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From: Tom Noonan
Email: tomtiger1@att.net
Remote Name: 12.73.161.65
Date: November 24, 2003
Mike: It sounds like (no pun intended) we have a similiar situation. Our camshaft grinds also seem very close. The hydraulic grind I am currenty running is a custom grind, fast lift. I have what sounds like lifter noise about 1500 rpm, goes away around 2000, gets noisy again at 2500, and is quiet above about 2800. I contacted Hughes Engines (supplied the lifters and ground the cam) and they had no real answers; they really do not specialize in old hemis, and ground the cam to my specifications. I previously ran solids, so this is the first hydraulic I have used in years. I did not check the lobe heel diameter to verify lifter position to see where the lifter oil channel sits with relation to the oil feed holes when I installed the cam. I did, however, check the width and position of the lifter channel with respect to the originals and they were the same, with the Hughes lifters having a wider channel (which should supply more time for the lifters to be fed). I mention heel diameter because I am wondering if the lifters are sitting too high or low with respect to the oil feed holes in the lifter bores. I am using Iskederian adusjustable pushrods and have tried several pre-load values with no real resulting change. I have been running this combination for over a year now with no apparent side effects. I run the engine hard, with shift points at 6200 rpm, and do not seem to have valve float. The noise seems to be worse on the drivers side, which is a concern of mine due to the feeding to this side via the camshaft and crankshaft. However, there seems to be ample oil supply when I pull the valve covers, so I am just living with it. Most of the guys with the older hemis I talk to do not run camshafts with lifts this high, so I have not been able to get much help. Please post if you find something.