LS lifters recomendation
LS lifters recomendation I usually try to run Morel 5315s in my motors but I haven't had to buy since before Covid. Looks like it’s a crap shoot or $500+ for lifters. I heard that Morel 7717s are not made by Morel and (eaton now) and have a smaller .700 wheel which is the easy way to tell. I picked up a 6.0, Summit stage 2 cam, Summit LS6 valve springs street motor only spinning to 6-6500. I was looking at Delphi, Summit HT217-16 which have the same .700 wheel aka rebranded Morels. Without spending a fortune on Johnsons or the GM Caddy lifters what say you? I would like this to work with stock length 7.4 pushrods too...
Last edited by customblackbird; May 28, 2026 at 06:44 AM.
I build a fair amount of engines. My go-to LS lifter for a drop-in is the BTR Delphi lifter that’s like $210ish. I use those and genuine GM trays and have had zero issues ever. It’s a quality piece. Speaking from lots of experience. If I’m doing a LS performance build, I’ll go with the Johnson 2116 or the 2126 link bar lifters, depending on usage and camshaft choice.
I build a fair amount of engines. My go-to LS lifter for a drop-in is the BTR Delphi lifter that’s like $210ish. I use those and genuine GM trays and have had zero issues ever. It’s a quality piece. Speaking from lots of experience. If I’m doing a LS performance build, I’ll go with the Johnson 2116 or the 2126 link bar lifters, depending on usage and camshaft choice.
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Brian did sell a few months ago. Several businesses sell a lifter with a gold colored retainer clip, and refer to it as a Delphi style lifter. I go with what I know works because my reputation is all I have. The BTR Delphi sets have proven themselves in my mild builds. It might very well be the same lifter that CM sells for $60 less…idk. I can’t afford to find out the hard way.
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Verdad Gallardo Brian did sell a few months ago. Several businesses sell a lifter with a gold colored retainer clip, and refer to it as a Delphi style lifter. I go with what I know works because my reputation is all I have. The BTR Delphi sets have proven themselves in my mild builds. It might very well be the same lifter that CM sells for $60 less…idk. I can’t afford to find out the hard way.
The guy beats the snot out of that particular motor on a daily basis.
I’ve talked about it on Tech a few times in the past, and it’s worth mentioning here…washing new lifters in a clean tank is a must to get the cosmoline type crap out of them that they are assembled with. Lifter manufacturers do this because they might be shipping 10k units to Saudi Arabia and they might spend a month at sea in a container that’s in 100% humidity with extreme heat. It’s a perfect playground for condensation and henceforth rust. The coating fights the rust. You HAVE to get it both off the body and out of the internals. Wash the lifters. Then wash the lifters. Soaking them in oil is a great idea because it oils the roller bearings that are about to see rpm very quickly…you don’t want them dry at start up. I have a dedicated parts washer with mineral spirits that only sees new parts, just for this purpose. You guys wouldn’t believe how often I have to drain the parts washer to clean the dirt off the bottom….from BRAND NEW PARTS. Wash your parts folks if you want them to last. Even when new, parts are dirty.
I’ve talked about it on Tech a few times in the past, and it’s worth mentioning here…washing new lifters in a clean tank is a must to get the cosmoline type crap out of them that they are assembled with. Lifter manufacturers do this because they might be shipping 10k units to Saudi Arabia and they might spend a month at sea in a container that’s in 100% humidity with extreme heat. It’s a perfect playground for condensation and henceforth rust. The coating fights the rust. You HAVE to get it both off the body and out of the internals. Wash the lifters. Then wash the lifters. Soaking them in oil is a great idea because it oils the roller bearings that are about to see rpm very quickly…you don’t want them dry at start up. I have a dedicated parts washer with mineral spirits that only sees new parts, just for this purpose. You guys wouldn’t believe how often I have to drain the parts washer to clean the dirt off the bottom….from BRAND NEW PARTS. Wash your parts folks if you want them to last. Even when new, parts are dirty.
Brian did sell a few months ago. Several businesses sell a lifter with a gold colored retainer clip, and refer to it as a Delphi style lifter. I go with what I know works because my reputation is all I have. The BTR Delphi sets have proven themselves in my mild builds. It might very well be the same lifter that CM sells for $60 less…idk. I can’t afford to find out the hard way.
I’ve talked about it on Tech a few times in the past, and it’s worth mentioning here…washing new lifters in a clean tank is a must to get the cosmoline type crap out of them that they are assembled with. Lifter manufacturers do this because they might be shipping 10k units to Saudi Arabia and they might spend a month at sea in a container that’s in 100% humidity with extreme heat. It’s a perfect playground for condensation and henceforth rust. The coating fights the rust. You HAVE to get it both off the body and out of the internals. Wash the lifters. Then wash the lifters. Soaking them in oil is a great idea because it oils the roller bearings that are about to see rpm very quickly…you don’t want them dry at start up. I have a dedicated parts washer with mineral spirits that only sees new parts, just for this purpose. You guys wouldn’t believe how often I have to drain the parts washer to clean the dirt off the bottom….from BRAND NEW PARTS. Wash your parts folks if you want them to last. Even when new, parts are dirty.
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Thats a good Idea, what If I don't have a parts washer? Can I just stick them in a container with mineral spirits and soak them? I would like to also do this so the stock rockers... is mineral spirits better for the rockers or should I use like a purple power/LA awsome?
Mineral spirits/ paint thinner will be fine. Yes, you can do it in a small tub.
For what it's worth, I've never washed new lifters before installation; I would just give them a wipe down with a clean cloth, and add the appropriate assembly lube. I've had good luck with lifters over the years, even when it seems like everyone is having problems.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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I've had older link bar BBC lifters that sat on the shelf so long that the cosmolene hardened to the point where the wheels would barely turn and the plunger wouldn't move. Soaked in mineral spirits for several days with little change so I used mineral spirits in an ultrasonic cleaner, worked like a champ. I soaked the wheels in a good break-in oil per instructions from the manufacturer when I called to ask.
Thats a good Idea, what If I don't have a parts washer? Can I just stick them in a container with mineral spirits and soak them? I would like to also do this so the stock rockers... is mineral spirits better for the rockers or should I use like a purple power/LA awsome?
Use a Petroleum solvent based product to clean them. You can soak them but it's not as effective as having some type of pressurized liquid flowing over and or through them to flush out the crap.