no you do not need it .but on hi rpm engines with soild lifters i put them in you can use a roller type or a soild type are made from aluminun and you will have to fit it to the cover get it close as you can check it with white grease to set it up you may have the cover off and on . to set the end play on the button you may need work on the front cover by pushing the center of cover out or in this can be done with a couple of big sockets and a hammer do this off the engine .if it cast cover i have added one more timming set gasket or tig weld a small pices in the cover. for the aluminun button type you can file some off the end . try to keep end play down to .003 to.005 this can be check if intake is off by seting a dial indicator with a mag base in the the lifter valley .you can move the cam with a big screw driver to check end play