Lifter failure

[Dec_head]

I noticed over the past month or so i had a bit of lifter noise on start up anyway i just put it down to the usual pump up process.
So the other day i am driving and hear lifter noise occasionally and yesterday it got worse.

so I checked the rockers and looks likes one lifter has failed so today i pull it down to change them and what do i see.
A lifter worn away still pumped but worn out on the cam following end like a good 2 mil at least and looks like the cam is buggered as well.
All other lifters look perfect still they were all new.
I have never come across this before any ideas as to why it would happen all i can think of is the metal the lifter is made from is crap or it run dry somehow yet it looked the same as the others lubrication wise when i pulled it out.

[Holden202T]

its too hard to say whats caused it, could be lack of pre-lube on assembly, improper cam run-in procedure .... or maybe just dodgy hardware .... either way your right that its fucked

[delcowizzid]

was it a 304 LOL they eat lobes for breakfast if you dont run the cam in properly .even to much cranking before firing it up for the first time does it.it hurts to watch a new engine reving at 2000rpm for 20 minutes but is important if you want the lobes to last more than 1000km

[Dec_head]

yeah 304 could have been the cranking before firing took a bit to get oil pressure happening from what i can remember i filled the pump up through the pressure sender about 3 times.
i did use a bottle of lube can't remember what it was called ky jelly nah just kidding
someone suggested using moly next time anyone tried it ?
Odd bit is it was fine for at least 4000 k's

[VNracer34G]

delcowizzid is spot on there mate,

definitely want a good assembly lube on the lobes and be carefull about your selection of oil. A lot of the flash new oils for late model engines lack the (i think) sulphides used in the past added specifically to keep flat tappet cams alive.

and that first twenty is awesome at 3am with open headers - sweet music

[Holden202T]

well from what i've seen with my mates 304 rebuild we had to pressurise the sump to get the oil pressure up, its a hard one with them, cause i personally prefer to crank an engine till it has oil pressure before i put the plugs in and fuel it up but in these things you pretty much have to start it and hope it gets oil pressure

my mates has barely done 2000kms last i heard, see what happens over time

[Dec_head]

Yeah a lot of people seem to have trouble getting the oil pressure up on them why can't they be like a chev stick a screwdriver attached to a drill down the distributor hole and get it up before you even turn the motor over.
Should be right this time i will buy two bottles of lube and drown the lifters and cam in the stuff and cross my fingers.

[VNracer34G]

What valve springs are on it? It often pays to break the cam in with soft stockers and then change over to the ones specified for the cam, can be a bit of a pain in the arse to do but worth it in the long run.

[Dec_head]

I didn't take any notes they were the right ones for the cam at the time wich is a 284 crane .
I have seen it where they use double springs and they will leave out the inner for the run in process on large cams.
I never knew they were so well known for this with such a little cam i didn't think it would be a drama.
Couldn't have come at a worse time i am thinking about throwing a stocker cam back in i have here as it is my only form of transport at the moment.
And the wait for the cam i want will be over a week.

[Dec_head]

I am going to cut the old cam with the cut off saw and stick it in running on two bearings and attach the cordless drill to spin the fucker up slowly to prime the oil pump up before putting the new cam in.