Lifter Choice

[97Burban57]

Any recommendations for what lifters too use in my 97 5.7 vortec? Most of my stock lifters at 221k miles had to be pulled out with vice grips , apparently they had some crud built up on them???
Gonna be using stock cam and valvetrain.

 

[1997]

i'd go AC delco.

 

[User_name]

Melling jb2079 or delco hl123 should suit you fine

 

[97Burban57]

You guys ever here of the Elgin ones on ebay that are like $114 and supposed made in USA?

 

[Supercharged111]

Pretty sure the Delco lifters are right around $120, or at least they were.

 

[97Burban57]

I will check out the delco lifters and see.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Stock Vortec roller lifters salvaged and cleaned from Pull-A-Part.

 

[Hoplite]

This may be a stupid add to this thread, but aren't all new GM lifters the newer LS ones? I could be wrong on that, just going off of hear say. Wouldn't those be the best choice?

 

[Supercharged111]

This may be a stupid add to this thread, but aren't all new GM lifters the newer LS ones? I could be wrong on that, just going off of hear say. Wouldn't those be the best choice?

They are the service replacement for our Vortec motors, yes.

 

[Schurkey]

Most of my stock lifters at 221k miles had to be pulled out with vice grips , apparently they had some crud built up on them???

Lifters often have varnish built-up where they don't rub against the lifter bores. Pushing them down farther, or pulling them up higher than their normal travel can be difficult.

I cut the varnish with aerosol carb cleaner. Work 'em up and down while keeping them wet with the solvent works wonders.

Flat-tappet lifters can get the bottoms pounded-out by worn cam lobes. The metal gets peened-over at the bottom edge. THOSE lifters will score the lifter bore on the way out, making for excess oil leakage, low oil pressure, high windage--all sorts of evil. The lifter(s) need to go up just high enough to get the cam out, but no higher. Then push 'em down to remove so the lifter bores have minimal damage.

Either way, "forcing" lifters out of the bores is bad juju.