Converting To Solid Lifters On My Mi16 Head

[Shevy 4]

O.K.

 

I'm seriously considering having my new head converted to solid lifters while it is with Matt.

Reason being I can obviously go a bit wilder on my cams and also running solid lifters should also help a bit with oil surge problems with the restrictor in the head.

 

What are the downsides converting from Hydraulic to solid lifters.

Is it practical for a car that will do a few thousand road miles per year aswell as track time.

 

I've heard stories of people converting back from solid lifters to hydraulic because they were not happy.

 

Any comments welcome before I make a decision

 

Thanks

[Jonmurgie 2]

Will also be interested to see peoples thoughts on this... I guess a downside may be a noiser top end perhaps? But the fact you can run MUCH bigger cams would outweigh this I'd have thought?

[Robsbc 0 1 Cars]

Can't Matt answer your questions if he's building it for you? I'm sure someone like Puma Racing wouldn't want a customer seeking advice from internet mechanics....

 

If Matt stock these parts then he should be able to answer your questions....

Edited April 3, 2006 by Robsbc

[Shevy 4]

Rob,

 

I'm not asking for technical info, from internet mechanics !

 

I just want peoples personal "experience" of running Solid lifters on a road going car.

I discuss all engine work with Matt and trust him 100% what he tells me and what he does.

There's no harm in asking for other peoples experiences with "engine" mods.

Everyone does it on this Forum

[Robsbc 0 1 Cars]

So what has he said then??????????????????????

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

Will also be interested to see peoples thoughts on this... I guess a downside may be a noiser top end perhaps? But the fact you can run MUCH bigger cams would outweigh this I'd have thought?

 

I think in theory they can be almost as quiet as one with hyradulic followers is shimmed properly. Although mine is very noisy anyway!

[Jonmurgie 2]

Robsbc - coming across quite agressive today Rob!

 

The way I understand it is that if you want to go for DECENT cams then you need to run solid lifters and all the necessary gubbins that goes with them (uprated springs etc.). It's a simple black/white situation really...

[Robsbc 0 1 Cars]

Nah that's internet for u...

[kyepan 291]

The pulsar had solid lifters and was not very noisy, you could stick your head under the bonnet and it would be no louder than the injectors on the quieter engines, older high milage engines did get a bit tapppety, but not too bad, they just needed reshimming.

 

Not sure if they were hydraulic or not, or what that means

 

Using a lighter oil seemed to make them noisier and 10w60 made them quieter, apparently it had to do with the viscosity at higher tempteratures and how well it climbs the upper oil ways and is squirted onto the cams and lifters.. not too sure if that has any factual basis though.. But it was noticibly quieter when I changed between oil weights.

 

regards

 

 

Justin

Edited April 3, 2006 by kyepan

[Batfink 201]

as the car is for road use too you don't want a stupidly race spec cam so really solid lifters may not be needed.

[easypug 0]

Robsbc - coming across quite agressive today Rob!

 

The way I understand it is that if you want to go for DECENT cams then you need to run solid lifters and all the necessary gubbins that goes with them (uprated springs etc.). It's a simple black/white situation really...

 

Are the chances that if your running double valve springs you have solid lifters? If not how would you indentify solid lifters from the hyraulic type? (as i have not striped a head before i'm unsure what mine are)

 

Dave

[Kitsune 0]

running solid lifters should also help a bit with oil surge problems with the restrictor in the head.

 

Does anyone have anymore info on this?

 

I've got an uprated bottom end (strengthened L&B'ed crank, uprated pistons, ARB bolts, but standard, new rods). I think the weak point, as it were (compared to the uprated bottom end) is the hydraulic lifters so would be interested to see other peoples thoughts as well as some info on the reduced oil surge issue.

 

Only reason I didnt have these fitted at the time of the engine build was budget.

[petert 588]

8V engines have solid lifters, are they noisey? The only disadvantage is the time it takes to set them up. You definitely need to restrict the oil. You used to be able to buy the restrictors from Peugeot Sport, in the 306 section. They fit in place of the non-return valves. Or, you could make them yourself. The big advantage is that they're more reliable at high RPM. They don't pump up or float like hydraulic lifters, maintaining correct valve to piston clearances. Of course you'll need cams ground for solid lifters.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Solid's all the way, Hydraulic lifters don;t belong in a Race/Track engine, Only for the road.

There cheap to install as the std lifters can be modded and when set up correctly make no more noise as said.

Good thing to do in my book

[Anthony 1,003]

Solid's all the way, Hydraulic lifters don;t belong in a Race/Track engine, Only for the road.

There cheap to install as the std lifters can be modded and when set up correctly make no more noise as said.

What do you call "cheap" Miles? I remember there was an article about converting K Series hydraulic tappets to solids, and I assume it's near identical to that?

[petert 588]

What do you call "cheap" Miles? I remember there was an article about converting K Series hydraulic tappets to solids, and I assume it's near identical to that?

 

That is one method, or you can do what I've done and make the valves 15mm longer and throw away the internals of the bucket. A shim sits on top of the valve to control clearance. The other way is just to buy new solid buckets if you're cashed up. There's some pics. on the Arrow website. But if you were buying new buckets you'd take the opportunity to go up in diameter, so you could increase valve lift. Where do you stop?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

A few hundred quid, £200 - £300 and that inlcudes setting it up last time we did this on the old XU9 engine a few yr's back

[Mattsav 1]

Solids shouldn't be noisey at all.

Loads of std cars run them including a lot of toyota's, late zetec's, duratecs etc etc.

 

The downside is the hole in your wallet.

 

No point going for larger diameter followers unless you want cams with larger bearing diameters and the head line bored to suit. The std mi16 bearing sizes are too small and if you run agressive cams the lobes on the flywheel end lag behind the ones at the cambelt end (the cam twists) giving very odd results.

 

European touring cars used to run larger diameter cam bearings as they are limited to 11mm of lift so run flat nose profiles.

These are very aggressive and can't be put onto the std diameter mi16 cams.

[Shevy 4]

Thanks for your reply on that Matt.

 

Just waiting for your e-mail now, ready to remortgage the house !!!