Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
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View Poll Results: Has your LSx experienced any lifter problems?
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Maybe.
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Lifter Damage Poll. (Please chime in even if you've never busted'em up.)

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Old 12-11-2005, 02:41 PM
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Default Lifter Damage Poll. (Please chime in even if you've never busted'em up.)

If you've chewed up some lifters or have some "ticking", please explain what you believe caused the failure.

Please include pertinent info such as, but not limited to:

A) how many miles were on the engine?
B) your driving style?
C) which cam you were using?
D) whether or not you bent push rod(s)?
E) were you running the engine cool (160* t-stat or whatever.)?
F) etc...

And on the contrary, if you've never had any lifter problems, please give some details about your set-up and what you think may have contributed to your set-up being a low wear system.

TIA
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Old 12-11-2005, 02:53 PM
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Dang! Maybe this thread belongs in the Internals Forum.

Mr Mod, feel free to move this thread. Sorry!
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Old 12-11-2005, 02:55 PM
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No lifter problems on either my B1 cammed (221/.558) WS6 or my stock Z28. Both were/are low mileage motors though.

I've always run synthetic oil (M1), use a t-stat (stock or Hypertech 180) and fan settings that keep the coolant temp in the ~195-205*F range, never bent P-rods (both auto trans cars), and never go over 2500rpm till the motor/oil is fully warm.

I used to rev my WS6 to about 6200rpm with the B1 cam, 26918 comp springs, 772 ti retainers, and hardened P-rods.

My Z28 is revved only about 100rpm over stock, and is using a stock rev limiter and stock valvetrain/stock cam.
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Old 12-11-2005, 04:39 PM
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I have done a lot of searches on this subject and have found that most failures are related to spring load. Perhaps you should find out what springs/cam/rocker setup they are running. I have kept tabs of this issue in a spreadsheet and found that open pressure seems to be a key factor.
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Old 12-11-2005, 06:35 PM
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Default bad lifters...

A) how many miles were on the engine? 45000
B) your driving style? Easy
C) which cam you were using? Stock
D) whether or not you bent push rod(s)? 3-slightly bent
E) were you running the engine cool (160* t-stat or whatever.)? 160*
F) Etc...
Yep, I have some bad lifters. Dont know how many for sure. Been ticking for awhile now. But its my DD and been low on $$$$ to open her up. But taking some leave next week for the holidays and I'm pulling the heads and cam and replacing all. Been on stock valvetrain since I got the car. I think they went out when I was on the highway when my tranny lost 4th gear and it droped to 2nd. Not fun. When I pull the heads I'll give more info.

Ski

Last edited by Rebelord; 12-11-2005 at 06:52 PM.
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Old 12-11-2005, 06:40 PM
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Installed a MS3 with LS6 heads, stock length moly pushrods, stock rockers, stock lifters. Engine had 80K on it, I bought the car from my mother so the miles were extremely easy miles from driving it MO to VA. Regualr conventional oil every 3K miles. Anyway, at the time of the install, I didnt rotate the engine over and go back through and check the rockers TQ. I drove it down the street and it started ticking. It was coming from the front of the d/s bank so I pulled the valve cover. Turns out the #1 intake was open when I TQ'ed the rockers and it didnt get tq'ed right so I was really loose. I rea tq'ed ALL rockers, rotated engine, did it again and drove it. Ticking would come back every few miles and go away with low rpm driving or idling. Now it only comes back if I spin the engine up to the 6K or so mark then goes away after the same idling or low rpm. I bought some lifters to replace all of them but am going to wait to pull the heads back off until I get my headers next month.

No bent pushrods, engine was operating temp, driving it easy at the time of the ticking

Last edited by 89ws6formula50; 12-11-2005 at 07:00 PM.
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Old 12-11-2005, 06:46 PM
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Had 4 lifters show some pitting at 88K mostly easy highway miles, 10K with an f13 cam on a 2002 car. One lifter was really bad, one cam lobe showed some scratches, but i didnt replace the cam. 3K on the new lifters, so far so good. Will be opening her back up in the springtime for a headswap. Ill check the condition of the cam and replaced lifters at that point. I run a stock thermostat but my fan clicks on at 200.

