Panningbros
Member
What does it take to convert a hyd lifter engine to solid lifters? Lifters & pushrods? Do I need to change rocker arms as well? I am going to have the cam reground. Does the grind need to change? Thanks!
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263 hydraulic to solid lifter conversion.
- Thread starter Panningbros
- Start date
firstofeight
Experienced Member
When I had the cam for my 263 ground, I was asked which lifters I would be using. Later, while having problems with lifters [turned out to be too strong of valve springs] I was told by the grinder, that solids could be used with a hydraulic cam if the clearances were set very close. You will need longer pushrods, I believe. Rocker arms will be fine.
Warming it up a little?
Ben
Warming it up a little?
Ben
mgaugustine
Member
Okay, the original poster asks an interesting question. I have considered going the other way, converting an older straight eight (a 320) over to hydraulic. Most engines that I am familiar with (mostly V8s), the hydraulic lifter acts as a pump to push oil from an oil gallery to the associated rocker. My older straight eights (solid lifters)... Flow the oil from the head down through the pushrod and into the solid lifter and lubricate the lifter that way. That is to say, the oil flow runs exactly backwards of the other engines that I am familiar with.
It doesn't seem like such an arrangement (filling the lifter from the topside) would properly fill a hydraulic lifter very well. So... does a solid lifter straight eight oiling pattern flow backwards of a hydraulic lifter straight eight? I don't know the answer.
Maybe somebody else out there knows? There must be a lot of people more familiar with this than I.
I most certainly hope that I am not hijacking the thread.
It doesn't seem like such an arrangement (filling the lifter from the topside) would properly fill a hydraulic lifter very well. So... does a solid lifter straight eight oiling pattern flow backwards of a hydraulic lifter straight eight? I don't know the answer.
Maybe somebody else out there knows? There must be a lot of people more familiar with this than I.
I most certainly hope that I am not hijacking the thread.
Here is a Dealer Service Bulletin from 1948 when the hydraulic lifters were first introduced. It lists all the parts that changed in going to hydraulic lifters. Good explanation of the system operation too.
Oil for the mechanical lifter flowed out of the rocker arm and down the outside of the pushrod. The oil for the hydraulic lifter flowed out of a different type rocker arm and down the inside of the pushrod.
Oil for the mechanical lifter flowed out of the rocker arm and down the outside of the pushrod. The oil for the hydraulic lifter flowed out of a different type rocker arm and down the inside of the pushrod.
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mgaugustine
Member
Well, that pretty well covers that. Thanks for your input!