Dave1972

Has anyone heard of a roller lifter shortage? My builder who is pretty reputable said that they are having problems getting the correct roller lifters for my motor. I'm not sure of part numbers but they are very particular about which parts go into their motors. It's nothing TOO powerful as they are tweaking my 502mag EFI. It just sounds a little fishy to me that they can't find the particular roller lifters they need. Maybe it would help if I had part numbers but unfortunately I don't have them right now. I think they are referring to the lifters similar to what MERC uses in the 500HP EFI and they also mentioned Lunati as a name. Anyone have suggestions or ideas? I just can't believe that they can't find roller lifters SOMEWHERE in the US and have them overnighted!!! HELP?

Brad Perry

There are plenty of other options, but your builder sounds too picky to consider them. For that application, what is wrong with the GM rollers that came in it??

GregP

Have heard the same things on the Corvette board, that there seems to be a shortage of some aftermarket hydraulic rollers. I think soilds are available, but that of course won't help if your cam is made for hydraulics.

Sean

Yes, There is a lifter shortage in general...at least that's what Jegs has told me. I called Summit Racing for my Crane 99377s and they said they had 5 sets in stock! I had mine overnighted.

BTW, see y thread on "540 won't idle" to see about "other" lifters...

jdnca1

Yes there is a serious shortage of roller lifters, I've heard its starting to ease some now though.

Cord

The problem is that there was one manufacturer that was making all of the lifter bodies. Was this DANA? Anyways, this manufacturer stopped making the bodies. This resulted in a shortage of parts. I believe that somebody else has now pickup the body and that the shortage is ending.

I just find it interesting how one manufacturer claimes their lifter is better than the next, when they are all buying the same parts! What suckers we are...

Brad Perry

In many more ways than we know............

razor1115

Yes, there was a shortage - some one else picked up the ball where the other co. dropped it and is now manufacturing lifter bodies. The lag time in betwwen the swithover caused the shortage. Crane told me several months lead time. As for your builder being picky, if you go to a cam with over 0.575 lift, I believe, the cam has to have a smaller base circle for clearance issues. Thus the difference needs to be taken up somewhere - they go to a longer body lifter. If you did not go to the longer body lifter, there's a good chance your roller lifter would actually go BELOW the lifter retainer that keeps it from pivoting in its bore and could rotate. That means the roller no longer rides squarely on cam lobe face = instant distruction of cam, roller, etc. MAJOR rebuild time.

Dave1972

Thanks everyone for the post. You mean to tell me that there is only one manufacturer of lifter bodies and that all of the cam manufacturers just put their name on it? Sounds kind of odd to me but I've been "odd" before!! At any rate, I guess my builder wasn't blowing smoke....but the more important question is, where could I look to find the roller lifters I need? I apologize for not having part numbers but if anyone has a good suggestion please let me know. I'm sure that I can get the part number from my builder if necessary.


Thanks for all of your replies...I still can't believe that there is only one manufacturer of lifter bodies....talk about a monopoly!!

Dave

MIKEHTMSR24

a month ago. He said their was only one company making them and they closed the doors. He had high concerns on what was going to happen. He said that most of the employees were gone and that a lot of experience would be lost. This makes ya scared on the quality of what will be coming at us. I haven't talked to him since then. At that time he said no one had bought the company. Gary bought a sh*t load of lifters and he said Summit and or Jegs was calling him for lifters.
I think his stock was getting depleaded quickly. He was saving some for his customers .