LS7 lifters, should I be worried?

[1nastyss]

Ok so I decided to say the heck with getting a '14-'15 in a year or so and decided to pay more attention to my 09.5 G8 GT since my '99 Camaro ss is somewhat done. I am looking into getting a rcr little lunati cam to keep to stock stall. I'm currently at 49k mods are simple kooks mids which I'm ditching for longtubes, solo unbalanced catback, pat g tune. So my questions is why is it when people do the dod delete and cam swap why do I see so many ls7 fail after cam swap etc. Is their a other option in reference to going with another lifter? I sure this thread has been talked about already so if so I'm sorry. Hoping Mr. Rick Crawford can bring some ponies to my ride.

[D00by]

They are fine. I think the issue is people not priming them properly. Be sure to soak them in oil overnight before you install them, work oil into the rollers really well, and prime the oil system before you start the motor.

[Chewy]

Some of us run Morel/Lunati because of the issues seen with the LS7 lifters. Morel/Lunati has a street (no link bar) lifter too. My thoughts are, you get what you pay for. Mine was built for dead nuts reliability over the highest HP/TQ it could make.

I think the issues are from more than one thing. As long as your preload is set right and you're running a spec'd cam from RCR, I'd bet it'd be fine. I think Rick mostly runs the LS7 lifter.

[STL_G8GT]

Preload. If you use the ls7s in a tried and true setup, your failure rate goes down dramatically.

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[jcmGT]

If using ls7 lifters has you concerned, get the Johnson slr from Tooley's site. Last I read, they had the lowest fail rate. I'd call Tooley or tick performance ask them thier opinion.

[tchr49]

No problems with LS7 lifters here.

[BuildItYourSelf]

Plenty of long lasting ls7 lifters out there.
Like others has said. In a well setup valve train your risk of failure goes down. I soaked my lifters and pulled a vacuum in a can to pull the air bubbles out of the lifters. Made sure my preload was good and no problem yet.
I think most failures are due to bad oil or low pressure or something else adding dibris to the oil like a pump. Or the tray isn't right. I really don't like the ls lifter tray. I feel the old small block design is better. I kinda wish I got link bar lifters because I don't plan on taking my heads off unless there is a big problem.

[EricL9]

I recently had a lifter fail and it makes a horrid sound. Not to mention if you take it to a mechanic, they're going to want $2,500+ just to replace the lifters and some gaskets. My advice is to do the DOD delete, new lifters, new cam, plugs, wires and tune. Find a gear head near you that likes working on LS engines. Buy them some beer and throw them some cash. They'll probably do it for cheap.

Anyway, for lifters, I'd go with the Lunati lifters with the link bar. The LS7 lifters have, on occasion, spun in the housing, broke and cracked a few blocks. That would be my luck. It's rare, but imagine a cracked block versus spending a couple hundred more for linked lifters. Linked lifter would pretty much guarantee the lifters won't spin and wreak havoc in your engine. I got mine from Paceperformance.com.

http://paceperformance.com/i-5142794-lun72332lun-lunati-retro-fit-hydraulic-roller-lifters-ls-engines-captured-link-bar-design.html

Hope this helps.

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[-Ray-]

Soaking LS7 lifters in oil prior to install is just common sense. Get new lifter trays when you rebuild. Make sure your valve train geometry is sound. Proper springs for your lift, proper length push rods, etc..
I've had 2 LS7 lifters go bad. I'm now using Lunati hi rpm link bars. Next build will have them as well. I'm not going to assume a plastic tray will hold the lifter positioned properly.
But that's me.

[EricL9]

Soaking LS7 lifters in oil prior to install is just common sense. Get new lifter trays when you rebuild. Make sure your valve train geometry is sound. Proper springs for your lift, proper length push rods, etc..
I've had 2 LS7 lifters go back. I'm now using Lunati hi rpm link bars. Next build will have them as well. I'm not going to assume a plastic tray will hold the lifter positioned properly.
But that's me.
Agreed!

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[D00by]

What preload do you guys like?

[-Ray-]

It depends on the lifter. Lunati is between .020"-.030"

[travis gore]

so far so good. I did not soak my lifters. I just oiled them and made sure the rollers were rolling.

[-Ray-]

so far so good. I did not soak my lifters. I just oiled them and made sure the rollers were rolling.

What are you talking about. We soaked your lifters before install. I mean not overnight, but they did jump in the pool.

[plymouth383]

I agree with soaking lifters and making sure the preload is right. It was a very important thing building large Mopar engines so I'm sure it carries over in these motors as well.

Not to highjack the thread but if you decide to sell those kooks mids let me know :thumbsup:

[D00by]

It depends on the lifter. Lunati is between .020"-.030"

For ls7 lifters.

[-Ray-]

For ls7 lifters.

You should talk to an engine builder. I'm still a novice at building engines, but I believe Livernois suggested 1 1/2 tuns after the push rod has tension.

[vipz28]

So the link bar lifters do away with the plastic trays entirely?

[D00by]

So the link bar lifters do away with the plastic trays entirely?

Correct

[gr8g8]

I just pulled mine for Johnson 2116 link bars

The LS7s started to make noise already after 5k miles. They looked fine when I pulled them, but the plunger was clearly bleeding down at idle. Cam motion cam, btr springs, light ls3 valves. All good stuff.

Do yourself a favor and buy the best lifter you can afford. The price stings at first, but you'll likely be set for the life of the car. Or at the very least, if you have a failure, it won't be the lifter's fault. If a lifter fails, you are generally out at least the price of new lifters and a cam, and many times they can take out the block if they turn in the bore.

At the very absolute least, get Morel 5315s.

[landsarmstrong]

I recently had a lifter fail and it makes a horrid sound. Not to mention if you take it to a mechanic, they're going to want $2,500+ just to replace the lifters and some gaskets. My advice is to do the DOD delete, new lifters, new cam, plugs, wires and tune. Find a gear head near you that likes working on LS engines. Buy them some beer and throw them some cash. They'll probably do it for cheap.


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Hahaha

[gr8g8]

Hahaha

Spend the extra few hundred and get Johnson lifters. Preferably the link bars, but the drop ins are great too. Too much bad shit can happen during lifter failure, it's silly not to spend the extra few hundred while it's apart.

[landsarmstrong]

Spend the extra few hundred and get Johnson lifters. Preferably the link bars, but the drop ins are great too. Too much bad shit can happen during lifter failure, it's silly not to spend the extra few hundred while it's apart.
True-dat
Every motor we build I tell them for just a little more get the link bars... if anything its security, piece of mind.

[RichsGreyGT]

I've run LS7 lifters since 2010 when we did my first Livernois Stage 1 cam swap. I've only put 20k miles on the car since then though.

I love to gamble!

if had it all over to do again, I would have done hollow intake valves, Link bar lifters, beehive springs and super thin head gaskets.