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Collapsed lifter problem

Old Jul 21, 2022 | 03:06 PM
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Default Collapsed lifter problem

My 16 Stingray had been working bad since I got it 6 months ago. Today my mechanic diagnosed a collapsed lifter on cylinder 7.
I had the AFM [4 cyl mode] disabled a month ago and don't intend to ever use it. What choices do I have in lifter replacement?
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Old Jul 21, 2022 | 03:33 PM
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drop in a cam dod/afm delete and vvt delete. use ls7 lifters. oem rockers with trunion upgrade and never worry about 4 cyl again
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Old Jul 21, 2022 | 07:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Daleford
My 16 Stingray had been working bad since I got it 6 months ago. Today my mechanic diagnosed a collapsed lifter on cylinder 7.
I had the AFM [4 cyl mode] disabled a month ago and don't intend to ever use it. What choices do I have in lifter replacement?
As mentioned above you can either modify the car and eliminate the system all together or fix it. There really isn't any gray area. The modifying route (done properly and effectively power wise) will be much more expensive. To replace the bad lifter(s) as long as the cam wasn't hurt isn't that big of a job. The driver side is the easier side too. I can do that job in less than 6 hours on the lt1 c7 to give you an idea.
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Old Jul 21, 2022 | 09:02 PM
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Originally Posted by ss2z06
As mentioned above you can either modify the car and eliminate the system all together or fix it. There really isn't any gray area. The modifying route (done properly and effectively power wise) will be much more expensive. To replace the bad lifter(s) as long as the cam wasn't hurt isn't that big of a job. The driver side is the easier side too. I can do that job in less than 6 hours on the lt1 c7 to give you an idea.
We won't know for sure if the cam was hurt until we go deeper, but we hope not. We plan to replace all the lifters on that one side while the head is off. So which type lifters do we install? {I am not the mechanic so bear with me]
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Old Jul 22, 2022 | 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Daleford
We won't know for sure if the cam was hurt until we go deeper, but we hope not. We plan to replace all the lifters on that one side while the head is off. So which type lifters do we install? {I am not the mechanic so bear with me]
From what it sounds like you are repairing so you will need 4 afm lifters and 4 regular lifters if only doing the one side. I would suggest factory ones but aftermarket ones are available. I don't know if they are better or not. Whoever is doing the repair should be familiar with what is needed. If they aren't then find someone else.
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Old Jul 22, 2022 | 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by ss2z06
From what it sounds like you are repairing so you will need 4 afm lifters and 4 regular lifters if only doing the one side. I would suggest factory ones but aftermarket ones are available. I don't know if they are better or not. Whoever is doing the repair should be familiar with what is needed. If they aren't then find someone else.

