Do you really have to pull the heads to change lifters????
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 453
Likes: 137
From: Jupiter FLorida
Do you really have to pull the heads to change lifters???? this seems ridiculous, but my mechanic is telling me he has to pull the heads to replace my lifters on my 02 ls1. ive been around chevy small blocks for a long time now and ive never had to pull the heads to replace anything valvetrain related. I just want to know if my mechanic is trying to screw me or not, thank you in advance Logan.
It's very true I just had mine upgraded and to save labor in the future I put on some 243's because the heads had to come off anyway. The guy isin't trying to make a buck off of you, He is telling you the truth.
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I've yet to see one ripped apart but even then I would think that the trays aren't capable of coming down so your lifters are coming out anyway... there is only one way out and thats up and the heads are in the way...
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A lifter most certainly can go out through the bottom, ask me how I know. Let's just say it involved a cam swap, and my installer forgot to pull the pushrods off the lifters and a few clangs later and a lifter was sitting on the windage tray.
But to do it right, you have to pull the heads.
But to do it right, you have to pull the heads.
Then once that lifter falls the heads have to come off anyway to put it back in. I guess you could remove the engine and turn it upside down and put the lifter back. You could then turn the engine back over and reinstall it in the vehicle. It might be quicker just to pull the heads and be done with it. What's the big deal with pulling the head on an LS? After you work on all this other crap all day you say to your self "Long live cam in block and pushrods". As long as the LS series is around I don't think I'll ever buy an overhead cam.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 502
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Pictures are worth a thousand words....
Look at this picture of the lifter tray with lifters installed and decide for yourself if you can do it without pulling the heads.
Also, remember the valley is closed. Not enough room to just pull the cam and drop the lifters down.
Look at this picture of the lifter tray with lifters installed and decide for yourself if you can do it without pulling the heads.
Also, remember the valley is closed. Not enough room to just pull the cam and drop the lifters down.
I'd rather pull the heads than pull a cam. To pull the cam, you've got to pull the crank pulley, remove the radiators, it's just a pain in the ***.
I went with mls gaskets and studs, so pulling a head is really simple these days.
I went with mls gaskets and studs, so pulling a head is really simple these days.
Thank God my motor didn't drop a lifter when I swapped the cam. When we pushed the lifters back down though they seemed to be in the tray pretty tight.
DO a search there is more than one unfortunate person to have that happen. Use the lifter rods homemade or other wise.