[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You still need to check to make sure what the problem actually is...

I would first check the valve clearances again. If they are OK, the lifters/cam might not actually be dying!

Another (very very messy!) thing you can do is put some clear plastic wrap over your timing light, pull a valve cover, start the engine, and use the timing light to look at the rocker arms. They should look stationary in the timing light. If not, then the lifters are possibly bad or the cam gear bolts may have backed off. (You did loc-tite those, right?) You will get oil all over the place doing this, be warned!!

Another check for bad lifters is to pull the rocker arms off of the motor, pull the pushrod tubes and pushrods, and use a magnet to pull the lifters out of the motor. Inspect for any wear--since you used new lifters, you probably shoud not see any wear whatsoever. You may, with luck, also be able to get enough inspection mirrors together to see the cam lobes through the lifter bores. Again, I don't think any wear should be visible on a new cam.

Good luck!!

--DD