I don't have any personal experience with re ground lifters, but when you consider the labour to "properly" regrind old lifters, how much money do you save? And considering the repeat labour to tear the engine down to remove bad lifters & the likely ruined cam, is the risk worth it?. I doubt it!

Paul

Paul, you are so right on this when comes to insurance on maybe a tear down or not. How thin is the hardness that's left on the lifters after a regrind? Early ford lifters were thicker than some of the after markets so reground ford might be a better than the after market, just my opinion and for the little difference if any in price I'm with you.

-Gary Burnette-

I'm really not certain how Ford "Surface Hardened" the lifters. there are numerous ways to do this, depending on the material they were made from. Probably, they're plain cast iron with a carburized or salt bath hardening. In either case the thickness of the hardened portion is going to be .010" or less. I don't believe that regrinding will remove less than that. Second issue, where or how did the regrinder get the specification for the shape of the foot. This curvature will be critical to the life of the lifter, AND your new expensive camshaft. If you want to play "Russian Roulette" with a new cam, have at it. Me, I'll get new lifters from somebody I trust knows all this and does not want to warranty his products, but rather sell you something that works the first time.
That probably does not include Chinese or Taiwanese lifters on E-Bay. Mummert or Ted Eatons Isky parts would be my choice.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Comp cams are selling new lifters now and they look like Iskys to me.

-Gary Burnette-

Reground lifters left me in a bad way. I had sent mine to a Calif. specialist to have them reground. They looked great. I then installed them on a new Isky cam. The springs are over 200lbs open. My beautiful cam went flat and Broke 2 lifters in exactly 20 minutes of break in time. I phoned "ED" himself. He told me that should not have happened. But after flushing and reassembly alone with a new Isky cam, I used Isky Newlifters NO PROBLEMS! Oh sidebar "ED" offered to send me a new cam free. I did purchase the second cam from him. I figured it was my bad.

I would say with heavy springs and high lift I would Always go new. Just from my experience>

Jim

  Jim Rowe Elkhorn, NE

Can they not be hardened again, after the regrind? It seems like that is what really needs to be done.


Lawrenceville, GA

Then you're talking more money, Where's the savings other than thinner lighter lifters??

-Gary Burnette-

Charlie, Of course. But the cost for a small volume of parts would probably exceed the cost of new ones. You'd need to anneal the parts, then re-harden them. I obviously can't tell you what that would cost at every heat treat facility, but the furnaces or salt baths are usually designed for hundreds or thousands of parts per heat. You'd pay the same price for 16 that Ford paid for many hundreds or thousands. Seems like a no win situation. Having said this, somebody will find a place that'll do it for 10 bucks, I'm sure!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

I realize from the cost perspective, it would add more.
It just seemed logical to me that a place that can regrind with the proper crown might also have a way that's cost effective to harden them after resurfacing. If it's their business, they might be able to do several hundred at a time.
I didn't know reground lifters were not hardened, so now I would not consider them even for a stock build. Without hardening, only half of the job is done and apparently Ford thought hardening was necessary even for stock builds.


Lawrenceville, GA

“Hardening” is a whole ‘nother science in itself. I see enough mishaps in hardening from those people that know what they are doing to be glad it’s not done at just any corner shop. Without the experience and the proper measuring equipment, it’s hit and miss at best.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)