[durand322]

hey, i've got a 355 sb chevy and gonna be putting in a Hydraulic Flat Tappet camshaft in it. What i'm wanting to know is do I need to replace the lifters too? I've got basically brand new hydraulic lifters in the engine so i'm not sure if i need to go ahead and get the lifters with the cam kit of not. Any advise anyone?

[6sally6]

Repeat after me....."ALWAYS-ALWAYS" replace lifters with new cam. The reason you run engine for 20 minute @2000RPM is to break-in cam AND lifters! If you don't change the lifters when you do the cam....you will be going back in and changing the lifters later..AND cam! Hey...cam and lifters(hydraulic flat-tappet) are pretty cheap and far as engine parts go.
6sally6

[F-BIRD'88]

Seems you have never bothered to read the install instructions that come with all new cams. Don't forget the can of GM EOS break in lube either.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by 6sally6

Repeat after me....."ALWAYS-ALWAYS" replace lifters with new cam. The reason you run engine for 20 minute @2000RPM is to break-in cam AND lifters! If you don't change the lifters when you do the cam....you will be going back in and changing the lifters later..AND cam! Hey...cam and lifters(hydraulic flat-tappet) are pretty cheap and far as engine parts go.
6sally6

Naw, man, you don't gotta do no such thing! If you don't believe me, than read HERE, POST #20 LOL

But yeah, new lifters- for sure. And Competition Engineering has OEM-type cams for $14/ea.

[ap72]

its cheap insurance. BTW don't think of going to a high end agressive cam and cheap lifters, aggressive cams need the best lifters and springs you can put on them.

[techinspector1]

Also, avoid buying "no name", "plain white box" lifters. They were probably produced offshore from inferior materials. That's why they're cheap. You get what you pay for. Insist on branded parts from a reputable cam grinder.