Hey folks! First time on ls1tech and I just picked up an LT1 for $700 from a salvaged z28(160k miles). Me and a buddy are going to do a top end rebuild(solid roller) with some AFR's for now. Going to refresh the bottom end with clivite 77's, stock rods, stock crank, and some SRP's. Want to run 11:1-11.8:1 on pump gas. It's going to be my daily driver once it's done and will be through a M6 tranny. Was wondering what lifters should I run? Money isn't an issue. My top 3 choices im juggling are morels, crowers HIPPOS, comps elite race. any personal experiences please post. Thanks

 

If going through the trouble of running a solid roller setup, why are you going to run such low compression?

 

Because it will be a daily driver pump gas. But i know on these LT1's 12:1-12.6:1 on pump gas isn't that hard. Just about the tuning. What trouble are you having?

 

If the car is going to be in the heat in stop/go traffic I wouldn't do anything over 12.1 since a knock sensor cannot be used with a solid roller cam.
I have never heard any complaints on the Crowers. Any lifter that is a HIPPO is the best to run. I run Iskys, but they are huge and probably pretty heavy. The one advantage is they are very tall so I can run a very short 5/16" pushrod.
What cam are you thinking of if you feel like sharing? I take it you are going to use the stock PCM?

 

MOREL end of story

 

Isky Red Zone is a very good lifter. Jessel make a very good one, but pricey. David Reher ( Reher & MorrisonRace Engines) put me onto them a few years ago. He said Isky Red Zone and Jessel are the two most reliable they had found. They build way more engines than all of us put together. David said price is the biggest difference. Jessel is lighter, but most engine builders will tell you that is the wrong side of the rocker to worry about weight, within reason. Other side of the rocker, weight is a big deal. I have never had an Isky fail

 

Aren't the Isky's one of the few that supply oil to both the lobe and roller?

 

Yes sir.

 

Isky's look like a good choice. Crower, morel, isky are all good. I'll be running a mild 23X/24X with a 59X or 6Xx lift. T&d 1.7 shafts, manly springs, crower pushrods. Yes I'll be using the stock PCM and a msd opti. For now won't get to crazy with until I decided when the H/C/I gets boring I'll be doing a 396 and raise the compression.

 

I dunno. Is it worth it to go SR with the stock pcm?

 

Why not?

 

Aren't the benefits and advantages of a SR above 7000?

 

Not necessarily. I probably wouldn't use them for a daily driver with a factory PCM.

 

^^LT1 Guru. One of the reason why I went SR.

 

Depends on the cam profile. Because of the aggressive ramps on a solid roller valves open far more quickly. The cam he is running is pretty mild. Mine is just a touch bigger on a 112lsa and peaks at 6800rpm with shift points around 7K, but the car, even when it had 3.73's had instant torque at low RPM. Stop and go traffic was nothing then, and definitely not now with 4.56's.
Here's a vid going 45mph in 5th gear with 3.73's.

 

What lobes?

For that mild cam Comp Endurex will be plenty...I don't see a reason to spend crazy $$$ on Morels with a 23x cam that will never see past 7k. Lots of success with them on much more aggressive motors that see street duty on more aggressive tech forums like YB and speedtalk.

They are HIPPO lifters that can be run on the street.

 

Ill be running a 112 lsa. 6700 will be as high as ill be spinning the little H/C/I. Ill be using these same lifters on the 2nd phase of my build(396). Ill be using a far more aggressive cam on the second phase. More like a 26X/27X with a .670+ lift most likely bigger. Ill be making sure the 396 will spin well past 7K. With the 396 ill be aiming for 650-680 n/a crank on E85. 7500rpm at max. That is when ill be throwing out the stock computer and go F.A.S.T. A short list preview of the 2nd phase will be played caps, AFR LT4's, Callies mag XL crank, Oliver lightweight series rods, and want to try out diamond's double coated pistons and throw some spray in the mix (200+ shot). Might go forced induction in a few years but going to worry about that another time. An 87 Iroc that had the poor little L98 and selling it. PM for interests.

 

Don't be scared. I spin my stock block to 7000+rpm....Ya, that's CRAZY!

 

Nothing crazy about that. My back up engine is a stock, not filled, 2 bolt LT1 block that gets shifted at 7900 & runs 8300/8500 in the lights. Not as fast as my good stuff, but still ran 10.30s.
Actually, duration and lobe centers have nothing to do with how good your lifters need to be. It's more lobe profiles which dictate spring pressure. But, why not buy the tough lifters and not worry about it?

I'm sure somebody uses Morel lifters (they have to sell lifters to stay in business, right?), but nobody I know of. They are probably great. I know what three of the top NHRA Competition Eliminator (10,000 + RPM SBCs) and Super Stock engine builders use: Jessel & Isky. Comp engines mostly Jessel. One uses what used to be Crane.

At least two (I know for sure) of the fastest NHRA Pro Stock guys use Jessel.

 

I ran Comp Endurex solid rollers for 10,000 miles of in traffic cruise driving and track passes. I sent them in for a rebuild and Comp said they looked great.

The key to making a solid roller live is idle in traffic oil pressure, valvetrain setup properly with the correct springs and a good oil . I ran Shell Rotella in the car.

With the advent of recent lobe technology I really see no reason to run a solid roller on the street unless its a over the top max effort engine looking for that last 20-30 hp.