I think this is the answer I was looking for to set me straight. Our mechanic is familiar, we are replacing all lifters on the drivers side and I will get new OEM lifters.
So even though the AFM [4 cyl mode] has been programmed away, do I still put 4 AFM lifters in their respective holes?
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Old Jul 22, 2022 | 04:01 PM
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Don't be cheap here. DO BOTH SIDES! If the cam is OK leave it alone. CHE makes a great trunion kit, get one since it's only a couple hundies. It would be incredibly foolish to tear it down to remove just the one head on the affected side. Do the DOD delete if you like. I kept my VVT because it makes amazing torque curves.
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Old Jul 22, 2022 | 08:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Daleford
I think this is the answer I was looking for to set me straight. Our mechanic is familiar, we are replacing all lifters on the drivers side and I will get new OEM lifters.
So even though the AFM [4 cyl mode] has been programmed away, do I still put 4 AFM lifters in their respective holes?
Yes, even though deleted you still need to run the afm lifters unless you change the cam as well. I believe the cam lobes are also designed differently based on this system. There was a comment above about doing both sides. The only overlapping time is the fact the intake manifold is removed and the coolant is drained. In my opinion it isn't worth the cost to replace the passenger side. You'll find the afm lifters are pricey and the additional labor will add quite a bit. If that was the actual path I'd probably replace the cam and upgrade at that point.
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Old Jul 25, 2022 | 08:52 AM
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i used Johnson 2110r lifters when mine failed, and since they were already in there.. i replaced heads and cam
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Old Jul 26, 2022 | 07:16 AM
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Originally Posted by ss2z06
Yes, even though deleted you still need to run the afm lifters unless you change the cam as well. I believe the cam lobes are also designed differently based on this system. There was a comment above about doing both sides. The only overlapping time is the fact the intake manifold is removed and the coolant is drained. In my opinion it isn't worth the cost to replace the passenger side. You'll find the afm lifters are pricey and the additional labor will add quite a bit. If that was the actual path I'd probably replace the cam and upgrade at that point.
I appreciate your down to earth response. I am a body guy not a mechanic, so I am trying to get my head around all this. So the plan is to replace the AFM lifters on the drivers side. Is there any need to replace the NON-AFM lifters on the same side? My thoughts are that if they generally cause no problems, leave them alone.
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Old Jul 26, 2022 | 07:22 AM
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if it were me, i would replace all so that you know they are done
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Old Jul 26, 2022 | 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Daleford
I appreciate your down to earth response. I am a body guy not a mechanic, so I am trying to get my head around all this. So the plan is to replace the AFM lifters on the drivers side. Is there any need to replace the NON-AFM lifters on the same side? My thoughts are that if they generally cause no problems, leave them alone.
While those (non-afm) rarely fail they will get removed in the process of replacing the afm lifters and those ones are pretty inexpensive. I would replace those just in the sense that side is completely apart.
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Old Jul 27, 2022 | 01:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Daleford
My 16 Stingray had been working bad since I got it 6 months ago. Today my mechanic diagnosed a collapsed lifter on cylinder 7.
I had the AFM [4 cyl mode] disabled a month ago and don't intend to ever use it. What choices do I have in lifter replacement?
Any indication as to what might have caused the lifter to fail? Mechanical failure, or ?? You've said you plan to replace all the lifters on the left bank, but keep in mind there are two AFM cylinders in the right bank as well (cylinders 4 and 6). The mechanical implementation of the AFM system involves a set of solenoids in the lifter oil manifold assembly (LOMA) which direct oil pressure upon software command to collapse a plunger inside the AFM lifters to shut off those cylinders. The most common cause of AFM failures are issues related to that oil pressure system such as not keeping fresh oil in the engine, using the wrong viscosity oil, or running low oil pressure. If any such issues were involved with one AFM cylinder failure then the others could also have been compromised.

I'm not sure if there's a way to test the solenoids in the LOMA but it would be worth checking that while the engine is opened up. When I had this issue it affected both cylinders 7 and 1, and included a bent push rod on one cylinder, so I replaced all the lifters on both sides as well as the LOMA itself just to be on the safe side.
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Old Jul 29, 2022 | 09:44 AM
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So we are doing one side and I am ordering parts today.
So I need:
4 AFM lifters
4 regular lifters
Head gasket
Head bolts for 1 side

Does that sound like a complete list of parts?
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Old Jul 29, 2022 | 04:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Daleford
So we are doing one side and I am ordering parts today.
So I need:
4 AFM lifters
4 regular lifters
Head gasket
Head bolts for 1 side

Does that sound like a complete list of parts?
exhaust manifold gasket, oil and filter, coolant. blower has to come off so you may lose some coolant there and if the lifter collapsed I would change the oil and filter the old oil and look for metal
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Old Jul 29, 2022 | 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by 9sec
exhaust manifold gasket, oil and filter, coolant. blower has to come off so you may lose some coolant there and if the lifter collapsed I would change the oil and filter the old oil and look for metal
Not a blower car.

Op, not sure why you just chose to do one side and not both
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Old Jul 29, 2022 | 09:41 PM
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Thanks.
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To Collapsed lifter problem

Old Jul 30, 2022 | 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Travlee
Not a blower car.

Op, not sure why you just chose to do one side and not both
Probably because it is literally double the work if not more. The passenger side now requires the water pump to also be removed and the fuse box. The intake manifold labor and fluids are the only savings by doing the other side now. It takes 15 minutes to pull the manifold. No real reason to do the other side if just replacing with stock items.
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Old Jul 30, 2022 | 03:24 PM
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OP agrees. I have been told that with my AFM disabled the passenger side AFM lifters shouldn't give any trouble.
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Old Jul 30, 2022 | 04:12 PM
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I think differently, but its all good
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