Rhoads Lifters
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,691
Likes: 12
From: columbus oh
used them several years ago on 2 small block engines. they were a little noisy at idle and cruise and i dont know if they helped at all because we did not dyno......sorry..could be snake oil, maybe another poster could help.....
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,000
Likes: 659
From: Puget Sound
I tried them about 20 years ago. I didn't like the noise. I pulled them out after a couple of months and put in regular hyd. lifters and didn't notice any change in performance. My vote = snake oil.
Jim
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
I'd agree they do everything the above link states they will do. Whether the results stated are useful to you might be an entirely different matter. The "extending" the useful rev range may be a little flakey. The only way they will give more rpm than standard lifters is because they won't readily pump up or over extend in the event of valve float. If your valves are floating, you are past your "useful" rpm range anyway. If your valve springs are strong enough to control the valve train, you won't have valve float and therefore don't need the anti-pump up lifters.
Lots of people have tried them. I don't know how many have stuck with them over the years.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,022
Likes: 2,265
From: Corsicana, Tx
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I used them years ago once. No matter how they were adjusted, once oil thinned out as it warmed up they got noisy. They pulled OK....but to me the one thing that a hyd cam can do is be quiet. Rhoads lifters don't do that too well.
I'm a big believer in solid cams period..either flat tappet or roller.. Adjustment is simple. I know people that go years with fairly serious cams and never touch them. We drive them cross country etc with no issues. They aren't noisy, they RPM as high as you want to and they don't break parts.
Hyd cams are for pickup trucks. Thse cars are fun toys....might as well have the power when you want it.
JIM
I'm a big believer in solid cams period..either flat tappet or roller.. Adjustment is simple. I know people that go years with fairly serious cams and never touch them. We drive them cross country etc with no issues. They aren't noisy, they RPM as high as you want to and they don't break parts.
Hyd cams are for pickup trucks. Thse cars are fun toys....might as well have the power when you want it.
JIM
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 194
Likes: 2
From: Peoria Az
I have run Rhoads Lifters for many years. There is nothing to compare with the Anti-Pump up lifters. They are as good as solids without the noise. How many people have seen 6500 rpm out of a Big Block and with it still pulling. I run a cam without high lift or duration and you would not believe how strong it pulls. The Rhoades lefter recommendation came from the machinist who balanced and blueprinted the engine. He supported 30 to 40 dirt track cars when the work was done and loved a Big Block and knew how to make one run.
I would not have any other lifters in mine.
I would not have any other lifters in mine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,226
Likes: 2
From: Lake Wylie SC
I have run Rhoads Lifters for many years. There is nothing to compare with the Anti-Pump up lifters. They are as good as solids without the noise. How many people have seen 6500 rpm out of a Big Block and with it still pulling. I run a cam without high lift or duration and you would not believe how strong it pulls. The Rhoades lefter recommendation came from the machinist who balanced and blueprinted the engine. He supported 30 to 40 dirt track cars when the work was done and loved a Big Block and knew how to make one run.
I would not have any other lifters in mine.
I would not have any other lifters in mine.
I think that is very impressive
I have a hydraulic comp cam in a 427 sitting in my garage that comp cams says is good for 6500 but 5800 was the most I ever got........ maybe next time I resurrect it I will try them out......... as long as I haven't already stuck a solid roller in it.
Doug
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 239
From: Ocean Township NJ
Here's the Trick Part
Excerpt from Rhoads website:
"Original Rhoads Lifters are recommended for performance hydraulic cams only. They may also be used with factory high performance cams. Rhoads V-Max Lifters are generally recommended for performance hydraulic cams but may also be used with performance solid lifter cams. Stock cams are generally not recommended as reductions in lift and duration on stock cams have very little effect on performance gains."
Here's a couple reasons for the question:
How about running a "140" cam with Rhoads V-Max flat tappets.........FOR THE STREET.
Maybe running a fairly "hot" solid roller, like the Lunati 501-B5 with Rhoads V-Max roller tappets..........FOR THE STREET.
"Original Rhoads Lifters are recommended for performance hydraulic cams only. They may also be used with factory high performance cams. Rhoads V-Max Lifters are generally recommended for performance hydraulic cams but may also be used with performance solid lifter cams. Stock cams are generally not recommended as reductions in lift and duration on stock cams have very little effect on performance gains."
Here's a couple reasons for the question:
How about running a "140" cam with Rhoads V-Max flat tappets.........FOR THE STREET.
Maybe running a fairly "hot" solid roller, like the Lunati 501-B5 with Rhoads V-Max roller tappets..........FOR THE STREET.
Skip Shift
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,031
Likes: 419
From: Citrus Hills, Florida
I have used Rhoads lifters for years. These are great for NHRA stock class racing. I still have a set running in my '68 Olds 442. Haven't changed them since the car ran in D/SA in the sixties. I now drive the car on the street and it sure runs fine still after all these years. 
Fred
Fred
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
I installed a set of Rhodes lifters in a 302 Ford I built for a Mustang fastback I had back in the 70's. The 302 was relatively stock except for being balanced, having a Holley 600 on a Torker manifold and using a pretty stout Crane hydraulic cam that was very close to the Ford 271 HP solid lifter cam. The car would idle nicely at 650 rpm with a slight lope and just enough of a tic that many thought it was a solid.
The car had 3:90 gears and a 4-speed and that 302 would pull normally up to about 3000 rpm when it would break the tires lose and run like a scalded ape... to well over 6000 rpm... I never took a trip with it to check the mileage, but if you kept your foot out of it, it was not unusual to see 15 - 16 mpg when driving it back and forth to work. I would not hesitate to use them again.
Good luck... GUSTO
The car had 3:90 gears and a 4-speed and that 302 would pull normally up to about 3000 rpm when it would break the tires lose and run like a scalded ape... to well over 6000 rpm... I never took a trip with it to check the mileage, but if you kept your foot out of it, it was not unusual to see 15 - 16 mpg when driving it back and forth to work. I would not hesitate to use them again.
Good luck... GUSTO
