Mushroom lifters – Any advice

[Andrew_B]

Well, it took about 9 month but I finally have my mushroom lifters. I couldn't find any stock lifters to modify so I had these made from 8620. Since it's the same material as my cam, I had them DLC coated.

Can wait to get them installed.

20140404_131910.jpg

Andrew

[Ol' Ron]

What cam? e nice to see the specs.

[scooder]

More info please, I like what your doing here. I must ask though, you ended up getting some lifers built for you. Why did you not get them made so you didn't have to run bushings? By this I mean, why not have them stock 1" od with a bigger foot on it? Weight, the concern here? And your gonna grind a cam on a billet. You could have maybe taken advantage of the fact that your not stuck with stude size lifter feet. And maybe ground a higher lift rate on the cam and bigger feet on the lifters?
Your thoughts on this would be good.
Please see this as a bloke with a shared love of hopped up flatheads, just asking with great interests.
Martin.

[HotRodmicky]

Verry cool!
Do it the way you like!!!!!

Do you have the cam already?
Specs?

[JWL]

I wonder why people ask if they ignore what they are told????? I like the idea of doing it "your way", but, if that is your plan do NOT bother to ask for further information.

[Andrew_B]

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First I have to apologize for not following the forum rules since this post is not stock/restored Flathead project. I just wanted to finish this thread I started over a year ago. I did post about my Flathead build but it was removed for violating forum rules.

Yes, I did ask for advice on this topic and I've determined to take that of those that say to do it my way. It was like opening a can of worms but I do appreciate every ones input on this topic.

There are two main reasons I’m want to use mushroom lifters. First, it’s something my father-in-law has always wanted to try. He has been building and racing Flatheads since the 50’s and has modified them in just about every way possible, except for this. My second reason is I’m going with the lightest rotating assembly I can possibly get because I want to.

I don’t exactly know what the cam specs will end up with. I had two cam blanks made. If I wasn't going with a 180 degree crank, I may have done things differently since there are no 180 degree cams out there that I've found.

This engine build is for a centrifugal supercharged nitro drag racing engine. Who knows, it may blow up on the first pass but I want to beat Rick Schnell’s record.

Thanks,

Andrew

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by JWL

I wonder why people ask if they ignore what they are told????? I like the idea of doing it "your way", but, if that is your plan do NOT bother to ask for further information.

Amen

R

[Andrew_B]

Sheesh! Read my original post if you're going to comment. I didn't ask whether or not I should use them, I ask for info from those who have.

Andrew

[Ol' Ron]

There was a fellow that ran one at Danbury, and ran quit well. When i first started racing there I was always trying to get more power from the engine, ass u ming it would lead to victory. after a few seasond of cam changes and intake mods, rear gears. I finaly figgered out the air pressure in the right fron was more important. Well actually it's the driver and the handle combination. The engine has to be good for the task, but not as important as a track with those long straight aways

[rotorwrench]

I had a friend who built a 351 windsor motor back in the seventies. He played with porting & polishing and cams and stuff pluss a big 3-barrel Holley. The motor went in his old 67 fairlane and it was a driveshaft twister and a lug stud breaker for a while then it sort of played out. He tried to recreate what that motor was several times and never got it again before he passed to the drag strip in the sky.

The only moral there is that sometimes you just get lucky and most times not so much. The flathead is limited more than most but it is a challenge for sure. I hope Andrew B has the luck but a lot of others have tried stuff like this before without much gain. Some folks just have to climb the mountain even if someone else has already been there. There is certainly nothing wrong with that.

Ryan has now relaxed the rules a bit here so threads like this shouldn't be a problem now.

[bluardun]

Thanks for the interesting post. I agree, either stock or modified, lighter rotating assemblys (balanced) are much better. Go for it ! Mark Kerby is using a Y block Ford type tappet in his engine. Very simular to the one pictured.

May I express my opion about your post possibly being banned.
I have noticed in the past many Barners have modified interests. They aren't banned.
I appreicate the theme of the barn is mainly for original cars. However; when is an original car, or engine become modified? Radial tires, after market engine parts, fancy paint? In the interest of the hobby, and making you car more user friendly, so be it.
The idea is the encourage people to be involved with their FLATHEAD V8 Fords.
Great Hobby for those with alot of patience, time, and money. The BARN is a wonderful source of knowledge.
Have fun.

[Tom Walker]

Originally Posted by JWL

What constitutes "more valve spring seat pressure than a Flathead can handle"? Which part of a Flathead can not "handle" high seat pressure?

The cam bearings?

[JWL]

The Bonneville car on which I served as Crew Chief changed from Crower Roller cam to a maximum effort, mushroom tappet cam. The cam bearing housings were bored to use 460 Ford bearings to satisfy the need for more cam diameter. The cam was computer designed and ground in a CNC grinder. The net result was less speed than with the roller cam. The flat face cannot achieve the acceleration of lift that the roller follower allows.

Yes, there are many variables and it is possible the car might have gone slower on those same days with the roller cam. But, I doubt it.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Tom Walker

The cam bearings?

The bearings are the LAST thing you have to worry about.

[Andrew_B]

Camshaft finally arrived yesterday and it only took 6 months. I had Joe at Roto-Faze turn me a blank then shipped off to Jerry at Schneider Racing Cams. Told Jerry the purpose of the build and they ground out the 180 degree cam. Crankshaft should be here in a few week and I can get back to building the engine.

Andrew

[Ol' Ron]

I like the idea of a 180 deg crank. I had one and a Howard F11 cam ground for it, but never ran it. Crank came from an air compressor. One of the fellows ran one at Danbury, but the intake rules made the fireing order wrong for the 180 crank. I made an open pleminum intake from a 33/4 intake. Keep us informed.
I think Ryan allows us car/engine builders here, because we're always trying to improve the Ol' Flathead in one way or another. Right now I'm into economy, reliability and safty. 10 years ago I waz into Bonneville. But it's stil Flatheads for ever.

[Kahuna]

Now that, Andrew, is my kind of cam.
Good luck with it. I think it's going to be great

[scooder]

That cam card looks like a regular Schneider 300F with a smidge more lift.
Is it actually a mushroom grind? I ask cus if it's not a proper mushroom grind, you'll get no benefit from your mushroom lifters. It'll just work like it had a 1" lifter. Can you confirm? Do you know the rate of lift?
I admire your spirit bud. After Rick shnells record! That's some goal.
Good luck.
Martin.

[Andrew_B]

Ya, very similar to the 300F and I don't know what the lift rate is. Although I wish I did, I don't always have the technical knowledge on many aspects of this build, especially the cam. I provided Larry with all the details of what I'm doing and I would have expected it to be ground to take advantage of the mushroom lifters. Since I've been bleeding money into this project, I have been rethinking the use of mushroom lifters. I'm getting anxious to at least get something running by next summer and if this cam works with stock lifters, I might just try them out at first. I have several other blocks that I'm bringing along and may wait to try the lifters in one of them. Still undecided at this point.

Andrew

[Ol' Ron]

If this is a drag strip engine, are you aluminizing the block? ( filling it with aluminum)