Gaterman Lifters?

[CamKing]

Are the Delphi LS7 lifters okay to handle .650"?

We buy the LS7 lifters right from the local GM dealer, and we often use them with .648" lift(.360" x 1.8 rockers)

[briancb1]

Are the Delphi LS7 lifters okay to handle .650"?

We buy the LS7 lifters right from the local GM dealer, and we often use them with .648" lift(.360" x 1.8 rockers)

After talking with my friend about the discussion here, he is thinking that going with the US Delphi lifter is a safe bet.

Thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it.

[1745greg]

I dont have any experience with the LS engines so this may be a dumb question but here it is. Does anyone use or make solid roller lifters for these engines? Or is everyone using hydralics for racing?

[briancb1]

There are solid roller available, but it doesn't seem to be commong.

On a carb'ed motor i wouldn't see a problem but on a factory injected car it would render the knock sensor usless and many people still use these motors for a street car.

[CamKing]

I dont have any experience with the LS engines so this may be a dumb question but here it is. Does anyone use or make solid roller lifters for these engines? Or is everyone using hydralics for racing?

We ran solid rollers on the Daytona Prototype LS engines. I believe they were Jesel lifters.

Crower makes a solid lifter for the LS also.

[1745greg]

Thanks all for the answers to the solid lifter question,If I build one of these engines it will have a carburator and distributor..

[hsutton]

My son had a Trailblazer SS with a stock LS-2. When he first started to hop it up a little he had problems with the LS-2 lifters. We bought a set of the more expensive Morel tie bar lifters and a small cam to go along wth some 225 CNC TFS heads. He decided to trade vehicles late last year so he pulled the race oriented stuff and went back to a factory LS-7 lifter. He said those factory LS-7s were of much better quality than the LS-2s that were stock and would rev over 6K rpms without any problems, unlike the LS-2 lifters. They also made the TBSS almost a half second quicker than it had been stock and were very reasonably priced.

[69-CHVL]

I picked-up a set of Trick Flow lifters, and was sad to see they were Gatermans. Not that I have any experience with them, but I had a set of them side by side to a Cranes. Although they are VERY similar, they Cranes just seemed a little beefier, especially around the tie-bar area.

[cstraub]

Just to clear up a few things here. Morels inexpensive lifter is made in conjunction with Eaton and is a joint venture. This lifter is being produced to compete with the offshore garbage. NOw the lifter is designed for OEM performance cam upgrades based on OEM .700" wheel designed profiles. Morel intended this to be used with "HOT" cam applications and lift was not to exceed .600 and duration at .050" a max of 230.

Any marine or endurance engine needs to use the 100% made in house Morel .750" wheel stuff. The Morel street lifter's capabilities have been over sold by some. Trying to save money in the valvetrain will bite you everytime.

[briancb1]

Wow, where were you able to find this information?

Im pretty impressed you dug that up, I couldn't find anything really specific to why they were so cheap compared to their "top-tier" lifters at double the price.

It seems like they have no advantage over a stock Ls7 lifter unfortunetly...

[rskrause]

I have a problem with the "Made by Morel" being an import product. That's misleading. I prefer to buy US stuff for a variety of reasons and at least feel that an import should be clearly labelled anf advertised as such. Callies does a good job of this with the Compstar line - thye make the origin of the forgings widely known.

Shame on Morel, IMHO.

BTW - the GM lifters work fine and are inexpensive and widely available.

[cstraub]

The Eaton plant is in Mexico. The lifter has over 55% US content.

[novadude]

Personally, I would have no problems with a part manufactured by an Eaton-owned plant in Mexico. Eaton is a large global company, and I have no doubt that they are applying good manufacturing practices / QC methods in all their plants. I would be more concerned if Morel was just subcontracting manufacturing to the lowest bidder in China / Mexico. I think that is what you get when you deal with some of the smaller companies who aren't partnered with a Global manufacturer. That is where the problems start.

[cstraub]

Morel is a Union shop and family owned for 3 generations. I have you know Ed is not interested in shipping jobs overseas. Ed's family has been envolved with Eaton for decades and being a racer that knows some can not afford the best he did what he thought was best to bring out a more price effective lifter for the guy building a mild performance application.

[briancb1]

Just to clear up a few things here. Morels inexpensive lifter is made in conjunction with Eaton and is a joint venture. This lifter is being produced to compete with the offshore garbage. NOw the lifter is designed for OEM performance cam upgrades based on OEM .700" wheel designed profiles. Morel intended this to be used with "HOT" cam applications and lift was not to exceed .600 and duration at .050" a max of 230.

Any marine or endurance engine needs to use the 100% made in house Morel .750" wheel stuff. The Morel street lifter's capabilities have been over sold by some. Trying to save money in the valvetrain will bite you everytime.

In your opinion, would these work for me? Would you use them?

I'm considering removing my GM "CTSV-R Lifters" PN 88958689 that have around 3000 street miles with another high-rpm lifter when I pull the heads to get some port work done.

Its an 454" LS7 application:
Intake: 304°seat /253° .050" /173°.200"/ .360" Lobe (.648 lift)
Exhaust: 312° seat / 259° .050" / 178° .200" / .360" Lobe (.648 lift)

Peaks around 6500 rpm and I shift at or just shy of 7000 RPM. The PN 88958689 lifters have a bad following online it seems and I'd hate to see something get damaged as this is a $15,000 engine.