Kind of a strange question. Lets say you're installing a cam using the "Russian roulette" method (no magnet pens or dowels) and a lifter decides to drop. Is it possible to reinstall the lifter from the bottom of the motor after removing the oil pan? I assume since it can fall out it can also be put back in. The question would be if you can fit a hand or pliers around the crank and rods to do it.

I'll be doing a cam swap here soon but will also have the oil pan off. I'll probably use dowels but was curious what would happen if a lifter fell anyways.

 

It MAY BE but the lifters have to "lock" into their trays meaning you may have to spin them around as you push them in. I dont see much room to do that even with the smallest hands.

Thhe lifters cant fall with the dowel method. They can slip down a little which may not let the new cam slide in. If that happens you can pick it up with a pen magnet through the pushrod hole

 

It would be next to impossible...no room for tools not to mention needing to make sure it's lined up correctly.

$3 worth of dowels versus pulling the heads and buying new head gaskets, head bolts, and tons of extra labor? Why the hell would anyone risk it?

 

I wasn't planning on risking it. It was a question out of curiosity, that's all.

Thanks for the input.

 

Agreed!!!

 

To definitively answer it, no. The cam is in a kind of "tunnel" with only some cutouts to the crank area. The lifters BTW don't "lock in" but just have a flat side on the body that matches up with a flat in the tray hole. It's just the friction of the plastic tray that holds them up

 

With regard to the lifter dowel tool. You could just use 5/16 brake lines, aluminum, steel tubing or 5/16 wooden dowels as well, you will roughly need 24 inches for length. If you use aluminum tubing, you can bend the last 3-4 inches @ a 90 to make a handle.

O'reilly's usually has straight aluminum and steel tubing segments for brake and fuel lines.