Roller lifters

When rebuilding roller lifters and replacing the needle bearings with bushings how much oil clearance should there be between the axle and the bushings? Would .003-.005 be sufficient or should I give it some extra since it’s not pressure fed.

curiousgeorge wrote:When rebuilding roller lifters and replacing the needle bearings with bushings how much oil clearance should  there be between the axle and the bushings? Would .003-.005 be sufficient or should I give it some extra since it’s not pressure fed.

I don't know that I would go any more than that. You want the bushing to take the least amount of pounding as possible.

Interesting. This article mentioned ".003" before flags go up" and .0015" with needle bearings.

https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tech/engine/isky-cams-takes-mystery-out-of-bushing-style-roller-lifters/

Don't you need the HIPPO oil feed with the bushing to make them lubricate?

George, Isky was keeping the initial clearance secrete in the article and also mentioned some kind of "special break in fluid" that they use to assemble them. Looks like the .003" is how much the clearance can grow after use until they are almost worn out.

I just wanted to clear that up, from my initial post.

supervel45 wrote:George, Isky was keeping the initial clearance secrete in the article and also mentioned some kind of "special break in fluid" that they use to assemble them. Looks like the .003" is how much the clearance can grow after use until they are almost worn out.

I just wanted to clear that up, from my initial post.

Yes I’ve only had a chance to read part of that article but it also states the were using a proprietary material. I have found some high load oil impregnated bronze bushings that fit the roller and new tool steel shaft for the axle but the bushings will have to be reamed/honed to fit the axle and I can set the clearance then. A lot of them I see have drilled an oil passage through the lifter body so it will just spray oil on the axle. I think a few have tried to get pressure fed into the axle to try and float the bushing.


I will most likely put this set together and test them in my engine since I don’t have access to the equipment to test them. I would like to start doing this on the side but I’m trying to get everything figured out first.

I use the smaller size pin gauge set on carburetors. I don't know how big your roller pin is but this may help you sizing them, or next size set.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/350727698242

The DLC stuff bushings seem to be the best if you can get them now or afford them.

https://racemaxdirect.com.au/product/bam-roller-lifters-ford-w-c-bbf-874-pro-plus-bb1-bushed-centre-p-rod-b-2010-16bb1/

Hopefully you can make yours work out.

The axle is .315 or 8mm.

That sucks, the price doubles/triples. This looks like it has all the sizes left you are after.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233748449117?hash=item366c7e475d:g:aCgAAOSwmY9fijbT&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoMtqPIG%2FAvrkVycypnJT6Ip5NAu3QTqDDQ6cNfWCEOey0YqQAN146dvmlMMTU6Kzvq5KDVxPtHVIeJbVusC75t5vom2nKkNd6yYKG4sjfAesLmGrkr9YnsM8UAag7XmS5P0XG8u%2Bgx%2FZ%2FxFNh5OF3Lm3ad5bMd%2FA0rcmOoD9H%2F4AqB51duljU22iRycBxc5LAjXkUR%2FEujEKqhWyXtSiTmg%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4qZ8fzVYQ