intake, etc. Cam is on a 115 instead of a 113), peak power is around 6100. Shift points won't be higher than 6200-6300.

Springs are likewise not too crazy, 155 on the seat (1.780 install) and 380 at 1.180.

More fun overthinking:
Anyone have any experience in fitting 3/8 pushrods in an ls1/ls6 with 243 heads?

[sweetbmxrider]

I don't think you need link bars, I would recommend a quality lifter over the ls7. The quality control isn't there in my opinion.

[LTb1ow]

Originally Posted by The_Bishop

Yeah, I hear that. Hence my indecision. OTOH, I spoke to the cam manufacturer. His exact words:
That makes me lean towards the 5315 drop in lifters with new trays. Or are the link bar lifters really that much more secure? According to the dyno of nearly the same combo (Same cam, heads, intake, etc. Cam is on a 115 instead of a 113), peak power is around 6100. Shift points won't be higher than 6200-6300.
Springs are likewise not too crazy, 155 on the seat (1.780 install) and 380 at 1.180.
More fun overthinking:
Anyone have any experience in fitting 3/8 pushrods in an ls1/ls6 with 243 heads?

What do you want 3/8 for, you have less than 400lb open, stop worrying

I would spend the money for something a step or two above mass produced, quality lacking LS7 stuff. Link bars are prob over needed, but, I have roughly same shift point, albeit more spring, and link bars

Lunati are rebadged morel, have you looked into Crower?

[The_Bishop]

Originally Posted by The_Bishop

That makes me lean towards the 5315 drop in lifters with new trays.

I wasn't going to go ls7, was looking at the 5315 morels.

3/8 is a lot stiffer than the 5/16, looking for valvetrain stability. If I can get 3/8 to fit, it adds a lot of stiffness and stability with no added expense.

[Grifter]

For what it's worth my car has had stock lifters with H/C since 2003. Never had a problem and I race my car, rev it to 6.5K. I am in the process of building a forged 347 and I was talking to a friend who builds LS' for a living and he said LS7's are fine. I bought a complete set from Colorado Speed for $95. Noise has never been a complaint for me but honestly it's a H/C car with solid motor mounts, full exhaust and spherical bushings haha. I personally don't notice it being loud.

LS1Tech is a good site to search but I can't stand half the people on it. People give their opinions on parts they have never even owned! If you do a search on a topic you'll notice that many times throughout the years the opinion on that particular product changes. It's so ridiculous. I was actually reading a big lifter thread over there and everyone started bashing LS7's from the start. I believe Texas Speed, who's probably built more engines than all of us combined, said they use them in almost all their builds.

Although my LS7 lifters have never actually been in an engine that I have, I do have the stock ones which are pretty much the same thing and have had good luck with them. I'm sure there's better lifters out there but I went with what has worked for me before.

[The_Bishop]

Yeah, I get that. I figure if I'm spending $140 for LS7, then another $60 for the morels isn't a bad deal.

I know what you mean about LS1T, there's a lot of 'noise' over info there.