I don't think it has anything to do with the oil band, this set of lifters worked for 3,000 miles then started to fail. Probably poor manufacturing or substandard material or both. Comp will tell you how they have engineered the best lifter in the world but wont tell you where it's made.The first set was bad right out of the box. When engine building shops stop using a brand altogether due to failures it tells you something. I'm sure there are thousands of sets of comp lifters in cars running strong but how many times is too much. Do they accept 1% failure? 5%? 10?
May be the engine other than the lifters. Lifter bores could be too short or too wide. I measured the bores and lifters before I assembled, they were within spec. I spun the engine with the heads and valve train assembled but the valley pan and intake off, the lifter grooves did not go below the bottom of the bores. Could be bent push rods, I took them out they are straight. Could be the studs are coming loose, I checked they are tight. Could be the camshaft is failing, no metal in the oil or filter, can't see it melting with a roller lifter. Could be the valve seats are pounding up into the heads. SHUDDER don't want to even think about that but it is possible, I think not but.
