Solid or Hydraulic Tappets?

[81dmc]

So I’m going to be finally finishing my 3.0.

Should I install 12 new hydraulic tappets or just pull the solid ones off the old 2.8?





My worry is if a hydraulic tappet fails, it would also require a head gasket job…

Is this a valid reason, or am I being a worrywart?

[Bitsyncmaster]

They just did a compare of tappets on ENGINE MASTERS on motor tread. Maybe you can find that show to view on the internet.

I would think our PRV does not have the oil passage setup for hydraulic.

[81dmc]

They just did a compare of tappets on ENGINE MASTERS on motor tread. Maybe you can find that show to view on the internet.

I would think our PRV does not have the oil passage setup for hydraulic.

The 3.0 comes with hydraulic tappets and the right pump, but if one tappet fails, that means pulling head bolts to replace.

[81dmc]

Tappets never touch cam on the 3.0. It’s a solid rocker. The hydraulic tappets are directly over the valves.

In any case, what I want to really know is if anyone has had a failure of these hydraulic tappets on the 3.0.


I’m not too worried about peak RPM, rather I’m worried I’ll have a failure which requires head removal. I do like the idea of not adjusting valves, but what’s the point if the head has to come off?


If failure is not too common. I’ll just buy new tappets.


Fwiw, the originals were all frozen when I tore the engine down.

[Delorean Industries]

Extremely high failure rate. Run the 2.8 rockers for reliability.

[81dmc]

Extremely high failure rate. Run the 2.8 rockers for reliability.

Roger. Will run the 2.8 rockers.


IIRC, I think I asked you on the phone a couple years ago. My cars been engineless for 4 years now.

Been too long, so that’s changing this year.

[Delorean Industries]

My original car has been off the road since 2008. Glad to see you are back on it. Shoot us an email and we can give you a quick refresh on our recommendations for building a 3.0 hybrid.

[81dmc]

My original car has been off the road since 2008. Glad to see you are back on it. Shoot us an email and we can give you a quick refresh on our recommendations for building a 3.0 hybrid.

Thanks, I appreciate it!

I actually have all the emails we exchanged in 2020. Saved them in my Delorean folder.

I got the block decked to achieve the correct protrusion with the new liners I bought and your shims sold me. Going to mount those soon with thin smear of hylomar.

I don’t know if you recall, I had those old heads that machine shop trashed… I had a very reputable shop in Houston do the second set of heads. They did an excellent job. Mirror like finish.

For the hell of it, I had them check out the trashed heads… and yep valves were also ground lopsided. Sad because good 3.0 parts are getting harder to find.