Rhoads lifter drivers check in!
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,120
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From: central FL, near the beach.
Rhoads lifter drivers check in!
Was reading in the advice column in Hot Rod that they don't pump up like regular lifters, and can wind up well past 6000, as high as you want.
They allow a 10-15 degree bigger cam and maintain good idle and low speed driving.
Would like to hear your real world experiences :cheers:
They allow a 10-15 degree bigger cam and maintain good idle and low speed driving.
Would like to hear your real world experiences :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,185
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From: New Wilmington PA
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
Had a guy at the last place I worked RAVE about them. He absolutely swore by them. Said you could stick a big, nasty, go-like-stink cam in a car and have it behaive like a mild cam at low RPMs but give you the full effect at higher RPMs.
I have no first hand experience so I'll be interested in seeing what others have to say.
I have no first hand experience so I'll be interested in seeing what others have to say.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
Matt - I had the Crane Hi - I lifters for years and 50,000 miles before it blew up. IMO all snake oil can be taken with a grain of salt.
I ran my 278 Crane power max to 7000 all the time with 355 ci and good heads, 1 3/4 hooker S/C headers, single plane intake and 750 cfm carb.
Bleed off lifters - If you really think about it are a function of motor oil weight and oil pressure. run 20W-50 and a High vol pump and they couldn't work.
Run 5W30 and a pump/motor that has under 30 psi at idle and they might do what they claim.
:troll Hey I'm running a 8.5 power valve now and like it!
I ran my 278 Crane power max to 7000 all the time with 355 ci and good heads, 1 3/4 hooker S/C headers, single plane intake and 750 cfm carb.
Bleed off lifters - If you really think about it are a function of motor oil weight and oil pressure. run 20W-50 and a High vol pump and they couldn't work.
Run 5W30 and a pump/motor that has under 30 psi at idle and they might do what they claim.
:troll Hey I'm running a 8.5 power valve now and like it!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,616
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From: Round Rock, Texas, USA Texas
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
I have Rhoads lifters -- the guy I bought the my '77 from had the local Corvette shop build him a motor to turn 6500 RPM and a car to out run Mustangs (this was probably 10 years ago) -- they built a nice motor with older big plug (I figure slightly higher compression) heads -and added a VBP rear end kit and 3.55 gears.
The lifters are noisy -- when I dropped it off for a tranny rebuild I forgot to tell my tranny guy -- he checked the oil twice before guessing it had pump up lifters.
I, unfortunately don't know what cam it has - it does run good and gets to pulling real hard around 3500RPM's (I've never had it to 6500 - probably never will).
With this shop built motor the lifter seem to work as advertised.
The lifters are noisy -- when I dropped it off for a tranny rebuild I forgot to tell my tranny guy -- he checked the oil twice before guessing it had pump up lifters.
I, unfortunately don't know what cam it has - it does run good and gets to pulling real hard around 3500RPM's (I've never had it to 6500 - probably never will).
With this shop built motor the lifter seem to work as advertised.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 275
Likes: 13
From: South Bend, Indiana
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
Was reading in the advice column in Hot Rod that they don't pump up like regular lifters, and can wind up well past 6000, as high as you want.
They allow a 10-15 degree bigger cam and maintain good idle and low speed driving.
Would like to hear your real world experiences :cheers:
They allow a 10-15 degree bigger cam and maintain good idle and low speed driving.
Would like to hear your real world experiences :cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,000
Likes: 22
From: Boulder Creek California
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (jimtreber)
Is this what Compcams Pro Magnum lifters are? I know they're anti-pumpup. Anyway, I put these in along with higher pressure springs iwth my 268 cam. Stock bottom end original engine.
