When building a faster Type 1 or Type 3 engine, the choice of displacement or camshaft is not the only important element, there is much more. For example, the lifters must match the camshaft, not only in terms of material, but also in size. The sharper the camshaft, the larger the lifter surface must be. For a standard camshaft, a 28 mm lifter is easily sufficient (standard size), but for a fast camshaft, the surface may be too small and a larger surface (30 or 31 mm) is required. We strive to save as much weight as possible, what is not there does not need to be moved, hence more power.
All lifters are made from a single piece of chrome molybdenum aluminum, which makes them stronger. EMPI lifters are equipped as standard with an additional oil bore, which ensures pressure lubrication between the lifter and the camshaft, which is no luxury when the rpm increases. With these lifters it is necessary to fit a heavier oil pump, but you have to make this choice anyway when you are busy tuning the engine.
On type 4 engines, you can choose between mechanical and hydraulic (self-adjusting) lifters. Those who are seriously interested in tuning prefer a mechanical lifter to a hydraulic lifter, so that they can determine the valve clearance themselves. Mechanical lifters, like theEMPI lifters for Type 1 and Type 3 engines, are equipped with an additional oil bore that ensures pressure lubrication between the lifter and the camshaft.
When choosing a lifter, it is important that it is the same brand as your camshaft. The material from which the camshaft and lifter are made determines the operating characteristics of these parts. If you use a different brand of lifter than the camshaft, there is a risk that these parts will interact and cause irreparable damage. Both EMPI and Webcam advise to use lifters that they produce themselves, if this is not demonstrable (camshaft and lifters must be mentioned on the same invoice), there can be no warranty claim. All lifters are supplied in sets of 8.
It is almost essential to apply assembly paste to all moving parts of the engine during an overhaul, to avoid premature wear during the running-in process. Oil is thin and does not stay in place, so it is not suitable for overhaul work, but mounting paste does and protects all parts during the first hours of operation. This is very important for lifters to avoid excessive wear during the first few minutes of operation, so it must be ordered separately (see options tab).
To hold the type 1 and type 3 motor lifter in place during overhaul, special lifter clamps are available. If you've never done it before, you'll try it without these clamps, but trust me it's a small investment for an incredible convenience, just try holding 4 lifters simultaneously.
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