New LS1 Owners - Newbie Tech - Stuck Lifter? Nope, Help me please!

So I had a valve train noise that "everyone" told me it was a stuck lifter on the drivers side front. Noise was not really a tick and not a knock and was not heard until the rpms went up and the noise got louder with higher rpms.

A little history:
Engine was not taken care off and has over 100k miles, who knows when the last time a oil change was done, has minor oil leak. I did try to seafoam (all 3 ways) to see if I could free up the "lifter" or clean up whatever was causing it. No luck and I got no smoke show!! at all...



I took the valve covers off and nothing looked messed up, took all rockers off (they look fine) and pulled out the push rods, I don't know much about rods but most of them appeared to be bent (both sides). If you put them on a flat surface you can see a little bit of light under one end and they do not roll perfect. The best example I can think of would be a pool stick at a bar ..its good but not perfect. Next I took the heads off and all the lifters came out no problem?? and they all appear fine, I don't know anything about lifters but they all roll fine and I see no damage.

I was told by 1 person that push rods have to be perfect and then another person (ase..lol) told me that they look fine. So here I have the whole top half of my motor apart and still don't know what my problem is. If it's the push rods then what caused the push rods to fail?

Since both heads, intake, water pump, and radiator are out of the car I am going to do some upgrades but still worried about not finding a cause for the noise. Also would like to know if I can reuse any of the parts, lifters?, rockers?

I have pics, let me know what you need to see and I will post.

Thanks
T

Sounds like bent push rod(s). Probably due to an over-rev. You should be able to get used ones on here for cheap from almost any member. Hardened ones aren't too costly if you want to do it right.

I would start by replacing the pushrods if they look bent... as said above... one goofed downshift and that's all it takes.

ok thanks! So I should be good with keeping the stock lifters and rocker arms? If I get a bigger cam, say a TR224 or something smaller do I have to get new lifters? Someone told me that lifters are matched to cams.

Thanks for the replies!!

T

anyone?

You dont have to get new lifters when you change the cam. You can pick up a set of LS7 lifters for around $125-140 though if you are worried about it.

Lifters aren't matched to cams per say, but usually, if you car is up there in mileage, it's a good thing to swap the lifters out for new ones while in there changing the cam anyway.

A good set of LS7 lifters would be sufficient. Stock rockers are also good.

Thanks man, thats what I was looking for

the only time you have to keep the lifters with the cam is on a flat tappet setup. the lifters and cam lobes wear a pattern together and generally dont like to deviate from that pattern.

ok, thanks. is a flat tappet setup something that very fast cars use? lol Because the buddy that told me runs 8.teens in the 1/4.

it can be, but its generally ditched for a roller setup.

i believe i read on here at a certain type of CTS-V lifter was inexpensive at the dealer and performed well.

i believe i read on here at a certain type of CTS-V lifter was inexpensive at the dealer and performed well.

The CTS-V lifters are more expensive than the LS7 lifters but do allow higher RPM revving. I think (but I could be wrong) people were taking them up to 8K RPM.

thanks guys, My friend runs a roller setup. he was just explaining to me that all lifters and cams after time will mate to each other and if the setup has lots of miles on it then it would be well worth it to buy no lifters with the cam.

thanks again
T

its not required after a lot of miles, but its smart. on a roller cam anyways, but a flat tappet setup, once you get past the 20 min @ 2k break in, thoes lifters and cam are mated for life.

ok, thanks!