Changing lifters
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 22
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Changing lifters
Ive recently had an issue with a lifter i believe is sticking. I removed the intake and exposed the lifters, while there ive considered changing all the lifters and rods which is cheap and simple. However, after reading the thread entitled "change lifters?" im reconsidering my actions. Will changing the lifters really cause possible damage to the cam shaft? as high as a 50/50 probability of damage?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
the answer to your question is yes and yes. A new cam and lifter starts wearing as soon as the engine is started. They develop a wear patten that in particular to that individual lobe and lifter foot. If you change one without the other the wear pattern has to start all over again and you run a risk of the lobe or the lifter going away.
After that, I'll tell you that while you ARE taking a chance, I have replaced one lifter on a cam back in my dealership days on cars under warranty and gotten away with it as far as I know. Did it really work over the long term? No idea. But it was all that warranty would pay for at the time because the cam was not already flat.
After that, I'll tell you that while you ARE taking a chance, I have replaced one lifter on a cam back in my dealership days on cars under warranty and gotten away with it as far as I know. Did it really work over the long term? No idea. But it was all that warranty would pay for at the time because the cam was not already flat.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 22
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so what do you recommend, pull the lifters, clean them and put them back in the way they came out? will i also run a risk by replacing the rods? Or just blow them with air where they are and only adjust the valves? Being a shade tree/weekend mechanic i rely on ya'lls advice.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
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From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
yes you should keep the lifters in order to line with original lobes.
As stated, it is a service item that has been replaced and can wear in with no problem.
You should run it like a new cam break in.
Also as stated, it might not wear right and flatten a cam lobe.
Tough choice.
Examine the questionable lifter for debris.
clean it with some solvent and reprime with oil.
As stated, it is a service item that has been replaced and can wear in with no problem.
You should run it like a new cam break in.
Also as stated, it might not wear right and flatten a cam lobe.
Tough choice.
Examine the questionable lifter for debris.
clean it with some solvent and reprime with oil.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 22
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The engine developed a ticking sound and after eliminating all possible causes the noise was believed to be a lifter. A quart of trans fluid was put in and the sound went away. Recently, the car ran out of gas, and coasted to a stop. After refueling and starting the engine, a great deal of smoke came out. When i turned the car off, it wouldnt stop running. So we believe a lifter had stuck holding a valve open.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 53,648
Likes: 878
From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
The engine developed a ticking sound and after eliminating all possible causes the noise was believed to be a lifter. A quart of trans fluid was put in and the sound went away. Recently, the car ran out of gas, and coasted to a stop. After refueling and starting the engine, a great deal of smoke came out. When i turned the car off, it wouldnt stop running. So we believe a lifter had stuck holding a valve open.
How tight did you adjust them?
What color smoke?
You did change the oil to 100% right?
Dieseling run on does not happen from lifters.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
OK, these are a bunch of unrelated symptoms from my perspective.
If a valve was held open - you'd have other problems other than run-on.
IMHO I'd loosen the rockers and squirt just a touch - just a touch - of carb cleaner down the pushrod. Adjust the valves carefully, and get go through a couple of oil changes at 1K intervals.
I really wouldn't change out the lifters...
If a valve was held open - you'd have other problems other than run-on.
IMHO I'd loosen the rockers and squirt just a touch - just a touch - of carb cleaner down the pushrod. Adjust the valves carefully, and get go through a couple of oil changes at 1K intervals.
I really wouldn't change out the lifters...
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Ok,, i guess my course of action at this point is to clean the lifters, put it all back together, change the oil, and see what happens, oh, and adjust the valves. Anything else that i can do while i have the intake off?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
prob not DB . even your pushrods should go back in the right locations and the same way up and down. dont know how accurate you kept everything in order but dont panic if you didnt.i would recommend using penrite run in oil once you get it all back together just to be sure as it has none of the friction modifiers in it that standard oils have. do you have a good formular for resetting your rockers?
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 11
However, after reading the thread entitled "change lifters?" im reconsidering my actions. Will changing the lifters really cause possible damage to the cam shaft? as high as a 50/50 probability of damage?
1) New cam and new lifters - greatest probability of failure.
2) Used cam and new lifters
3) Used lifters and new cam
4) Used cam and used lifters - least probability of failure.
As long as you use break in lube, and follow sound break in procedures, new lifters on a used cam is OK.
I worked at a Chevrolet dealer in the mid-70s and it was a common accepted GM practice to replace a single lifter at a time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,505
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
The engine developed a ticking sound and after eliminating all possible causes the noise was believed to be a lifter. A quart of trans fluid was put in and the sound went away. Recently, the car ran out of gas, and coasted to a stop. After refueling and starting the engine, a great deal of smoke came out. When i turned the car off, it wouldnt stop running. So we believe a lifter had stuck holding a valve open.
A lifter will not stick and hold a valve open.
Sounds to me like you put some bad gas in it after it ran out which caused run-on or dieseling.
Apparently you have a bunch of people who know nothing about engines, making wild guesses as to what happened.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
theres always the possibility of wild guesses, as of right now, i have only taken the intake off and exposed the rods and lifters, none removed yet. Ive had one fellow tell me to run it till it breaks and then you'll know whats wrong...id like to think he was joking. When the car ran out of gas, and coasted to a stop, what would have caused so much oil to have gotten into the cyclinders upon restart?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
IMHO I'd STOP doing anything until you can find a good mechanic or enthusiast to assist.
Last edited by billla; Jul 14, 2009 at 11:21 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 487
From: Salmon Arm, BC
OK.....as you haven't taken anything apart besides the intake, I'd go get some gaskets and some rtv and re-install the intake,distributor, and carb. Get someone who knows what they're doing, and confirm whats going on with your engine. Run the engine and isolate the noise, and then re-adjust the rocker and see if the noise comes back It could be as simple as a lifter adjustment, or as bad as a flat lobe....but confirmation is a must
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,505
Likes: 139
From: Butler Pa
From what I can tell by reading his posts, the noise didn't come back. All it did was smoke some after he put gas in it, then it was dieseling when he shut it off. None of these symptom point towards the cam and lifters.
