The question: $850 for Johnson's or $550 for Morels- which are you choosing and why?

The reason: lifter trays might be the cause of my oil pressure issue in the "old" 408 (slow drain back, high volume pump sucking pan dry). Link bars eliminate trays. New 408 going for 7k rpm, want additional stability and lifter performance

Options are narrowed down to Johnson's or Morel. Leaning heavily on Johnson's and just eating the cost, because going fast is cheap, right???

 

How sure are you about this oil drain back slow being a issue? I dont recall how the car pans are made.
Using Johnson 2110R short travel lifters in some mud bog trucks never had a oil pressure fluctuations above 7000 rpms for an uncomfortably long time running 10296 and 10355 oil pumps. But thats a truck oil pan if that matters.

I dont think you can go wrong with either brand tho.

 

I've pulled 7K+ with stock lifter trays & stock lifters in multiple 5.3, 5.7, 6.0 & 408s. I've seen where some will drill small holes in the pocket of the OEM lifter trays to help get oil back to the bottom. I went with non link bar Johnsons in my current 408 in stock unmodified lifter trays.

 

Just speculation based on what I have read about LS motors in long, high RPM corners- and thats where I suffered the failure. Allegedly drilling the trays facilitates additional drain back, but some users have reported the lifter tray breaking. I have to assume they were rough with the drill or didn't use a sharp step bit, or whatever have you. I am not concerned at all about the "machining" aspect of the mod, but if I can eliminate all potential problems with link bars, I think that answers everything I need. Add a "normal" volume pump, dry sump and 12qt capacity and every problem except oil puddling in the head is solved

The engine currently has 2110r's in it, that I hope are ok after cleaning, but I am making no assumptions on the health of anything in that engine and am in fact piecing together an entirely new engine

 

Have the Johnson 2110-K's from Katech... they are a tighter tolerance.
If I was to run the 2116-LSR I would also get them through Katech for the same exact reason I got the 2110's from them.

Yes there spec is correct. I compared a standard set of the same Johnsons to a set from Katech and they are a tighter tolerance. You will notice the difference in the fitment to the block as well.

https://katechengines.com/i-30497677...ifter-set.html