Cam install...Umm, what's this piece of metal my pen magnet pulled out?
 

Doing the cam install, following the ls1howto.com instructions to the letter. I get the pen magnets in the pushrod holes, spin the cam, all seems good except for one still clicking. So I check them all, pulling each pen magnet out to make sure it's on the lifter. One of them doesn't feel like it is, so I pull it out and there is a needle bearing on the magnet. I extend it and put it back in, and it doesn't seem to "grab" anything, so I pull it back out and look in the pushrod hole. There's a small, circular, golden disk, about the size of the pushrod hole sitting in the hole sideways now. WTF is this? :cry:

Putting the magnet down the hole, it doesn't attract to anything. Can the lifters come apart?

pictures would help. I can't think of anything but the plunger piece on the lifter that would be able to get in there. I guess the lifter could have come apart. Sounds also like you need to replace your rocker arm(S).

Pics... excuse the blurriness, it's the cylinder under the windshield and the camera has to be held close.

Why would I need to get new rockers too?

Sounds like the needle bearing is from your rocker, but the other thing I have no clue, you sure the lifter didn't drop?

Ok, thanks. It couldn't have dropped, I haven't moved the cam yet, except for spinning it.

:dunno:

If the lifter didn't drop I would keep putting that pen magnet down there and see if I could fish anything else out. Be careful that the magnet part doesnt come off the pen magnet, or else you might have to pull the head.

:( Will do. If I have to pull the head, I'm waiting for the AFR 225's.

Fished out 2 more needle bearings. :eyes:

pull the rocker off that cylinder and inspect the fulcrum good...its probably loose and will need replaced.

Sounds like one of your lifters spewed the needle bearings out. I'm pretty sure when that happens you can just order 1 single new stock lifter from the dealership for pretty cheap and be done with it.

lifter won't spew a bearing out, and if it did it would end up in the oil pan not on top of the lifter ;)

Well, looks like the head has to come off to see wtf is going on. Be back later.

Those pictures were so blurry all I could do is laugh and think of those crappy UFO pictures...your pictures even had the little shiny flying thing in them. Sucks that you have to worry about more stuff while you are in there though...
:(

when you first were explaining it i was thinking maybe its the magnet from the pen cuz you said it wasnt sticking to anything. ??

I wouldnt take the head off yet, i think it's just bearings down in there.

Sounds like a lifter cup. Dished with a small hole in the center?

I'm thinking the magnet came off the pen also?.....

Magnet still on the pen. Lifter cup sounds like a winner to me. It looks dished, don't know if hole in the center yet.