When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Engine Mechanical TopicsDiscussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.
Personally, I will stick with lifters designed for the Harley oiling system which is based on volume, not pressure as in the SBC motor. It should also be noted that the hole in the piddle valve of the SBC lifter is .070" in diameter compared to the .100" OD of the hole in the piddle valve of the typical HD lifter which allows more oil to flow up the push rod. Just a matter of personal preference but I will spend a little more for the lifter that allows more oil up top.
Just for clarity, small block Chevy lifters are not basically the same as theres a design element to what Harley Davidson engineered and has manufactured for M8s and twinks? That would be the oil passage hole in puddle valve/doohickey?
Wood, S&S, Johnson Hy Lift do not have a history of failures.
As soon as my `19 Electra Glide Standard went out of warranty, a set of Johnson Hy Lifts went in, I bought them from WFO Larry (aka Larrys Motorcycle and Machine).
Oil up top is of course a good thing, at least in the S&S lifters I disassembled there is a significantly smaller opening inside the metering disc setup, so its not really the size of the hole visible from the outside that determines the oil flow. The SBC lifters might have an even smaller metering opening, my point is just that you can not really tell without taking the lifter apart.
Which S&S lifter did you take apart? There have been several iterations and name changes in the past few years along with a period of S&S lifter failures. Are you saying that the smaller opening in the metering disc setup allowed the same oil flow up top as say the HD B lifter?
I have taken the SBC lifter apart and compared it to the venerable HD "B" lifter. The only visible difference is the oil hole in the piddle valve. I have assumed, always dangerous, the vendors having lifters made to their specifications do not veer from the basic HD specs but have not documented proof of that. To pgreer's point, pin hole oiling has to be beneficial asa well. The latest iteration of the HD "C" lifter had a history of lubrication issues at the roller/pin in the past.
Personally, I will stick with lifters designed for the Harley oiling system which is based on volume, not pressure as in the SBC motor. It should also be noted that the hole in the piddle valve of the SBC lifter is .070" in diameter compared to the .100" OD of the hole in the piddle valve of the typical HD lifter which allows more oil to flow up the push rod. Just a matter of personal preference but I will spend a little more for the lifter that allows more oil up top.
Remember that coming up on the thread where the screenshot came from and think it was the pushrod oil port that chokes it back and was proven to have same flow rate.... but I get it...
And although different animals they have been 100% successful in the twincams for years.
Which S&S lifter did you take apart? There have been several iterations and name changes in the past few years along with a period of S&S lifter failures. Are you saying that the smaller opening in the metering disc setup allowed the same oil flow up top as say the HD B lifter?
I have taken the SBC lifter apart and compared it to the venerable HD "B" lifter. The only visible difference is the oil hole in the piddle valve. I have assumed, always dangerous, the vendors having lifters made to their specifications do not veer from the basic HD specs but have not documented proof of that. To pgreer's point, pin hole oiling has to be beneficial asa well. The latest iteration of the HD "C" lifter had a history of lubrication issues at the roller/pin in the past.
Can you find the size of the port thru the pushrod?
This and flow rates was brought up in an old thread.
Remember that coming up on the thread where the screenshot came from and think it was the pushrod oil port that chokes it back and was proven to have same flow rate.... but I get it...And although different animals they have been 100% successful in the twincams for years.
Not pissing on the SBC lifter and not saying one better than the other; just not my choice for the reasons cited. Johnson Hy-Lifts from WFO Larry, with pin oiling for me, until something I think better shows up.
I have also measured the opening in the push rod for oil flow and as close as I can measure, it is also .100" which one would expect it should match up with the opening in the piddle valve.
[1] Hylift Johnson worked with HD when the Twin Cam was introduced. The flow rate to the top end is what they spec'd. The 2313 is that lifter.
[2] The spring only pushes on the plunger when it's collapsed. This can happen when you shut the bike off & the valve is open. When you start the motor the spring will push on the plunger to help the lifter fill up with oil. Back to normal in a few seconds. They call them hydraulic lifters for a reason. If you depended on that spring for a quiet valve train you'd be very disappointed.
[3] Just about everybody uses the same roller & bearing. A quality roller & bearing is a must for long life.
While the size of the hole has some bearing on oil flow the amount is determined by what's under that pushrod cup.
The 2313S is a precision fit plunger. The 2313SE is the same but with axle oiling. This improves the oiling to the bearing which results in longer life.
100% made in the USA. Not everyone can say that.
Facts not fiction.
Not pissing on the SBC lifter and not saying one better than the other; just not my choice for the reasons cited. Johnson Hy-Lifts from WFO Larry, with pin oiling for me, until something I think better shows up.
I have also measured the opening in the push rod for oil flow and as close as I can measure, it is also .100" which one would expect it should match up with the opening in the piddle valve.
Your point is sound with me and I will definitely check the Johnson out.
Just glad lifters aren't as plentiful as cams!
I'm pretty sure S&S cycle has a video out there of S&S lifters compared to small block Chevy lifters and the amount of time difference it took to get oil to the top end was remarkable.. I'll see if I can find it..
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
