The engines of yesteryear were pretty simple, with tappets clackity-clacking away on cam lobes, opening valves, and making a ruckus while doing it. Mechanical lifters were adequate for valve operation ...

I had an engine shop rebuild my 327 small-block Chevy. Everything was brand-new, including the rods, pistons, crank, cam, and heads. After fire-up and with 100 miles on it, it washed a ring and ...

From the archives: The beauty of hydraulic lifters is that they self-compensate for valvetrain clearances, doing away with the need for valvetrain adjustment. To celebrate HOT ROD's 75th anniversary, ...