Damaged Lifter! (with pics)
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
Damaged Lifter! (with pics) Hey guys…
For a while I have had faint ticking noise in the valve train that was really only audible at certain RPM’s, but one day it all of a sudden got a lot worse. I mean A LOT WORSE…. I was able to drive it about 5 miles (very carefully) and get it back home.
So this weekend I decided to break down my motor (mods in sig) to see what was causing this god-awful noise. Upon removing the head, I found this…
After taking out the damaged lifter, I was able to look at the camshaft as I turned over the engine by hand and it had a few nicks in it but that was all I could really see wrong with it…
So my two questions to you are:
Thanks in advance for your responses!!
For a while I have had faint ticking noise in the valve train that was really only audible at certain RPM’s, but one day it all of a sudden got a lot worse. I mean A LOT WORSE…. I was able to drive it about 5 miles (very carefully) and get it back home.
So this weekend I decided to break down my motor (mods in sig) to see what was causing this god-awful noise. Upon removing the head, I found this…
After taking out the damaged lifter, I was able to look at the camshaft as I turned over the engine by hand and it had a few nicks in it but that was all I could really see wrong with it…
So my two questions to you are:
- Will those nicks in the camshaft lobe really hurt it? Is that something I should worry about?
- Notice the oil hole thingy on the lifter – when I put the new ones in does it matter what direction that faces?
Thanks in advance for your responses!!
First what type of lifters where these because that looks horrible and it seems to a manufacturer defect more than anything else.
Now when it comes to your cam I would personally remove the cam and inspect it. Any cracks on a lobe that you run your fingernail on and it sticks your cam is pretty much done, I would not use it, because those cracks are going to grow over time by the stress put on the cam and it can be really ugly consider yourself lucky at this moment if this is all that happened.
I and this is just me, I would take everything out check that cylinder, valves to that cylinder, see id any metal got in the cylinder and scored the wall. Valves check for nicks on the head, or the stem to make sure any metal did not get into the valve itself to include the chamber to make sure no metal was rattled around. Check your rockers for that cylinder I mean anything that has to do with that particularly cylinder check it. I would also check your oil pan and see if you have any metal chunks pertaining to that lifter and clean her out.
Other than that if the lifter is all that happened man you have a mechanical guardian angel on your shoulder.
Now when it comes to your cam I would personally remove the cam and inspect it. Any cracks on a lobe that you run your fingernail on and it sticks your cam is pretty much done, I would not use it, because those cracks are going to grow over time by the stress put on the cam and it can be really ugly consider yourself lucky at this moment if this is all that happened.
I and this is just me, I would take everything out check that cylinder, valves to that cylinder, see id any metal got in the cylinder and scored the wall. Valves check for nicks on the head, or the stem to make sure any metal did not get into the valve itself to include the chamber to make sure no metal was rattled around. Check your rockers for that cylinder I mean anything that has to do with that particularly cylinder check it. I would also check your oil pan and see if you have any metal chunks pertaining to that lifter and clean her out.
Other than that if the lifter is all that happened man you have a mechanical guardian angel on your shoulder.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
Stock Lifters...
There were no visible cracks on the lobe of the cam and most of the nicks were on the edge of the lobe itself (I may *try* to get a picture). I really really really really do not want to pull the camshaft...
The head/valves are fine... I already checked those over carefully. The rockers are also fine. I will check out the cylinder and cyliner wall and see what I can see -- but I am not sure how any metal would have gotten in there in the first palce
Of course I will be changing the oil after I am done getting it back together as I am sure I will have some metal in there.
Any idea about my 2nd question...
Just FYI.. this was a lifter to the exhaust valve...
There were no visible cracks on the lobe of the cam and most of the nicks were on the edge of the lobe itself (I may *try* to get a picture). I really really really really do not want to pull the camshaft...
The head/valves are fine... I already checked those over carefully. The rockers are also fine. I will check out the cylinder and cyliner wall and see what I can see -- but I am not sure how any metal would have gotten in there in the first palce
Of course I will be changing the oil after I am done getting it back together as I am sure I will have some metal in there.
Any idea about my 2nd question...
Just FYI.. this was a lifter to the exhaust valve...
Stock Lifters...
There were no visible cracks on the lobe of the cam and most of the nicks were on the edge of the lobe itself (I may *try* to get a picture). I really really really really do not want to pull the camshaft...
The head/valves are fine... I already checked those over carefully. The rockers are also fine. I will check out the cylinder and cyliner wall and see what I can see -- but I am not sure how any metal would have gotten in there in the first palce
Of course I will be changing the oil after I am done getting it back together as I am sure I will have some metal in there.
Any idea about my 2nd question...
Just FYI.. this was a lifter to the exhaust valve...
There were no visible cracks on the lobe of the cam and most of the nicks were on the edge of the lobe itself (I may *try* to get a picture). I really really really really do not want to pull the camshaft...
The head/valves are fine... I already checked those over carefully. The rockers are also fine. I will check out the cylinder and cyliner wall and see what I can see -- but I am not sure how any metal would have gotten in there in the first palce
Of course I will be changing the oil after I am done getting it back together as I am sure I will have some metal in there.
Any idea about my 2nd question...
Just FYI.. this was a lifter to the exhaust valve...
How many miles did these have and what type of cam where you running lobes/lift. Good to know everything so other people look and have an idea of an occurrence and take precautions.
Last edited by 02*C5; May 24, 2010 at 01:21 PM.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
Thanks for your help btw...
Anyone else got any opinions/answers (specifically regarding the orientation of the lifters)?
Last edited by SteelBallz; May 24, 2010 at 03:25 PM.
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Launching!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
I still have a question regarding the orientation of the lifter when I install the new ones.
Notice the oil hole thingy on the lifter – when I put the new ones in does it matter what direction that faces?
Notice the oil hole thingy on the lifter – when I put the new ones in does it matter what direction that faces?
My .02
Morels FTW.... Just my 2 cents.. I was contemplating putting Ls7 lifters in my build, but thought better of it after seeing all the problems people have had. Kind of pricey but I figure it is worth it on a $5000 dollar motor!!!!
Pull the cam and drop the pan...it sucks but do yourself a favor. Metal just hanging out is NO good. You might get lucky...but think wtf will happen if you don't worth it? To me....NO.
Lifter orientation doesn't matter. The cam does, if you don't pull it you may have a crap load of problems in the not to distant future. Would you rather straighten it out correctly now or tear it down again in July? I would not re-assemble that motor until the cam has been thoroughly inspected or preferably replaced.
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2009
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fairly mild cam, it could have very well been a defective lifter. But like I said and many others me you i'd take that thing apart and keep us posted and any more pics u take. good luck and hope u get her back on the road soon.
