Clevite or Melling Lifters

[icanfixall]

So, its this way. I bought both Clevite and Melling lifters for my 7.3. I couldn't pass up the price. The Clevite lifters have roller bearings on the roller and a small pin. The Melling have the roller riding on a bushing and has a much larger pin holding the roller. The Clevite has a larger cup for the pushrod and a larger oil hole in it than the Melling. I know the roller bearing lifter roller will have less friction and surface coverage but better friction reduction and the Melling lifter will have more friction on the roller but better bearing surface contact able to spread the load better than the roller bearings on the Clevite. Both have their advantages so which set would you guys use and why... Thanks for the input on this.

 

[sle2115]

I would go with the roller bearing one! The reason is I have used so called roller lifter that were bushinged. They depended upon oil, just like any babbit style bearing. While the rollers need oil as well, they are as dependant upon the thin pressurized film as the bushing would be. Just my opinion of course, but I can tell you the bushinged roller rockers would not tolerate low oil pressure, they would "scuff" and eventually sieze.

 

[Freight_Train]

Clevite!The ones that came out of the engine I got from Tanya and BJ had the large pin friction bearing jobbers and every roller was gaulled up real bad(Not to mention the lobes on the cam...I hope it will work for a few months!) and some where VERY hard to turn at first.Once I got them to move a little they spun but the ones that came out of White Lightning were stock and had smaller pins with bearings(I think) and looked like brand new.No scuffs,no marks just a bright,shinny,polished streak where it spun for 100K miles with no flaws.