Last edited by GuitsBoy; 12-13-2005 at 12:22 PM.
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Old 12-11-2005, 08:36 PM
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problems I have heard about usually involved cams with quick ramp rates
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Old 12-11-2005, 09:17 PM
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Ls6
less than 50k miles. Ticking started a while ago. Now that i have a bigger cam i can hear it more. I dunno what's causing it. Now i'm assuming it was a lifter.

About 300 miles ago i swapped the cam and it got a little louder.
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Old 12-12-2005, 12:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Var
Ls6
less than 50k miles. Ticking started a while ago. Now that i have a bigger cam i can hear it more. I dunno what's causing it. Now i'm assuming it was a lifter.

About 300 miles ago i swapped the cam and it got a little louder.
What springs are you running?
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Old 12-12-2005, 01:28 PM
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There should be no reason for lifter failiar on a small to medium cammed motor if propper preload and spring pressures are used.
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Old 12-12-2005, 03:03 PM
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Originally Posted by vettenuts
What springs are you running?

PP dual gold's with Futral hardened pushrods (stock length for stock heads)
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Old 12-12-2005, 08:24 PM
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No problems with my previous car that ran a TSP 225/225 cam. Only had 25k on it when I got rid of it though.

My current car has about 35-36k on it, just bolt ons, no problems with it either. Will be going heads/cam soon, on the stock lifters.
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Old 12-12-2005, 09:45 PM
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stockers
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Old 12-13-2005, 06:37 PM
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Originally Posted by orangeapeel
stockers


On a serious note, I think it could be linked to not having enough spring preasure to keep the lifters on the cam.
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Old 12-13-2005, 07:36 PM
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I was running gold duals on an f13 cam. Should be plenty of spring pressure. I had spalling on 4 lifter rollers.
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Old 12-13-2005, 11:28 PM
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A) how many miles were on the engine? 72,000
B) your driving style? usually easy but I work it out weekly =)
C) which cam you were using? Stock cam
D) whether or not you bent push rod(s)? Nope
E) were you running the engine cool (160* t-stat or whatever.)? Had a 160* t-stat in for just over 1,000 miles - no problems yet.


My low wear's probably due to a lot of easy driving and a basically stock engine. Also, changing the Mobil 1 5w-30 every 3-4k miles doesn't hurt either. The engine does tick pretty loudly - especially on cold startups but the car runs well on the street and the dyno so I'm assuming that's just good 'ol piston slap. Future plan (basically a pipe dream at this point) is an LS2 402 stroker.
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Old 12-14-2005, 07:41 AM
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Please include pertinent info such as, but not limited to:

A) 45K , 60K
B) Weekend cruiser / 1/4 Mile car.
C) First time stock cam 2nd time TSP 224R.
D) 1st time 4 bent and 2 bent valves 2nd time hardened pr none
E) 180* t-stat
F) Both time mechancial over rev caused the damage.

I replaced the whole batch as insurance that I would not have to crack the whole thing open again because of a bad lifter. It is possible that I did not have any issues but I will have to send the lifters out to be tested to be sure.
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Old 12-14-2005, 10:08 AM
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Please include pertinent info such as, but not limited to:

A) 65K
B) Daily Driver 5 x summer track
C) FM 13.
D) Lifters became spongy, rung cam bearings
E) 160* T Stat
F) 7.4 PRs too long...7.35 was correct, worn bearing from???

I blame myself to a point...did cam/head swap with 65K miles...probably had some cam bearing wear...the new spring pressure probably killed the bearings,,,the long PRs probably killed brand new CompCam lifters.
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Old 12-14-2005, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Macon
Please include pertinent info such as, but not limited to:

A) 65K
B) Daily Driver 5 x summer track
C) FM 13.
D) Lifters became spongy, rung cam bearings
E) 160* T Stat
F) 7.4 PRs too long...7.35 was correct, worn bearing from???

I blame myself to a point...did cam/head swap with 65K miles...probably had some cam bearing wear...the new spring pressure probably killed the bearings,,,the long PRs probably killed brand new CompCam lifters.
What heads were you using? I have 7.4 PRs on stock heads, if anything I thought they weren't long enough...
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