Lifter won't come out

rogue68 · May 22, 2012

Chasing down a valvetrain problem. Going to inspect the lifters but several will not come out of the bore. I can pull them up about 1/2" and then that's it! They go no further.

Thinking a hammer might help.....

Z15CAM · May 22, 2012

The lifters are probably burred (mushroomed on the bottom). You can, attempt, to use Vise Grips on the lifters, spin in both direction while pulling - Pull slowly at first and be patient as you do not want to score the Lifter Bores. If they will not come out you will have to dissemble the motor Spin the lifter and file off the mushroomed burs. This condition is usually the result of Worn Cam Lobes. Top of Valve Stems can suffer similar mushrooming and have to be filed to pull them through the Guides.

With FT Cams, HFT or SFT, if you notice that the Push Rods are not spinning you can suspect a Cam Lobe Wear Issue.

srode · May 22, 2012

If you can't wiggle them out with a vice grip on the lifter by turning you are going to want to pull the cam anyway with worn lifter bottoms - the associated cam lobes are probably ruined. You also have run some metal through the engine from the wear. Peronally I would pull the engine if you can't get them out from the topside. That way you can inspect the engine, and if you find bearing wear, clean the block and replace the bearings / turn the crank and reassemble with a new cam. If you can get them out through the top without damaging the lifter bores and you have good oil pressure you can probably get by with just replacing the cam and lifters with the engine in the car if you want to.

97Z4C · May 22, 2012

perty good set up-they make a lifter puller- remove the retention clip in lifter and the lifter puller clips in that slot and goes on end of slide hammer-can be used with heads on--i have used this way many times at dealership in early 80s when there was cam problems like whats occuring now from no zinc in oil--other way is to remove cam after all lifters is up all the way as far as they can go -put a strong extension magnet through cam hole and remove them that way one by one

rogue68 · May 22, 2012

Awesome! This will give me something to do over the summer. Actually driving a first gen, so overrated.

yellow69RS · May 24, 2012

97Z4C said:
perty good set up-they make a lifter puller- remove the retention clip in lifter and the lifter puller clips in that slot and goes on end of slide hammer-can be used with heads on--i have used this way many times at dealership in early 80s when there was cam problems like whats occuring now from no zinc in oil--other way is to remove cam after all lifters is up all the way as far as they can go -put a strong extension magnet through cam hole and remove them that way one by one

X2 on the puller! I used it without the slide hammer feature as it seems to come out of the lifter many times. You can assemble parts of it above the head and then turn the nut down to pull the lifter from its bore mechanically. Ive also pulled all the lifters up, pulled out the cam then slide a half round section of PVC pipe in place of the cam then pushed the lifters out the bottomof their bores into the pipe. Good luck!

Jeff

fast_in_muskoka · May 24, 2012

If you pull the cam out, and curl up a piece of vinyl flooring and insert it where the cam goes, you can push the lifter in, rather than trying to pull it out/up.

Once the lifter is sitting in the curled up flooring, slowly remove the flooring with the lifter sitting on top of it.

If the cam is actually that bad the rest of the engine probably needs work too, but this will allow you to R & R the cam and lifters without removing the engine or causing damage to the lifter bores.

Moonpie · May 25, 2012

The lifter area that never entered the lifter bore has a build up of varnish and other neat stuff on it so it is slightly larger than the lifter bore. Twist and pull.

Busted Knuckles · May 25, 2012

If they're mushroomed, you're going to score the lifter bores if you force them out the top. The block will give way, it's cast iron and the lifter is steel. That could lead to oil pressure issues. Pull the cam and push 'em down and out. This is similar to valves that have keeper grooves messed up or are flared on the top, they'll ruin a guide if you force them out.

Lifter won't come out

rogue68

Z15CAM

srode

97Z4C

rogue68

yellow69RS

fast_in_muskoka

Moonpie

Busted Knuckles

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