home made lifter tool question
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2004
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home made lifter tool question I got the 5/16 inch rods and made the bends at 20 inches, but am having a hard time getting them into the hole, since I keep getting blocked by the A/C condensor. So are they the right length or can i go shorter? thanks
Last edited by Bluehawk27; Jan 2, 2005 at 06:44 PM.
I used two 5/16 inch wooden dowels from wal-mart. Like less than a buck for both of them.
Cut them to one inch longer than the cam. Move your condensor down through the bottom of the car, you will have no problem getting them in...just spin the heck out of the cam and keep trying. This worked like a charm for me.
By the way...what kind of cam you installing? And be careful with the pick up tube bolt...its a mother.
Cut them to one inch longer than the cam. Move your condensor down through the bottom of the car, you will have no problem getting them in...just spin the heck out of the cam and keep trying. This worked like a charm for me.
By the way...what kind of cam you installing? And be careful with the pick up tube bolt...its a mother.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 246
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ok cool, got them in, when you dropped the condensor, you didnt disconnect the two hoses on the passanger side did you? The oil pick up tube, was actually pretty easy for me, maybe installing it will be harder? I'm tossing in a F13 cam on a 112+4. thanks 
No...no need to disconnect any lines from the AC...if you do this you will lose your ac. I just loosened up the bolt holding the canister, it gives you a little more flexibility.
I just did a cam swap with my car and used home made 5/16 dowl rods. It was very hard to get them in. The condenser must be held high so the rods can go straight in, plus some light bearing greese will help. I used a rubber mallet to tap them in once started, then some grunting and pulling/twisting to get them out.
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Much easier to move condensor down. Not in your way. Also, the wooden rods I used slid in and out rather easily...probably because they give slightly compared to a metal rod.
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Brett Foote Yeah I guess that could happen if you pried up and down on the rod. But they never got stuck and I never had a reason to force them, and if it did...anyone with some brains would not reef on a wooden dowel that is inside their LS1.
Wow, at the tail end of my FM13 112+4 swap too... Wish I would have asked about this. Had to do trial and error on the rods until I could clear the condensor and woulnd't you know it, I found out the hard way that dropping it was feasible when I couldn't get the damn stock cam out. Could have made saved me alot of bending and cutting the rods
BTW I had to step down to a 1/4 on the passenge side. 5/16 wouldn't fit.
BTW I had to step down to a 1/4 on the passenge side. 5/16 wouldn't fit.
You might have russian roulletted that side and not even realized it.
When we tested the 5/16 rod, if you pushed on a pushrod with moderate force it would cause the lifter to slide past the dowel.We tested it by moving the cam and the push rod would move up and down, and we could also see the marks on the dowel where it slid past, as well as feel the lifter go down when pushed upon....
I was almost scared, and was wondering what the heck everyone was talking about on the internet with these damn rods...but it all worked out. Just dont have a pushrod in and push down on it.
But...I am betting a lifter might drop right by a 1/4 inch rod.
When we tested the 5/16 rod, if you pushed on a pushrod with moderate force it would cause the lifter to slide past the dowel.We tested it by moving the cam and the push rod would move up and down, and we could also see the marks on the dowel where it slid past, as well as feel the lifter go down when pushed upon....
I was almost scared, and was wondering what the heck everyone was talking about on the internet with these damn rods...but it all worked out. Just dont have a pushrod in and push down on it.
But...I am betting a lifter might drop right by a 1/4 inch rod.
Originally Posted by UltraZLS1
You might have russian roulletted that side and not even realized it.
When we tested the 5/16 rod, if you pushed on a pushrod with moderate force it would cause the lifter to slide past the dowel.We tested it by moving the cam and the push rod would move up and down, and we could also see the marks on the dowel where it slid past, as well as feel the lifter go down when pushed upon....
I was almost scared, and was wondering what the heck everyone was talking about on the internet with these damn rods...but it all worked out. Just dont have a pushrod in and push down on it.
But...I am betting a lifter might drop right by a 1/4 inch rod.
When we tested the 5/16 rod, if you pushed on a pushrod with moderate force it would cause the lifter to slide past the dowel.We tested it by moving the cam and the push rod would move up and down, and we could also see the marks on the dowel where it slid past, as well as feel the lifter go down when pushed upon....
I was almost scared, and was wondering what the heck everyone was talking about on the internet with these damn rods...but it all worked out. Just dont have a pushrod in and push down on it.
But...I am betting a lifter might drop right by a 1/4 inch rod.
If you ground a flat on the rods I was told they go in better. I have two rods waiting for my pulley. I already have a TSP Torquer, springs, pump, etc. So I do not need to removed any AC lines. The write-up says to remove the AC lines. Thanks, that will save me a few dollars.
Bill
Bill
It can be a pain to move, but the condensor can be moved downwards and it really makes its easy to do everything Cam related. I just finished up my install last week so its fresh in my memory. Good luck with the damn oil pick up tube, if I ever have to do one again I'll hoist the engine slightly to get it off the K-Member. Good luck
Originally Posted by fbody1
...Good luck with the damn oil pick up tube, if I ever have to do one again I'll hoist the engine slightly to get it off the K-Member. Good luck
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 246
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I really didnt see what the big deal was about the pick up tube, all i used was the ratcheting wrench with a shop rag in the pan. I got it out pretty easily and putting it back in was only slightly harder.