I'm trying to choose hydraulic lifters for my 2012 LS3 within the $300-$500 range, and I have three candidates:
1. Chevrolet Performance Hydraulic Roller Lifters 12499225 - https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-12499225
2. Howards Cams OE-Style Performance Hydraulic Roller Lifters 91113FB - https://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-91113FB
3. "Caddy Race Lifters" 88958689 - https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-88958689
Has anyone used Howards 91113FB hydraulic lifters? They say they're for Gen III and are 0.06" shorter than the OEM ones, so my question is, will they fit my Gen IV LS3? I wrote to Howards support about this, but they haven't responded after a week, so I'm turning to the forum for help.
Does anyone know the exact weight of the first and third hydraulic lifters?
Which of these three would you recommend? What experience do you have?

Summit Racing support writes: "Both the Chevrolet Performance Hydraulic Roller Lifters 12499225 and Chevrolet Performance Hydraulic Roller Lifters 88958689 will fit a 6.2L LS3 engine in a Chevy Corvette. However, if you're looking for a lifter that can handle high rpm, we recommend the Chevrolet Performance Hydraulic Roller Lifters 12499225. The Chevrolet Performance Hydraulic Roller Lifters 88958689 are just an OEM lifter." Judging by the forum, I think it should be the other way around.

 

A little above your price range, Morel 5290 tie bar lifters.

I just had an engine built buy a reputable shop, BES Bishof. Basically an LS3 long block. These are what they recommended.


The Howards look to be a knock off of Rhoads lifters. I used them in an engine a long time ago. Had a pretty rad cam. The lifters reduced the cam lift at idle and pumped up to give you full lift once it got to ~ 3,000 RPM. I had to use 20-50 oil to get them to fully actuate.


Rhoads Original Hydraulic Flat Tappet Lifters

Rhoads Original hydraulic flat tappet variable duration lifters are famous for increasing low-end torque, engine vacuum, and idle quality on engines equipped with performance hydraulic cams, while maintaining maximum top-end power. Better fuel economy and improved emissions quality are often reported by customers with Rhoads lifters. The unique construction of Rhoads Original hydraulic lifters reduces lift and duration at idle by approximately .010 in. to .020 in. Duration is reduced by approximately 10 to 15 degrees. Total lift and duration are restored at approximately 3,500 rpm. Original Rhoads lifters are also anti-pump-up for higher rpm revs. Typical vacuum increases range between 1 and 3 in. Rhoads lifters can be used with either adjustable or non-adjustable valvetrains. Original Rhoads lifters, with their legendary "ticking" at idle, sound similar to solid lifters. These Rhoads Original series lifters are designed for use with high performance street, marine, or racing applications.

 

Can't go wrong with Morel or Johnson.

 

Yeah, Morel is a bit pricey. Besides the lifters, I need to buy almost everything except the block and heads, so my budget is limited.
Does Rhoads make anything right now that would fit my spec? Their website is pretty old, and I couldn't even find a catalog with specifications.

 

IMO:
1. Jesel (sit down before you check price)
2. Crower
3. Johnson
4. Morel
5. Gaterman
6. REAL Delphi lifters

If you are just on a NA setup and not turning alot of RPM or tracking the car, I would just get new trays and Delphi lifters. The problem is there are tons of knockoff's of that lifter floating around. If you want a little more piece of mind I would get some Gateman's or Morel tie bars as others have suggested. I have had Gaterman's in my car for 2 years now, no issues whatsoever but its just an NA stroker setup nothing radical.

 

1. tf)

Yes, I will stay in the NA setup, but sometimes I plan to give it the beans.
I'm not a US resident, sooo If it's not too much trouble, could you please provide links to REAL Morel and Gaterman hydraulic lifters to purchase?

 

No worries at all, for the Gaterman tie bars you can grab them here: https://smedingperformance.com/produ...39795980632122 But I'm not sure if Smeding ships internationally.

I know that Rock Auto does ship international, just look up your car on Rock Auto and make sure you get the part #: GM GENUINE12698945 Make sure to grab 4 new trays as well: GM GENUINE 12595365.
I've had great luck with everything from Rock Auto being actual Genuine GM parts, but alot of GM stuff is made in China now, so who knows where the real quality is anymore .

 

Morel is a bit pricy. A lifter failure is pricier.

AFAIK Rhodes has not been designing new stuff.

If you are hard on a budget, go with LS7 lifters and GM trays.

 

Just curious, where can you find legitimate LS7 lifters. Considering these are the most counterfeited??

 

I've read enough posts about chinese lifters, so I'm trying to find other options from reputable manufacturers.
Some Chinese parts are decent, but some are total trash, and you can't tell before buying.

 

Thank You
International shipping is no problem; there are various options and intermediaries.
The main thing for me is not to run into counterfeits. If you recommend Gaterman, I'll probably go with them. I don't want to ruin everything else because of chinese lifters.

It seems to me that you are very knowledgeable in the technical part, is it possible to contact you by email or in private messages so that you can look at my spec of what I want to buy?

 

Out of those three, I would go with the Caddy Race Lifters.

But I would recommend Johnson 2110R lifters over all of those: Johnson – Set of 16 Drop In Slow Leakdown Rate Lifter (2110R)

Not cheap but you will never have to worry about them failing.

 

Should they also be used with the GM tray? As I understand it, they have only one issue - they can spin in that tray? Or is that hard to achieve in GM trays?
Why don't they have any issues? What makes that possible?

 

Yes, they are used with the GM trays. And any time you change lifter, you should change the trays and always use genuine GM trays.

As for spinning a lifter, that is pretty rare and usually because of a worn out tray or re-using a worn tray with new lifters.

The next step up would be link bar lifters which if you have the budget those are excellent also.

Johnson lifters just seem to have very very high quality control in their tolerances, manufacturing, and materials so they are very reliable and typically don't have problems.

 

I know it’s outside of your budget but I just installed Johnson 2116LSR in my LS3. It was at the recommendation of Brian Tooley Racing tech that I had talked to while choosing my cam from them (BTR Red Hot Cam).

 

I went johnson 2110Rs as lots of rec's here... Just be warned, finding the correct pushrod length is harder than LS7 style lifters because its a short travel lifter. You have a .020 preload window of "good" .025-.045 so whatever lifter you select will have to step in .0250 sizing or less. I went with BTRs and their .0250 sizing for the PRs I purchased were inaccurate and jumped .040 or so due to whoever's manufacturing it for them. One was on the edge of too loose and the next size up was way too much preload. I had to go with summit branded PRs which are actually correct, lol.

 

I bought the Katech spec Johnson link bar lifters. The JHN-2116LSR

Very pricey, have not installed them yet. About to in the next few weekends.

 

I want to express my appreciation to everyone who participated and shared their expertise. Thank you for your help!

 

What did you decide on?

 

My recommendation is do not cheap out on lifters. The work it takes to do them and so much China junk floating out there if you had to re do later more money. Morel, Johnson, Jessel and others are money but the buy once cry once is always a better outcome. Lots of times people want to save money and that's OK but if something goes wrong they complain about the parts were junk and they take no responsibility for their derision to cheap out. Just my 2 cents