I know that this has been asked before, but if your car had 35,000 relatively easy miles on it would you replace the stock lifters if you were doing a heads/cam project on it?

 

I would re-use them with that low of milage on them, roller lifters don't wear like flat lifters do . Inspect them for any abnormallitys when you take them out and if anything looks bad just buy new ones .

 

FWIW if the lifters are from the year car in sig it might be worthwhile. I am not sure of the year but the "LS1" lifter has been replaced with the LS7 lifter. So if you ordered a replacement set you would not get the same lifter but a better designed LS7 lifter. Just something to consider but if it were me no question i'd replace them along with the pushrods and valve springs.

 

Yes, the lifters in the car are from late 1998 production. So, they are ten years old now, but the car has sat in storage for over half of its life.

 

If you are already there, it's a no brainer. For $80-$90 for LS7 lifters from SDPC, absolutly change them.

 

Do alot of you guys also replace the plastic lifter trays/retainers as well?

 

I'd change them. The dealer changed the lifters in my '02 at 25,000 miles. Thats all they changed, said there was a new design. It's still noisey as hell.

 

The trays are very cheap i'd replace them as well. It has been said here the plastic can become brittle over time from heat. Part of the trays function is to keep the lifter from rotating in the lifter bore.

 

Do it right and get new lifters and lifter trays and be done with it..

 

If you're going thru the effort to swap heads, might as well get the lifters while you're in there. Cheap insurance in my book.

 

Grab a set of LS7 lifters for around $100 & be done with it. I have been daily driving mine for almost a full year in my H/C combo without a single issue.