Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

I read a bunch on here and was told to use 5/16 wooden dowels to hold up the lifters while doing a cam swap.

In my case it did not work. I (thankfully) was paranoid and checked before I pulled the cam out and 2 lifters were not being held up. I did spin the cam as hard as I could (thought maybe they weren't up high enough or something). I also tested the resistence of the ones that were staying up with the dowels in and with the dowels out and the dowels made no difference. It took the same amount of effort to push the lifter back to the cam with the dowels there or not.

The dowels were tight going in and I did lube them with oil so I know I didn't have ones that were too small. I also made sure they were straight before I started.

Just a warning to those who are thinking of using this method of holding up the lifters while doing a cam swap to be careful, that's all. I ended up using pen magnets with clothespins to hold them up.

Mark

Fogle07

iTrader: (5)

i made my own out of alum. to cheap not to do.

daryl2cb@yahoo.com

iTrader: (2)

If you got the lifters up with magnets, why didn't you just push the dowel the rest of the way in?

also if you have a push rod, you can use that to check if the lifter is seated in the cup or not.

vader99

iTrader: (4)

So, you are saying the dowels are a useless tool in other words? Why has it taken so long for someone to notice that?

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

The dowels only keep the lifters from falling out completely. It won't prevent them from falling to the cam again. So if your trays are worn, the lifters may not stay up long enough to get the cam out. The rods will not hold them in the full up position.

Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

The lifters came up when I rotated the cam (and I held them up with the magnets). The dowels were in all the way (some lifters weren't held up at all).

Mark

Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

This I don't understand. If they ride on the cam, what is stopping them from falling completely down into the oil pan? There is nothing under them if they are touching the cam. Even if if they didn't fall down completely, they were low enough to touch the cam so how would you get the new cam by them?

Mark

Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

It was useless in my case. My car only has about 45k miles on it so it's not like it has a huge number of miles...

Just wanted to warn others, that's all. If I seen a post like this in my searching I would have bought pen magnets beforehand instead of having to run around to parts stores in the middle.

Mark

badpewter-z

iTrader: (4)

but it DOES keep them from falling all the way down so they are partly working

boondiggys

iTrader: (165)

i agree....

vettenuts

iTrader: (4)

When I had my rods in place, I looked at them with a boroscope. The hole you put the rod into is the oil gallery. The lifters have two machined cylinders and the center section is a smaller diameter and sometime as cast. Look for a lifter photo and you will see what I mean. When you put in the rod, it is fitting between the two machined diameters on this center section. So the lifter can fall until the upper machined diameter hits the rod. Unfortunately, this would be below the cam line and you wouldn't be able to get the cam in or out. You did the right thing and if the new cam is in and all the magnets are out in one piece as well as the dowel, good job!!!

Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

This is the part I didn't know...and I didn't want to chance it For the record when I pulled the cam out I had the pen magnets there as well as the dowels in (just for good measure).

The only nice thing about the wooden dowels is that you can snap them in 1/2 if you move the condenser back before you remember to take them out

I did double check that the magnets were firmly attached to the pen magnets before I put them in and after I took them out. Yes I was paranoid

New cam is in and it sounds awesome It's a baby cam but it still is nice.

Mark

vader99

iTrader: (4)

So, if the dowels are fitting in where they will do no good if the lifters do drop a little even, then what is the actually use for them as a safety net?

MrDude_1

iTrader: (4)

you can still pick them up with magnets if they fall.


but really, just dont use such a tiny dowel.

goto lowes, get an alum rod.
use an angle grinder, mill. or whatever, and actually make a copy of the real tool.. all you have to do is flatten one part..

then it'll JUST slide in.. it will hold them up enough to clear, and you wont have any problems.

Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

The wooden dowels also "just" slid in...

The part I don't get is why nobody has ever said anything? Perhaps everyone else is just much luckier than I am?

Mark

vader99

iTrader: (4)

So, is the JRP tool from thunder racing an actual fool-proof method to keep the lifters up?

MrDude_1

iTrader: (4)

yup.
and so are the copies of them that i made.

however, a regular round dowel that is big enough to JUST slide in, wont hold them up as far, since its round... not the semi-D shaped shape of the hole you're slipping it into.

UltraZLS1

iTrader: (13)

I used the 5/16 wooden dowels.

Old cam came out just fine. And the new one went right back in.

ill use them again if I ever do a cam swap again with heads on.

No problem here

Mark99Hawk

iTrader: (4)

Lots of people have used them. Lots of people have done it the "russian roulette" way too

I was under the impression these dowels held the lifters up away from the cam...apparently I was mistaken on that one (and I expect I'm not the only one)

Mark

UltraZLS1

iTrader: (13)

Yeah but it worked for me.

I let them sit in their for like 2 hours.

I dont think an 85000 mile car could russian roulette the lifters up for 2 hours

In fact...I just dropped a lifter the other day pulling out my cam with the heads off. (I forgot a lifter...im a dumbass)
It dropped the second the cam went past it.