I'm installing a cam in a friends car but am having some issues with the lifters staying up. We are using a metal dowel rod for both sides but it's a tad loose sliding into the holes and the lifters feel like they are still riding on the cam. What size rod does it have to be? And will the lifters move at all with the rod installed? I'm getting a small amount of movement when I rotate the cam, not much but it's enough to make us nervous pulling the cam out. Any tips? I sure don't feel like dropping a lifter today! lol, thanks

 

5/8" works well. Turn the motor over by hand and try again.

 

He means 5/16". I used wooden dowels and had no problem at all.

 

You can also go out and buy 16 pen magnets too

 

Have you spun the cam well before inserting the rods so you "shove" them up ino the holders? Remember the rods are only going to hold the narrow shoulder of the lifters so they need to be a snug fit. Magnets help too but be very sure to get good quality ones - too many horror stories of magnets sticking to lifters. The best rods have a slight flattened area on one side so they will slip in and can then be turned slightly to lock onto the lifters.

 

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Magnets sticking to lifters? Not if its a pen magnet!! Yes those rods with the flat end you can get from thunder racing for 100$. Then it collects dust.

 

Actually those are the ones that lots of people had problems with, the magnet pulls off the tip, so if you're going to use them, use good quality, not "the ones in the jar at the counter at autozone".

I made my rods from aluminum stock I got from home depot. Cost about $5 and took about 40 minutes to make - just mark two straight lines where you want the flat part to be, grind it down, some quick filing and sanding to clean it up, bend the ends for handles and you're ready to go.