so im changing the cam in my truck and i cant get the lifters to go up enough to put some dowels in. i have 3/8 and 1/4 dowels. when i use a pen magnet to try to pull the lifter into the cup to put the dowel in the magnet just pops off the lifter. im stuck and need some help. thanks in advance

 

If you gave the cam a few spins the lifters should be in the cups. If the dowels don't fit, trim them down a bit or use 16 good pen magnets.

 

ive spun the cam like 100 times and the lifters wont go into their cups they just fall right back down. also theres no place around here to get 16 pen magnets trust me i had a time finding one

 

Remember you are trying to get the dowels to fit into the small recess on the sides of the lifters, Im surprised the 1/4" doesn't fit. Try sanding the front edge a bit to help guide them in or sanding one side a little flat. Be careful not to force them as we have heard too many stories of can't get the dowels out!

 

ok. i dove into the engine compartment and the lifters have a lip that the dowel hooks to and thats what holds the lifters up correct? so what i need to do is put a flat edge on the 3/8 rod and a angle on the end to help it slid in right? how can i test that its holding the lifters up. all i can see is the second lifter on the driver side thru the breather hole in the block. thanks

 

Yes, you're on the right track. If you set up your rod so it just fits through the first one you can see, and you turn your cam as you work it in, you can be pretty sure you will pick up the others

 

ok i ground a flat spot on the dowel it goes almost halfway in then stops like its stuck. seems like it might be getting stuck on the first or second lifter and i need to grind it down?

 

Sounds like it, take a litlle off at a time. Take your time, you'll get it.

 

man this is taking forever i got it almost all the way in now. ive still got to get 2 lifters in the rear to stay up then i get to start on the other side. maybe it will go faster

 

Not nearly as long as removing the heads and oil pan if you drop one...

 

haha i had to do that the first time i swapped cams. i done it the wrong way and dropped 3 and had to take the driver head off. well i got 1 dowel all the way in now i got to go to my body shop and get some more grinding disks then start on the second one. if i can get the new cam in by 12 then i can put it back together in the morning cause that dont take but like 1 hour. thanks for all your help i really appreciate it.

 

Glad to help, let us know how you progress.

 

one more question. with the dowels in there the lifter will fall a little right. like maybe 1/8 1/4 of an inch i can see in the breather hole. i put some pushrods in it and pushed down on them and they barely move so i think im good. ill wait till you reply to slide the cam out. also if i put assembly lube on my new cam how long do i need to run it before i change the oil again. 100 miles easy?

 

Yes, 1/8 sounds about right. Don't put assembly lube on it, that's for a dry a engine. Lube it with your motor oil and slide it in. Change the oil after 500 to be safe.