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TR2/3/3A Tappets 60 3A

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Tinkerman

Tinkerman

Darth Vader
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Afternoon all:

How can I tell if my tappets are useable or not? They are not broken and don't look abused. But they still have probably about 100,000 miles on them. Should I buy new ones, use these? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks, Tinkerman
 
first,
are you installing a new cam or reground cam? if you are, you need to have the tappets reground. your local cam grinder usually does this with a reground cam. If you are just re-installing the same cam AND have not mixed up the lifters and they do not show any pits or scratches, then you can re-install. NEVER reuse previous lifters on a new or reground cam unless the lifters are reground or new (unless you have ceramic lifters from schubeck).
Rob
 
Further,
if they look good after that mileage, i would definitely keep and regrind them since the quality of some of the new lifters really suck. Yours appear to be made of good material. Remember, lots of cam lube and break in properly
That means no blipping the throttle when you first start up, just hold it and keep revs at 1500 or so initially till all warmed up and maintain for 15-20 minutes then shut it down and let the engine compleatly cool (overnight). some say more revs like 2000. when you first drive it (the next day of coarse, keep the revs low and load light (1st and 2nd gear only) with low revs (drive around the block a few times once warmed 20 minutes or so then shut down again and let cool completly.next day go for a easy ride on a flat hyway keeping load and revs low for 20 minutes.
You have now saved your new cam and lifters from probable destruction. blipping the throttle with no load at start up the first time is a quick and stupid death of a new/reground cam and lifters. do the engine tuning AFTER the cam has been broken in. then gradually work up the revs.
the cam goes through a material change at the surface from the work hardening of running and the cool down periods are important for the grain structure to set.
Rob
 
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