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AGh! What the heck is this?

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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 01:30 PM
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Default AGh! What the heck is this?

I just need one more thing to fall apart now.....




Well during my intake manifold work I noticed this little round metal piece sitting on top of the #2 intake lifter, looks like perhaps a spring retainer that used to be inside the lifter. Obviously it's not supposed to be there, whatever it is. Lifters are Comp Cams Pro Magnum (flat tappet): http://www.powerandperformancenews.c...ry_Code=pmLFTR

All driver's side lifters seem to have all their parts "inside", while 3 of the passenger side ones seem to have the center portion sticking out a little. This includes the one with the loose clip. If the other two lost their clips, I don't know where they went

Normal:

Weird:


Strangely, I feel no notticeable loss of power and hear no odd noises (although they are more clacky than normal hydraulic lifters anyway). The only odd thing is getting 240psi on the #2 cylinder on a recent compression test, while the rest were between 205-220, although that's not too far off, just strangely high, valve not opening?

Are my lifters going to fall apart or what?

Thanks in advance for the help,
Chris
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 01:39 PM
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Well, you know where it came from. It's the lifter plunger retainer. It's supposed to keep the guts inside the lifter. If you loose your lash, either from a mechanical issue(like bad rocker nuts) or float the valves, the plunger can pop the retainer and be pushed out of the lifter body. The stamped retainers will almost always pop under pressure. The wire ones are a little harder to pop.

Obviously, this is not a desireable situation.
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 01:42 PM
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Email the photos to Comp Cams with your recipt or talk with the Machine Shop that built the motor. Comp Cams should warranty the parts if they aren't too old.
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 01:49 PM
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Yes I did have my lash go bad at one time. Perhaps the ones that are off were the worst ones, I don't recall. Any chance of popping it back in without special tools? Also, as they are now are they still operating normally?
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 01:53 PM
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They've been in the car well over a year now. They weren't like this when I changed the heads last summer but that's the last time the intake has been off. If I set the lash wrong, I wouldn't expect the refund anyway (not sure if that's the case of not)
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 01:53 PM
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If your already down that far put some new lifters in it, don't take the chance
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 02:59 PM
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Put the wire retainers back in place. Lifters should be changed as a set and with cam replacement. If you take a new lifter and were to place it on a thick piece of glass you would notice that the bottom is not perfectly flat. they are made that way so they rotate. the cam is actually made to make them rotate. Only change the lifters as a last resort. When I was in the Army many years ago and money was real tight, I would take lifters apart and clean them up and reuse them. There is nothing wrong with putting the retainers back in. Hope they all stayed up in the lifter galley.
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 03:01 PM
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Originally Posted by LiveandLetDrive
Yes I did have my lash go bad at one time. Perhaps the ones that are off were the worst ones, I don't recall.

That would be my guess.



Any chance of popping it back in without special tools?
Pretty easy. They're either a wire that you compress a bit, a flat spring that you use some circlip pliars on, or a stamped retainer that you pretty much just push in.


Also, as they are now are they still operating normally?
In your pictures, I see the plunger above the lifter body. No, that is not how they should be. The top of the plunger sits below where the retainer resides in the lifter body. You should be able to push the plunger down with the pushrod to re-insert the retainer. You shouldn't have any problems as long as the plunger can be pushed back down. If it were me, I'd pull the lifter and inspect the body to ensure that there was no gouging of the body. For the price, it's also easy enough to just put new lifters in even if it's only the ones that popped the retainer.
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by gerry72
That would be my guess.
......In your pictures, I see the plunger above the lifter body. No, that is not how they should be. The top of the plunger sits below where the retainer resides in the lifter body. You should be able to push the plunger down with the pushrod to re-insert the retainer......

With the plunger above the body and everything in the valve train still together, this indicates something has come loose
Check your rocker arms and also the height of your valve stems as a valve seat could be coming loose.
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Old Feb 10, 2005 | 03:43 PM
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Or bent/damaged push rod or rocker arm has been punched by push rod
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Old Feb 11, 2005 | 12:10 AM
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Well things turned out alright. I went out and bought a set of normal hydraulic lifters and replaced them all. From taking it apart, it seemed like the #2s were adjusted very wrong (adjusted on 6TDC instead of 1TDC perhaps) Dunno what happened to the #4 one that was off though. Fortunately no other damage. Changing the oil tomorrow for good measure.

Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal at all, but tomorrow I'm leaving on a 6hour road trip to Richmond(business) and on to Maryland (pleasure). Dropping off some chrome, then on to V-day and my girlfriend's 21st birthday (how cool is that?)

Anyhow.... thanks guys for the help.

-Chris
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