82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

So I drained the oil today to help diagnose my lifter knock and to see what all is going on. the oil drain plug had enouph metal on it that I didnt need to even bother cutting open the filter. most of it was fine powder but therer was some descent sized flakes in there.

It didnt look copper but I couldnt tell. I belive the lifter is just grinding the cam down but my question is.

Can I get away with just a cam and lifter swap? Oil pressure is fine there wasnt any metal shavings in the top end when I pulled the valve covor.

What would you guys recommend if this is your engine?

it is a high performance 418 with only about 10k miles on it. Ive heard when a lifter goes bad all you need is another cam and lifter any thoughts?

Jimbo1367

I'd be more worried about more damage myself. Who built the shortblock/engine?

82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

texas speed, but I purchased it from someone else who put 5k miles on it I highly doubt texas speed will covor anything they may covor the lifter that failed (50 bucks) but they will not cover the entire engine i dont even have to call them to know this

82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

well forgot that bearing material isnt magnetic so i bet all that metal is from the cam journal that the lifter is grinding off. like i said I know thats the underlying issue my concern is metal getting into other areas.

chevymec

iTrader: (19)

I would atleast take the oil pump apart and clean it out including the relief valve.

CAMSTER

iTrader: (10)

If the oil pump is fine you can take a chance by just changing the cam and lifters but with a very close monitoring of the oil pressure thereafter.
i will take the oil filter apart and take a look inside to see what the oil pump inhaled. If by any chance at any time the oil pressure drops drastically, turn off and DO NOT restart the engine. You will have to take it apart, but this is only a possibility and we are hope never.

82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

yeah i understand, im not ganna tear it down unless I have to, but i only got 6k into the engine so even with a full rebuild that would cost about 1k or so im still out ahead, I can pull the motor and dissasemble it myself and take it to the machine shop in pieces I just did that with a lingenfelter 403 that spun a bearing and only cost 900 to put it back together

82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

Figured I would revive this from the dead and say I am still on the same engine to this day, after just replacing cam lifters and changing pushrod length. have to run 15w-50 to keep oil pressure where the old 40 weight use to keep it but its done nothing but increase hp threw the years with other mods and keeps in tickin. about to put a 150 shot on it and go for broke

2001 Z06

How many miles have you put on the engine since this happened?
I just bought a Z06 and the whole back half of the cam and all back half of the lifters were ground down. It had some pretty deep groves in 2 of the cam lobes. One of the rollers actually came apart from the lifter and something found it's way inbetween the crank and the bottom of one of the cylinders and crack the block behind the sleeve.
2 of the lifter journals were so badly chewed up that the entire block was trashed.
When I pulled the engine the Harmonic ballancer was also in 2 pieces. don't know if one caused the other or not but I am in the process of having TMS build me a LS6 383 stoker to replace the engine. I will be using LS7 hydraulic roller lifters. From what I have been told these are very good replacement/ upgrade lifters.
Joe

82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

the 2 peice ballancer issue is common on corvettes its just the shitty balancer. and i probably put 10k to 15k more miles on engine and over 100 drag passes since then. all 16 lobes of my cam were chewed up. and all lifters were pitted and 1 had stopped rolling thats what made the noise that allerted me to the problem. and yes the ls7 lifters are good lifters there the stock replacment now for all ls engines pretty much. I chose lunati link bars for the short travel and high rpm capabilities and ability to handle higher spring rates. i had alot of metal in the oil pan for a while. the magnet was picking up stuff for quit some time. now it dosnt have anything on it when I change oil. I got very lucky. i will probably change the oil pump and inspect things this winter. first time ever the engine will be out of the car so im going to go threw it. I really want a different engine now thats more boost capable if I had it all to do over I would of never punched out a ls3 like this because it dosnt have any rebuilds left in the block

06blackGTO

iTrader: (20)

Thanks for updating. I had a lifter collapse last week. Started ticking loudly so i limped it home the last 5 miles. So I'm in the process of teardown. So far after one head off. The side that was ticking I found this.
I'm hoping my cam bearings are good. I only have 35k on bottom end freshening with all new bearings.

DietCoke

iTrader: (18)

No warranty on race parts. 10k miles is not their problem, lol 10 miles maybe.

82cetuner

iTrader: (9)

I would run it. mine looked 10 times worse than that. as long as oil pressure was holding when you last killed it you should be good. you can open up oil pump and check that out too. metal was all in my motor even had some shavings on the timing chain. i got lucky I guess but im sure if I pull a bearing cap il see some uglyness

06blackGTO

iTrader: (20)

Good to hear. Thanks.