Corvette LS1 cam installation disaster. Advice please.
01-14-2006, 10:12 PM
#22
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I misunderstood how the dowels kept the lifters up, and I used too small diameter rods. Make sure the dowels, brake line or whatever you use is a snug fit all the way down the channel. The dowels simply wedge the lifters tighter against the plastic retainers. 5/16 is roughly the correct size, although the one I had was still too loose.
As far as retrieving the lifters that fell. I haven't gotten them yet, but I removed the valley cover at the strong recommendation of a member of another forum. I figured it would only cost me a gasket to have a look, and it may save me a lot of effort. I can see one of the lifters directly below one of the openings in the valley. It will be easy to get with a strong magnet. I'm hoping I can fish around with a magnet on a flexibile rod and find the other one. I'll find out tomorrow.
As far as retrieving the lifters that fell. I haven't gotten them yet, but I removed the valley cover at the strong recommendation of a member of another forum. I figured it would only cost me a gasket to have a look, and it may save me a lot of effort. I can see one of the lifters directly below one of the openings in the valley. It will be easy to get with a strong magnet. I'm hoping I can fish around with a magnet on a flexibile rod and find the other one. I'll find out tomorrow.
01-15-2006, 02:25 AM
#25
at least 24''....Well I think when that does happen it was due to not spinning the cam hard enough to toss all the lifters back up and reach the back of the block. Or it was an assumption....like that would always be that it went all the way back and didnt pin the last one in place.
01-15-2006, 02:27 AM
#26
I put the water pump bolts in the end of the cam a few threads like in that picture to get a good handle to sling those guys up as hard as i can. have had good luck with it, but sometimes you have a retarded lifter that just wants to come right back down.
01-15-2006, 05:50 PM
#27
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I followed the advice of a member of 'another forum,' and I got the lifters out from the top of the engine!
I dropped two lifters when I pulled the cam out and, idiot that I am, one more while taking the heads off. I didn't put the cam back in before rattling the block around removing the heads. I purchased a flexible magnet pickup and a mini maglite from the hardware store. I took the valley cover off and there are the two openings pictured in an earlier post. That third lifter was straight down from the front opening and I got it out easily. The original two that fell were more toward the rear of the engine, cyls 5 & 6, so I switched to the rear valley opening. I couldn't see crap, but I sent the magnet down and snagged a lifter almost immediately! Pulled it on out and started fishing for the last one. The crank was in the way, and I spent a lot of time trying to get around it, trying through the lifter holes themselves, etc. Finally, I decided to turn the crank to see if I could get better access. After a quarter turn, I heard the lifter fall down to the tray. It had been on top of the crank all this time! I rotated the crank a little more to move the counterbalance out of the way and sent the magnet down the rear valley opening again. I snagged the lifter and pulled it out! No dropping the oil pan! No removing motor mounts! No jacking the engine up! I am ecstatic (can you tell?).
I dropped two lifters when I pulled the cam out and, idiot that I am, one more while taking the heads off. I didn't put the cam back in before rattling the block around removing the heads. I purchased a flexible magnet pickup and a mini maglite from the hardware store. I took the valley cover off and there are the two openings pictured in an earlier post. That third lifter was straight down from the front opening and I got it out easily. The original two that fell were more toward the rear of the engine, cyls 5 & 6, so I switched to the rear valley opening. I couldn't see crap, but I sent the magnet down and snagged a lifter almost immediately! Pulled it on out and started fishing for the last one. The crank was in the way, and I spent a lot of time trying to get around it, trying through the lifter holes themselves, etc. Finally, I decided to turn the crank to see if I could get better access. After a quarter turn, I heard the lifter fall down to the tray. It had been on top of the crank all this time! I rotated the crank a little more to move the counterbalance out of the way and sent the magnet down the rear valley opening again. I snagged the lifter and pulled it out! No dropping the oil pan! No removing motor mounts! No jacking the engine up! I am ecstatic (can you tell?).
01-15-2006, 06:47 PM
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Man, I am still pumped at getting those lifters without coming from the bottom of the engine! I've counted them three times, and sure enough I've got sixteen of the suckers! 
I don't know who he is, but he goes by the handle whitecamaross on that other forum, and he is a lifesaver for insisting I go through the top.
I don't know who he is, but he goes by the handle whitecamaross on that other forum, and he is a lifesaver for insisting I go through the top.
01-15-2006, 08:16 PM
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Good to hear you got them out without having to drop the oil pan. Next time, use some pen magnets. Just make sure to superglue the magnet to the "pen" so they don't stick to your lifters when pulling them out again.