When I was at Heartland Park Topeka Friday, I accidentally wound it up to 6500 rpm :eek: when I had been shifting at about 5200-5300. Scared the living hell out of me, and kindof threw off the rest of the run, but no damage :)
-Chris
When I was at Heartland Park Topeka Friday, I accidentally wound it up to 6500 rpm :eek: when I had been shifting at about 5200-5300. Scared the living hell out of me, and kindof threw off the rest of the run, but no damage :)
-Chris
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Brazos TX
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Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
I ran a set of Rhoad's for about 15,000 miles in the Vette with a Comp XE274 and was very pleased with them. They sounded great at idle (like a solid lifter cam) and I was getting about 15 mpg while cruising at 80 or 85 with 3.73 rear gears. It would pull just fine up to 6000. The only reason I'm not running them now is because the engine spun 3 rod bearings so it is being rebuilt. I would recommend them.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
One thing to note on comp ratios, the crane version I have states to use with eng that have comp ratios BELOW those recomended for use with the cam or you may experience low speed/rpm detonation. That being said I ran them in a 10/1 comp 383 with the comp cams XE 284 and that thing had great low end torq for having such a long duration cam. Too bad the eng ate rod bearings not long after start up.
BTW I also had heard the the variable duration lifters make noice so although I heard a faint tap on start up I attributed it to the lifters, my mistake. :(
[Modified by Fevre, 11:04 AM 9/22/2003]
BTW I also had heard the the variable duration lifters make noice so although I heard a faint tap on start up I attributed it to the lifters, my mistake. :(
[Modified by Fevre, 11:04 AM 9/22/2003]
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Le Mans Master
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From: delmont pa
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Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
crane uses a looser fit plunger and rhoads machines a groove in the plunger. rhoads can do your hyd roller lifters also
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: central FL, near the beach.
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (clem zahrobsky)
clem
do they work better with 10w30 vs. 20w50?
Do they have a stiffer spring to take up the slack so they won't hammer the valves?
thanks! :chevy
do they work better with 10w30 vs. 20w50?
Do they have a stiffer spring to take up the slack so they won't hammer the valves?
thanks! :chevy
Le Mans Master
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From: delmont pa
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Instructor
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From: Sacramento CA
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
I used them in a circle-track engine with vac rule. We had to pull 17" at 1000rpm. With the bleed-down lifters, I could run a longer duration cam and still be legal. They work by decreasing duration at lower rpm's.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 962
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From: Carlisle PA
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
Just my opinion on this... wasn't it back in the late 80's early 90's they were the hot setup on the street? In every trade magazine they advertised big time (almost like BG Demons now :lol: ) Now you don't hear anything about them except for the occasional post like this one.
I thought they were almost like a patch for someone who couldn't resist but to get the biggest cam possible for their engine, it kinda tamed it down, make it more streetable.
I thought they were almost like a patch for someone who couldn't resist but to get the biggest cam possible for their engine, it kinda tamed it down, make it more streetable.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (Matt Gruber)
Matt - I have a set of 16 Cranes hi-intensity lifters. I kept them in order in a marked box with my 278 cam. So I don't wan't to throw one away.
It's like anything - You would have to play with them and see what oil weight got the best vacuum curve for your motor oil temp. i used to have them with a High vol pump and 20w-50 and my oil pressure was @70 psi at anything much above idle. @ 40 psi at idle even on the hottest days. Then as thinner oil became the rage in racing 10w-40 when it was hot and 5or 10w-30 in cooler weather seemed the best.
The other poster was right about detonation problems with them
It's like anything - You would have to play with them and see what oil weight got the best vacuum curve for your motor oil temp. i used to have them with a High vol pump and 20w-50 and my oil pressure was @70 psi at anything much above idle. @ 40 psi at idle even on the hottest days. Then as thinner oil became the rage in racing 10w-40 when it was hot and 5or 10w-30 in cooler weather seemed the best.
The other poster was right about detonation problems with them
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 15,120
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From: central FL, near the beach.
Re: Rhoads lifter drivers check in! (clem zahrobsky)
clem
thanks for the link. i read the whole thing.
They are true anti-pump up lifters for sure. :cool:
.
george
now that i've read about them i don't need to take one apart.
.
seems like a good alternative.
.
users please keep posting your comments :cheers:
thanks for the link. i read the whole thing.
They are true anti-pump up lifters for sure. :cool:
.
george
now that i've read about them i don't need to take one apart.
.
seems like a good alternative.
.
users please keep posting your comments :cheers:
