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Every race car driver and truck driver hauling loads wants reliable and optimal performance when it is needed the most. Roller lifters have been used under the hood to reduce friction and increase power output. There are three main styles of roller lifters to choose from. You may already have a roller lifter installed in your vehicle that you want to replace or you may want to upgrade for better performance.

Definition

You will find roller lifters within the engines of some vehicles. A roller lifter is a valve lifter that has a metal roller attached at one end. The roller end makes contact with the camshaft, reducing friction between the camshaft lobe and lifter.

Construction

You can locate a lifter on the top of each camshaft lobe. These have a cylinder shape that is made out of metal. Each lifter will have a pushrod on the upper section of its metal body. The lifter rises, causing the pushrod to rise to actuate the adjacent rocker arm. This motion then opens up the cylinder head valve.

Application

Lifters convert the energy made by the camshaft lobes into useful energy for the engine. Roller lifters produce less friction and have a longer lifespan than regular flat lifters. Less friction will give you more engine power, thus making it a good choice for engines that need an extra boost of energy and power. These lifters are often found under the hoods of small scale race cars that need reliable engine performance.

Types of Lifters

You will find a few different types of lifters. You will find mechanical roller lifters, hydraulic roller lifters and retrofit hydraulic roller lifters as the most frequently implemented lifters. The mechanical roller lifters are usually found in street or mild competition applications. Hydraulic roller lifters are used with standard factory alignment bars where hydraulic roller lifters came factory equipped. Retrofit hydraulic rollers are specially designed for fort engines and small block engines. These have vertical alignment bars.

Building an engine piece by piece or repairing an engine can quickly become expensive. It is always helpful to find ways in which to save money. One way to do this is to reuse parts from your existing engine.

The Facts

Roller lifters are part of the valvetrain. They can be hydraulic or solid (mechanical). They roll, therefore the friction is less, and they can work well even with aggressive cam profiles.

Considerations

While you cant reuse flat lifters, roller lifters can be reused as they are designed differently and generally are subject to less friction and wear. These do not "require the lifter and cam lobe to wear-in or mate to each other," according to Summit Racing. It is important to assess whether the roller lifters you want to reuse are worn. First, check if they still roll smoothly. Also, you should clean and check the lifters for wear and discoloration from heat. You should check the needle bearings and the axle as well as the wheel. If they are worn, at best they will not work well or last very long. At worst, they can end up damaging your engine.

Significance

Roller lifters can be safely reused if you are diligent when cleaning, ensuring there are no signs of wear.