80LS1T Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Well Im not 100% sure what a collapse hydraulic roller lifter looks like but 3 of my lifters seem to look different than the rest? So how can I tell which lifters are bad? And will it hurt my cam if I replace all my lifters? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 Un-installed, a collapsed lifter looks no different than any other lifter in the engine. It's ugly head only rears up when oil pressure, which is sufficient to pump up the good lifters, will not do so with the bad collapsed lifter. A new lifter can be placed into the bore. I've mixed and matched used lifters with used cams all my adult life, and have never wiped a single lobe as a result. But when I do this, I treat is as if it were a new cam and used a quality break-in lube on the lobe and lifter, and performed the usual cam break-in procedure that's used with brand new cams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmyntti Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 The LT1 uses a roller design lifter and thus it won't hurt to replace all of the lifters. It is also acceptable to reuse roller lifters when you install a new cam. This is not true of non-roller lifters that develop a wear pattern matched to the cam lobe they run on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 Guy, A hydraulic lifter can be 'made' into a solid lifter by just taking all of the adjustment out of it. Just tighten them down until you have overcome the internal lifter spring. That way you take the 'hydraulic failure' out of the equation. Set them all like that and see if you 'tapping sound' is still there. It's at least a way to determine if your lifters are the problem before you lay downn $$ for new ones. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 7, 2003 Author Share Posted September 7, 2003 Well actually I have the old set of lifters that were in the engine before the rebuild so I think I will just put those in and see if the problem goes away. I havent pulled the lifters out yet to inspect them but Im going to tommorow. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAFantaZ Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 Sorry about your troubles. You were just beginning to have some fun with it right? Saw your Web site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 7, 2003 Author Share Posted September 7, 2003 Yeah I "was" having some fun till this annoying "ticking" noise turned into an major problem! Hopefully I can be up and running by next weekend. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 Tim, I wouldn't be real eager to try 'solidifying' a set of hydraulics in the manner you suggest! If a person can tighten the rockers down that far, at the first over-rev (valve float) engine oil pressure will force the small piston inside the lifter back up, opening the valves to where they can't close. Valve to piston contact is a good possibility. To my knowledge, the closest one can come to using hydraulics as solids would be to tighten the rockers at normal operating temperature to where they JUST no longer make noise. That way the little piston is already at it's maximum reach, and cannot "pump up" any farther should valve float occur. If memory serves, Chevy used to say tighten one turn beyond where the lifter quits clicking, and the guys I knew used 1/4 to 1/2 turn for the above stated reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 9, 2003 Author Share Posted September 9, 2003 Ok well I have my drivers side lifters out, so what do I look for to show signs of failure? Can I pull them apart to look for debre in the lifter? Also how can I be sure that my cam is ok? Oh yeah and when I took 3 of the lifters out the rocker arms for them didnt loosen up like the other 5 did. The other five rocker arms loosened right up with 3/4 turn, but the other 3 seemed like they had "spring pressure" on them till they were almost off. Does that mean anything? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 The odds are really good that there will be no problem with your cam. Assuming that the new lifters were lubricated before installation, the rollers would happily roll, no sliding friction on the cam, no problems. If for some strange reason a roller is flattened anywhere or does not turn freely, look further. (NOT an engine expert, just logic). When installing hydraulics I always put them in a can of oil and work the little piston up and down until bubbles stop coming out; the piston will then be towards the top of it's travel, and the rockers should adjust close enough to at least fire the engine. If one puts them in without pumping them up, there is nothing to keep the lifter pistons from going all the way to the bottom of their travel when the rockers are tightened (the rockers will actually be way too tight). The 3 that had spring pressure on them had spring pressure on them... those cam lobes were up. You will need to rotate the engine after you put the other lifters/rockers back to get those lobes down. They should then act like all the rest. You should be able to remove the snap ring/ C-clip and pull the piston to look for crud if you want to do so. They used to be a precision/selective fit, so this would be something to do one at time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 9, 2003 Author Share Posted September 9, 2003 Well I took one apart but there isnt a spring in it? Or am I missing something? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 10, 2003 Author Share Posted September 10, 2003 Ok well I cant get the lifter that I took the spring clip out of back in, the lifter wont compress? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted September 11, 2003 Author Share Posted September 11, 2003 Ok I have my car running again! The "ticking" noise is gone and now all I have to do is pull the drivers side exhaust manifold and "trim it a little bit". Its rubbing on my steering gear box when I make right hand turns. Then I have to pull the passenger side exhaust manifold to put in my new exhaust gasket. The one I have on there now is in bad shape. I got a new intake gasket set, new oil pan gasket and 2 exhaust gaskets for my LT1 for $73.00 from GM! Yeah working at a dealer sure does pay off sometimes I'd be that list on all those would be about $175! All I know is there sure is a mark up for "customers" Anyways back out to the garage! Im driving tommorow damn it! 8) Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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