Howards Hydraulic Flat Tappet Lifters - What In The World?

[patrickonb]

Received these in the mail today. Sending them back out tomorrow, absolutely unacceptable!
You'd think Howards would take a bit more pride in their quality control! These are their #91112
lifters.

Also, checking them on my Fowler gauge stand shows they are totally unsymmetrical around
the circumference. Setting my gauge to zero, I spin the lifter and it will drop to .00325, then slowly
back up to .000 where I started.

From the info I can find from Howards, it's my understanding that they use a 4060" radius as the basis
for the face of their lifters, so their lifters should actually be curved, with the peak being at lifter
center. I can tell by looking at the lifters that these were simply ground at an angle on some crappy
grinding machine, and by someone who could give one ****'s about quality.

Anyway, not impressed at all with their lifters. The damnedest thing is, I have one of their cams on
hand, and it's beautiful quality.

https://ibb.co/vVGGL0s
https://ibb.co/WPVpYMk
https://ibb.co/xJ7SNcR
https://ibb.co/HKrdhHJ
https://ibb.co/GTwj0gm
https://ibb.co/4pQJjXx

[Geoff2]

That is why you should get some 25 yr old [ or older ] factory [ or aftermarket ] lifters....& have them re-faced. Then you won't have problems with junk lifters....

[PackardV8]

Those are really, really bad.

That is why you should get some 25 yr old [ or older ] factory [ or aftermarket ] lifters....& have them re-faced. Then you won't have problems with junk lifters....

For true. My partner, who builds the SBCs, saves the old Delphi lifters with the chilled iron button, refaces them and has never lost a cam lobe.

[rebelrouser]

What shop or companies offer lifter refacing? I have been doing hydraulic rollers, but I may come up with a job that has to have a flat tapper camshaft.

[Bill Chase]

Those are really, really bad.

That is why you should get some 25 yr old [ or older ] factory [ or aftermarket ] lifters....& have them re-faced. Then you won't have problems with junk lifters....

For true. My partner, who builds the SBCs, saves the old Delphi lifters with the chilled iron button, refaces them and has never lost a cam lobe.

Think of the tons of gm lifters that were thrown away over the years. Now they are sought after performance parts. Who'da thunk it?

[PackardV8]

What shop or companies offer lifter refacing? I have been doing hydraulic rollers, but I may come up with a job that has to have a flat tapper camshaft.

We don't seek job work, but if you can't find anyone local to you, we'll do them for $5 plus shipping.

[cpmotors]

Received these in the mail today. Sending them back out tomorrow, absolutely unacceptable!
You'd think Howards would take a bit more pride in their quality control! These are their #91112
lifters.

Also, checking them on my Fowler gauge stand shows they are totally unsymmetrical around
the circumference. Setting my gauge to zero, I spin the lifter and it will drop to .00325, then slowly
back up to .000 where I started.

From the info I can find from Howards, it's my understanding that they use a 4060" radius as the basis
for the face of their lifters, so their lifters should actually be curved, with the peak being at lifter
center. I can tell by looking at the lifters that these were simply ground at an angle on some crappy
grinding machine, and by someone who could give one ****'s about quality.

Anyway, not impressed at all with their lifters. The damnedest thing is, I have one of their cams on
hand, and it's beautiful quality.

You know Howards doesn't grind or make lifters right? And I'd bet those aren't even made in the USA. Doesn't excuse the quality or the QC they should have, but this isn't exactly a new issue.

What shop or companies offer lifter refacing? I have been doing hydraulic rollers, but I may come up with a job that has to have a flat tapper camshaft.

Debbie Jackson at PPPC in NC offers it as a service.

[77cruiser]

Looks like they were done by hand on a bench grinder.

[CamKing]

You won't see that issue with our Hydraulic flat tappet lifters, and that's the reason why they're $170 a set.

[PRH]

Apparently………cost does not seem to be a reliable indicator of quality

EA8212D0-1DD4-429F-BD7C-49B90A4453A1.png

[patrickonb]

You won't see that issue with our Hydraulic flat tappet lifters, and that's the reason why they're $170 a set.

OK Mike, I will take you up on that!! I'll order a set of your lifters, I've gone through 3 sets now, and every one
of them have been absolute junk! Isky was by far the best, but even they had some really bad areas.

Thanks,
Patrick

[Tuner]

Maybe if you use this for assembly lube.


https://next.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en ... 915IB.html

[BOOT]

I got a few sets from diff brands, all offsore and look the same(gotta edit that vid). Had to go thru em all to find one decent set. I'll use the worst in a crappy engine that already had a cam failure cause idgaf bout that one.

[BillK]

Just curious. Did you buy these directly from Howards ? Any chance they are an offshore counterfeit ? Unless you purchased them directly from Howards I think I would reach out to them first and make sure that the lifters get back to them directly. I would certainly call them before sending them back.

The whole thing just doesn't sound right to me. I simply cannot imagine them knowingly sending something like that out.

Just my opinion,

[68maliblue]

Could be old stock from 2021. During the covid shutdown nobody had lifters. I bought a set from Howard's back then and they weren't even advertised as us made. I sent them back as the chamfer looked a little rough and the surface finish didn't inspire confidence. I talked to the Howard's rep and he was straightforward saying that they had supply issues and didn't have many options. He did say they were North American made but I doubt they were made in Canada. Ended up getting a set of lifters from a friend to finish the project. That said I have been very impressed with their camshafts and have never had an issue with them - quality product.