I bought 5/16 dowel rods instead of the TR tool, how does this work? It looks as if it doesn't fit directly between the cam and lifters, but a little lower than that!

I'm I still going to be able to turn the cam w/ them in, b/c it does and I put a pushrod in and it still goes up and down on the lifter?

Or is the cam hitting the dowel rod which in turn is hitting the lifter and pushing up the rod? I don't know

Anyone know what to do maybe the pen magnets, I think I have a lfter that keeps falling back down,

Please Help

 

t t t

 

It look slike the JPR tool form TR has a flat side on it, do I have to flat out a side on the dowel rods?

How much do the lifters move upward, I bought pen magnets too, and when I spin the cam the pens still move a little

PLEASE HELP

 

the dowels do need to be shaved im pretty sure to fit, I duno when mine was done it was Russian Roulette

i cant believe an expert hasnt answered this yet!! saturdays are slowww on the boards..

 

Just use 16 pen magnets...I did ! Cost me $50, and you feel them grabbing the lifters...
rods work as well, but some people have problems sticking them in....

 

Yeah, I've got the magnets and they don't sit in the center of the lifter, they keep grabbing the top edge, so I don't know if I'm pulling them up far enough. Only about an 1/8". And they slide back down still, broke some of the pocket clips off, so as long as they are attached, can I still pull the lifter up out of the way of the cam for removal and install?

How much up and down play do they have?

 

The lifters are still going to be able to move up and down in their plastic retainers. This accounts for the pushrods moving even with the dowel installed limited only by the width of the step in the side of the lifter where the dowel slides into the block. The dowel does NOT stop the lifters from moving up and down completely. It only keeps the lifters from falling out of their retainers once the cam is pulled.

 

OK, So what you're saying is, if I can get the dowel to go all the way in, then no matter what, I'm good to pull the cam?

 

Many people pull their cams without assistance of a tool at all. They rely strictly on the retainers to hold the lifters up during the time the cam is out of the block. In actuality the retainers job is not to retain the lifter, but rather to keep the lifter from rotating while the engine is running so that the lifter roller is in line with the cam lobe. The fact that it acts as a retainer is a side benefit of the plastic retainer design. Inserting a tool into the block to help the retainers keep the lifters from falling isn't a bad idea and a wooden dowel is a whole lot cheaper than the JPR tool altho his version does have a machined flat on one side to help "lock" the lifters up while you swap cams.

 

eallanboggs, so should I shave a little flat side on the dowels?

If the lifter falls a little, am I able to install the new cam and rotate to get the lobe under it?

Sorry to be a pest I'm just not sure on this & I want to be, so I have no screw ups!

 

If you use the dowels the lifters can still fall, but they will not fall all the way into the pan. If one does fall you should be able to pull it back up with a magnet. I used the wooden rods, and had no problems.

 

I have pics of both methods.

 

post ur pics please

 

"Falls" is not a word you use in the same sentence when talking about a cam swap. Trying to make a flat on a soft white pine wooden dowel is spending way too much time for the return ratio. The dowel is only going to put slight pressure on the side of lifter or on the underside of the lifter step to convince the lifter not to leave the security of its' plastic retainer. You should spin you cam CW and CCW before and after you insert the tool to make sure all the lifters are fully raised. This doesn't mean one might not slide back down a little during the time you remove the old cam and install the new one. You should have the new cam coated with oil or assembly lube and ready to go in before you extract the old cam. Slowly rotating the cam as you put it in helps you get past the bearings. You can turn the cam both CW and CCW as you install it and maybe even wriggle and jiggle it up and down and side to side if you have to to get it home. Don't bang the cam around as you are doing this to avoid cam bearing damage. I made myself a remover/installer tool for this job out of a steel rod which I welded to a piece of flat stock which has holes drilled in it that correspond to the bolt and locator dowel holes. I bolt it to the cam using the sprocket mounting screws. It helps a lot because you need to be able to keep control of the cam during this process which isn't that easy because it is covered with oil or assembly lube. I'd like to witness someone reinstalling one of these lifters after it fell out of the retainer. That's got to take skill AND luck. Not only do you have to get the magnet to grab the lifter in one spot and one spot only, but then you have to orient it correctly while picking it up and pulling it back into the retainer slot. Don't forget your doing all of this while your view of the lifter your trying to put back into postion is blocked by the magnet your using to do the job with in the first place. Not easy. Let me reverse that and say that this takes more luck than skill.

 

I have used both methods, and I would have to say that the dowel is the better/safer bet over the magnets. The bad thing about the magnets is the tip of those things are just glued on and can "pop" off really easily and still be stuck to the top of your lifter.
I am still looking for those pictures but I will post them when I find them...

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....9&postcount=20

 

thanks for the pics(and info) orangeapeel,m i was curious about that as well.

 

Spin the cam CW and CCW sveral times then slide the dowels in without shaving them. If they get hung up wiggle them a little and keep going. They should press in snug....

 

I think after reading all this I have a little more assurance in the rods.
Thanks for the help guys!

 

Hmm, glad i came across this thread since i will be installing my Ms3 next weekend. Very informative, thanks to you guys.
-Joel