CVH Solid Lifters

Because of CNC machining commitments we are now unable to undertake any engine work, these pages remain for information purposes only.  But – we will be happy to find someone to help with your job, please phone or e-mail if you need a recommendation.

CVH solid lifters with shimWe now manufacture our own design of easily adjustable CVH solid lifters that are matched to a range of specially ground camshafts, for normally aspirated and turbo engines from fast road up to full race.

The use of solid lifters in place of the factory hydraulic items is common to most types of performance engine and is generally regarded as an essential step in the process of engine development. Extensively tested in road and race conditions, this solid lifter cam kit has provided excellent and reliable results. The key feature of these lifters is the shim that sits on top. Although this means that they take more time to set-up initially, the shim acts as a “spinner” that allows the follower to rotate freely while running.

The main reasons for using a solid instead of hydraulic lifter are:

1 – High rev reliability. At high engine speeds hydraulic lifters interfere with valve operation and account for the sudden and dramatic drop in power build up at a little over 6000 rpm. Look at any power graph for a CVH and see how strongly the curve climbs before drop-off occurs, then imagine projecting the power line at the same rate of climb for another 1000 rpm! A thousand extra revs may not sound like a lot, but even with a fairly standard road car the extra power generated can be quite significant.

Mark Stanton, Chairman of the Westfield Sports Car Club provided the figures for the power graph below once he had fitted a Ferriday cylinder head assembly with solid lifters.  (Full spec sheet – here)

Stanton powercurve
1600 CVH Westfield road & sprint car belongs to Mark Stanton. Standard bottom end with Ferriday modified head & Solid Lifter Cam Kit, 10:1CR, twin 40’s. Rolling road figures supplied by Hi-Tech Motorsport, WestMidlands.

2 – Positive Valve Opening. Even at lower revs a hydraulically operated valve suffers  from a “soft and soggy” opening operation. By replacing this with a positive mechanical lift, a more precise motion is achieved. This leads to a faster change in manifold vacuum, greater gas speed and ………more power!

3 – Predictable Operation. Hydraulic lifters are subjected to large and frequent variations in oil pressure and temperature. Solid lifters are a known quantity that simplify valve operation and remove such variables.

4 – Weight and friction reduction. A solid lifter is 10% lighter than it’s hydraulic counterpart, and given the overall weight of CVH valve train, this is an important bonus. Any loss of weight in this area will help with engine efficiency and life expectancy. Also, a hydraulic lifter exerts a constant pressure to the total circumference of each lobe base circle resulting in a certain amount of drag. A solid lifter does not contact the camshaft base circle, so internal friction is reduced.

A full cam kit consists of – 1 camshaft (choice of profile), 8 solid lifters, 8 valve springs, 1 timing disc, & 1 tube of camlube. Price for this kit is £330.00 total. Fitting instructions are supplied, and technical help by phone is also available. A range of commonly used cam profiles are kept ex-stock, but specially ground profiles to suit individual needs are available at the same price.

Please note – solid lifters are not compatible with hydraulic camshafts.