Mushroomed lifter removal
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,858
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From: God's Country, ID
Mushroomed lifter removal
After removing the heads I found cylinder #1 intake lifter developed a serious attitude. 
With the valley cover removed I can see that a small chunk of the lifter is gone if I rotate it:
Now, having to pull the cam (with the TT kit installed) is just adding to the misery of trying to find time to get my car on the road again and care for my fiancé (who just had cancer surgery).
I’m contemplating grinding on the mushroomed part of the lifter (that partly surrounds the roller on the lifter) with a dremel, while running a shopvac. Then sliding the lifter back up and out the lifter bore.
Then open the drain pan and pressure flush any remaining shavings/dust down and out with some solvent.
Is there a solvent that’s safe to run down thru the block?
With the valley cover removed I can see that a small chunk of the lifter is gone if I rotate it:
Now, having to pull the cam (with the TT kit installed) is just adding to the misery of trying to find time to get my car on the road again and care for my fiancé (who just had cancer surgery).
I’m contemplating grinding on the mushroomed part of the lifter (that partly surrounds the roller on the lifter) with a dremel, while running a shopvac. Then sliding the lifter back up and out the lifter bore.
Then open the drain pan and pressure flush any remaining shavings/dust down and out with some solvent.
Is there a solvent that’s safe to run down thru the block?
Last edited by DSOMC6; May 22, 2011 at 08:33 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 633
Likes: 6
Diesel fuel works well, but try and grab the damaged lifter with a vise grip firmly and try to pull it out. Do NOT force it to the point it score's the lifter bore. If it wont come then go the route your suggesting. The cam is junk already so dont worry about that but for the lifter to have gone away that far you have been pulling debris through the entire system and I would be concerned about main & ron journals. The lifter roller and the needle bearings are extremely hard metal so they do damage pretty quickly. The bearings are soft so they absorb a certain amount of debris but its your call. Good Luck! :thumbsup:
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,858
Likes: 107
From: God's Country, ID
Diesel fuel works well, but try and grab the damaged lifter with a vise grip firmly and try to pull it out. Do NOT force it to the point it score's the lifter bore. If it wont come then go the route your suggesting. The cam is junk already so dont worry about that but for the lifter to have gone away that far you have been pulling debris through the entire system and I would be concerned about main & ron journals. The lifter roller and the needle bearings are extremely hard metal so they do damage pretty quickly. The bearings are soft so they absorb a certain amount of debris but its your call. Good Luck! :thumbsup:
Once I get the lifter out I can get a better look at that cam lobe. From what I can see thus far the lobe doesn't look gouged/wore down. If I can get the lifter out I can better determine if the cam is toast.
The lifter looks like it broke in one .250x.250 piece. The missing piece is probably at the bottom of the oil pan. The roller is still intact on the lifter. The lifter mushroomed at the roller just enough to keep it from sliding back up into the bore.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,858
Likes: 107
From: God's Country, ID
dificulty is compounded with the tubing, lines etc from the TT kit.
Last edited by DSOMC6; May 22, 2011 at 09:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,858
Likes: 107
From: God's Country, ID
I'm thinking a product similar to this to flush out any debri from grinding on the lifter?:
http://www.mightyautoparts.com/produ...s_vs7_oil.html
http://www.mightyautoparts.com/produ...s_vs7_oil.html
Last edited by DSOMC6; May 23, 2011 at 01:38 AM.
