[SMW]

I have seen people here recommend buying Johnson Hylift lifters as they are the best. The part number is A-0951 and I have noticed Melling's part number is MEL-JB-951, Sealed Power is number HT951, Lunati is 71951 and the Summit brand is SUMHT951. Since all of these part numbers have 951 is it safe to say they are all Johnson Hylift lifters?

[Judge273]

That's a interesting, timely thread. I just had my engine rebuilt with the Johnson Hylift 951-r. Things were good up to 40 miles on a test run a whirl sound then squeak, then thumping at engine pace. Pull valve cover and found a blue valve no oil in number one. Second lifter wasn't pumping oil....

Called them and they sent a new one and put in place it's pumping oil with a prime...but discovered passenger side has another no oil situation. Having them send another and this time a charge.

I will send these babies back and hopefully recover some money! Just ridiculous these failed already! Wonder if they all will?

[bendutro]

Have you seen the oil band groove discussion in other threads? There's a modification needed with some base circle diameters to ensure oil feeding.

[Formulas]

I've been a motor head since circa 1975 only in the last 2 or 3 years or whatever we have to do some modifications to get lifters to work right hey how about a company make them right for a change.... That top end looks awful dry looks like it hasn't been started yet

[rexs73gto]

When you installed the lifters did you soak them before hand & then did you prime the engine good before you started the engine. As sometimes if you soak them they get pumped up & then won't feed oil when you go to start it. You need to put the lifters in dry, then prime the entire engine until oil come out of every lifter, then you can start the engine. Sometimes it will take a lot of time to pump them up. As much as 1/2 hour to 45 min's to get the engine primed completely. Also did you make sure the lifters you got were actually made for Pontiac. Some mix up the lifters & send chebby lifters sometimes.

[Schurkey]

Back in the "good old days" there were four companies that MADE hydraulic lifters, and a thousand that purchased in bulk, reboxed, and sold them to consumers.

Stanadyne
Eaton
Johnson
GM

In terms of lifter production, Stanadyne and Eaton are Tango Uniform, Johnson and GM still seem to be in the game, and imports from China are epidemic.

Having a part number similar to a "Famous Name" parts manufacturer has been a game played by every reboxer and every counterfeiter since time began. Sometimes it's done maliciously, sometimes it just to make cross-referencing easier.

NO I would not count on a similar part number meaning the product is made by the Famous Name.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

When you installed the lifters did you soak them before hand & then did you prime the engine good before you started the engine. As sometimes if you soak them they get pumped up & then won't feed oil when you go to start it. You need to put the lifters in dry, then prime the entire engine until oil come out of every lifter, then you can start the engine. Sometimes it will take a lot of time to pump them up. As much as 1/2 hour to 45 min's to get the engine primed completely.

Soaking lifters in oil is a waste of time. The oil hole in the side is too small for oil to flow into without pressure. I fill them with oil (ATF) using a pump-style oil can.

Priming an engine oiling system takes about forty-five seconds, not forty-five minutes. You see oil pressure on the gauge...you're done priming.

Priming until oil squirts over the fenders is a total waste of time, effort, and enthusiasm.

I always pump lifters full of ATF on the bench, so I can verify leakdown, and to assure that they pass oil to the pushrod hole. Yes, I then have to be careful when adjusting preload as the lifters will need a little time to bleed down, and I don't want to push the valve into a piston as I run the rocker nut down. Given a choice, I adjust the lifter preload BEFORE installing the valley cover and intake manifold, so I can see the preload.

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

Also did you make sure the lifters you got were actually made for Pontiac. Some mix up the lifters & send chebby lifters sometimes.

Good info. Some people can't understand the difference between a Chevy 350, a Pontiac 350, an Olds 350 or a Buick 350.

[Garry Sr]

I'm one of those guilty of soaking them guys. You can usually watch the air bubbles come to the top. As far as priming the engine first that's a no brainer.

[68 Firebird]

I have had a set of crower cam saver lifters in svc for 2 years and have no complaints.
The cam is the melling 068 and did the normal breakin with SAE 30 with CC breakin additive.
The steps I took were to install lifters and set lash(thick moly type paste on lifter face only and cam lobe) while lifter was on base of lobe. Then oil system was primed and with a few minutes oil came thru to most rockers, then motor was rotated and more priming. Oil flowed to all rockers. Then reast of top end was installed.

Once breakin was done oil was dumped HOT.
Refill with 10W30 and new filter and CC breakin additive.

yes you can see oil flow done side of cam saver lifter to cam lobe while priming. had valley pan and intake off while priming to observe all lifter spun when crank was rotated.

Good Luck

Gerry

[SMW]

I was wondering because I am going to try the Summit 2801 cam and I am thinking about using their lifters. Has anybody had a problem with the Summit lifters?

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by SMW

I have seen people here recommend buying Johnson Hylift lifters as they are the best. The part number is A-0951 and I have noticed Melling's part number is MEL-JB-951, Sealed Power is number HT951, Lunati is 71951 and the Summit brand is SUMHT951. Since all of these part numbers have 951 is it safe to say they are all Johnson Hylift lifters?

No.

951 is the generic number for a Pontiac flat tappet hydraulic lifter. Everyone uses some variation of that number.

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by SMW

I was wondering because I am going to try the Summit 2801 cam and I am thinking about using their lifters. Has anybody had a problem with the Summit lifters?

I'm sure they are made in Mexico like most others.

[Half-Inch Stud]

...i might be familiar with such a whirl noise coming from the valvetrain

[1funride]

I took apart a summit 951 and a Comp Cam Saver. Other than the groove on the cam saver I seen absolutely no difference between them. I heard over the years the summit 951 was made by hy-lift, I cant say either way if it is or not. I also couldn't tell the quality of the metal in the lifter bodies, but they were about the same as possibly could be. I wouldn't hesitate on using a summit 951 on a 2801.

[78w72]

cliff r told me the sealed power 951 lifters are the good quality johnson, just reboxed. i bought them for a recent 462 stroker with a crower cam & so far they are working great, succesfull break in & zero noise.

many companies have parts like this, made from one company & resold under different name.

[TedRamAirII]

Are these the good ones?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...BJkaAg_F8P8HAQ

or these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/2626726...&ul_noapp=true

[78w72]

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

Are these the good ones?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/s...BJkaAg_F8P8HAQ

or these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/2626726...&ul_noapp=true

they are both the same part# so i assume they are the same lifter. but i would definitely buy from summit instead of an unknown ebay seller. if theres a problem summit will stand behind their parts.

as for "the good ones" they look to be the same 951 sealed power lifters i bought. maybe someone can confirm they are teh same as the johnson 951's??

[gtofreek]

There is no way to tell who's they are without taking them apart and looking at the parts they used inside. There are tell tale signs of who built them when taken apart.

Here is a link to Hylift/Johnson lifter breakdown.

http://www.hylift-johnson.com/technology/liftertech/

[gtofreek]

For what it's worth, I have never seen a Hylift/Johnson lifter with the hardened wafer on the bottom.

[LStathas]

I always thought the difference was the good lifters used the solid retainer versus the wire retainer? Or is that just limited travel lifters?