What is the difference between standard lifters and screaming eagle lifters for the 96 cu. in. engine? Is there any advantage to using SE lifters?

 

No first hand experience but from what I've read the SE's seem to have a higher failure rate. Most of the name builders seem to prefer the stock lifters. I run stockers in my 98" 10.5 comp motor and hit 6200 RPM regularly (every time I ride ) with no problems.

Rick

 

That's the kind of answer i like to hear. Thanks

 

About $150. The service manager at my local HD store told me to use the stock OEM lifters and specifically recommended NOT using the SE lifters though I didn't ask for details.

 

I've also heard the of a higher failure rate for the SE ones.

FYI, in case you did not know, Twin Cams use the same lifter as a small block Chevy. I am running Crane #10530 lifters for a SBC. A call to Crane confirmed that the only difference in them and the ones with a HD part number is the price. Four lifters cost me about 50 bucks.

Here are some lifter pics for you to look at purely entertainment. One is of a comparison of the older HD A lifter and newer HD B lifter. The other is of a Crane 10530.

 

Awesome. Many thanks

 

FWIW. At high rpm hydraulic lifters can suffer what's called pump-up where the valve spring can't get the valve back to the valve seat fast enough. This can be catastrophic with valve-valve and valve to piston collisons.

The sollid lifters are just that - no hyraulic bleed to worry about. They're more high performance but limiting (re: RPM) due to the inertia of the lifter, rod, valve etc. (valve float).

Metrics get around the problem completely by using OHC - the rocker follows the cam directly - less inertial weight - higher RPM.

 

Just opinion but I'm currently repairing a friends 100hp Road King and he has installed stock lifters on his intakes and S.E. on his exhausts (why, I don't have a clue?) and the lifter that failed was the stock. This is just a FYI.
As far as stock vs. S.E. lifters in general the point that comes to mind is the higher failure rate of S.E. lifters probably has something to do with the fact that they're what's installed in high performance engines and the stresses are so much greater on them. It only stands to reason higher output engines tear up more parts. I figure it this way, the 300 lb. heads in engineering at HD don't arbitrarily slap a S.E. label on a product. My guess is they use higher grades of materials and quality control when it has the S.E. label applied. At least I like to think that they have our best interest in mind. If you just have to know, have the metallurgy tested on each one then let us know the properties of the steel and we'll all know.

 

never have understood how or why folks find 5 year old threads so they can bring them back up........