1979 Lifter retaining Ring
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 799
Likes: 26
From: Lexington Park Maryland
1979 Lifter retaining Ring
While adjusting the lifters on a 79, I discovered #8 cylinder intake lifter retaining ring worked itself lose. what kind of damage can expect? Is it ideal to replace the cam and lifters together or just lifters?
What kind of cam would be idea to upgrade from stock (L48)?
What kind of cam would be idea to upgrade from stock (L48)?
Racer
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 289
Likes: 32
While adjusting the lifters on a 79, I discovered #8 cylinder intake lifter retaining ring worked itself lose. what kind of damage can expect? Is it ideal to replace the cam and lifters together or just lifters?
What kind of cam would be idea to upgrade from stock (L48)?
What kind of cam would be idea to upgrade from stock (L48)?
The retaining ring's only purpose is to keep the plunger from popping out before the lifter gets installed into an engine. And the Competition Cams 268H is an excellent cam for low compression engines; often making close to one horsepower per cubic inch of displacement.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
I seem to recall that a lifter retainer coming out can be a symptom of lifter pump.
Meaning your valve springs are weak, or your pre-load is incorrect or you reved it to high too long.
For a new cam I believe the 268H would be far to much duration for a stock L-48 compression ratio. The L-48 runs about 7.7:1 true CR vs the advertised 8.5:1.
Take a look at the 268H dyno. 342HP and this is with a 9.25:1 CR and Dart SR heads not the GM 882's you probably have on that L-48. You'll see that you will not likely make anywhere near 1HP per CI with your L-48. Not to mention it will be a dog anywhere below probably 2500-3000 RPM maybe even higher than that.
http://www.compcams.com/v002/Pages/388/XE268H-10.aspx
Duration wise you would be looking at maybe 256 degrees advertised on a 110 to a 112 LSA for your L-48 without changing anything else.
Better would be something like this
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1981&gid=287
Or this
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1982&gid=287
Low CR really limits the choices available to you in a cam in order to get decent bottom end torque with the low CR of the engine.
A higher stall torque converter (2500 or so) or 3.55 or shorter gears would help a lot. The 3.08 gearing is not a power/torque producing rear end with the L-48 in stock form.
Meaning your valve springs are weak, or your pre-load is incorrect or you reved it to high too long.
For a new cam I believe the 268H would be far to much duration for a stock L-48 compression ratio. The L-48 runs about 7.7:1 true CR vs the advertised 8.5:1.
Take a look at the 268H dyno. 342HP and this is with a 9.25:1 CR and Dart SR heads not the GM 882's you probably have on that L-48. You'll see that you will not likely make anywhere near 1HP per CI with your L-48. Not to mention it will be a dog anywhere below probably 2500-3000 RPM maybe even higher than that.
http://www.compcams.com/v002/Pages/388/XE268H-10.aspx
Duration wise you would be looking at maybe 256 degrees advertised on a 110 to a 112 LSA for your L-48 without changing anything else.
Better would be something like this
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1981&gid=287
Or this
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1982&gid=287
Low CR really limits the choices available to you in a cam in order to get decent bottom end torque with the low CR of the engine.
A higher stall torque converter (2500 or so) or 3.55 or shorter gears would help a lot. The 3.08 gearing is not a power/torque producing rear end with the L-48 in stock form.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,018
Likes: 2,261
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
My biggest worry is did you find the clip? They have a nasty habit of getting into the oil pump and locking things up.
JIM
JIM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,979
Likes: 332
From: Woodinville WA
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1981&gid=287
Or this
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1982&gid=287
Low CR really limits the choices available to you in a cam in order to get decent bottom end torque with the low CR of the engine.
A higher stall torque converter (2500 or so) or 3.55 or shorter gears would help a lot. The 3.08 gearing is not a power/torque producing rear end with the L-48 in stock form.
Or this
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=1982&gid=287
Low CR really limits the choices available to you in a cam in order to get decent bottom end torque with the low CR of the engine.
A higher stall torque converter (2500 or so) or 3.55 or shorter gears would help a lot. The 3.08 gearing is not a power/torque producing rear end with the L-48 in stock form.
Good advice.
If your block surface is nice and flat you could also replace the head gasket with the Felpro 0.015" ultra-thin gasket (cover it with copper seal per the instructions) and gain +0.5 CR and then still go with one of those two cams and a higher stall TC.
The higher static and dynamic compression might even net you a fuel economy gain.
Adam
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 799
Likes: 26
From: Lexington Park Maryland
Thank you everyone for the great inputs. The retaining ring was sitting next to the cavity, extracted it with a magnet.
I went the cam and lifter kit below; from my understanding this should not promote any major change to the converter and the diff and would yield good low to mid range tq and power.
COMP Cams Xtreme Energy 262H Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft & Lifter Kit Lift: .462" /.469" Duration: 262°/270° RPM Range: 1300-5600
Xtreme Energy 262H Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft & Lifter Kit
Lift: .462''/.469''
Duration: 262°/270°
RPM Range: 1300-5600
I went the cam and lifter kit below; from my understanding this should not promote any major change to the converter and the diff and would yield good low to mid range tq and power.
COMP Cams Xtreme Energy 262H Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft & Lifter Kit Lift: .462" /.469" Duration: 262°/270° RPM Range: 1300-5600
Xtreme Energy 262H Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft & Lifter Kit
Lift: .462''/.469''
Duration: 262°/270°
RPM Range: 1300-5600
Last edited by newbie2vette; Dec 27, 2017 at 06:58 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,018
Likes: 2,261
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
The stock type lifters have a small wire clip....thinner wire than a paperclip. It will get through the screen. Seen it several times.
I never run those type lifters...only use the ones with a real c-clip.
JIM
I never run those type lifters...only use the ones with a real c-clip.
JIM
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Thanks for the info. I knew there was a reason I put a strong magnet on the oil pan.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
Good advice.
If your block surface is nice and flat you could also replace the head gasket with the Felpro 0.015" ultra-thin gasket (cover it with copper seal per the instructions) and gain +0.5 CR and then still go with one of those two cams and a higher stall TC.
The higher static and dynamic compression might even net you a fuel economy gain.
Adam
If your block surface is nice and flat you could also replace the head gasket with the Felpro 0.015" ultra-thin gasket (cover it with copper seal per the instructions) and gain +0.5 CR and then still go with one of those two cams and a higher stall TC.
The higher static and dynamic compression might even net you a fuel economy gain.
Adam
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
Good advice.
If your block surface is nice and flat you could also replace the head gasket with the Felpro 0.015" ultra-thin gasket (cover it with copper seal per the instructions) and gain +0.5 CR and then still go with one of those two cams and a higher stall TC.
The higher static and dynamic compression might even net you a fuel economy gain.
Adam
If your block surface is nice and flat you could also replace the head gasket with the Felpro 0.015" ultra-thin gasket (cover it with copper seal per the instructions) and gain +0.5 CR and then still go with one of those two cams and a higher stall TC.
The higher static and dynamic compression might even net you a fuel economy gain.
Adam
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,018
Likes: 2,261
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
Comp sources from many folks. They will use stock type stuff on mild cams. But good ones are available.
JIM
JIM