Cleaning lifters
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2025
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Cleaning lifters I am on a budget
2000 6l LS out of a Silverado.
"Poor man's rebuild" (new bearings, timing set, oil pump re using pistons. Everything looks good inside, but dirty.)
Taking apart the lifter, the snap ring is easy to remove with no pressure applied, a cap and a spacer come out, but while I can press down on the plunger inside, I cannot pull it out. It seems attached to the spring going both ways?
It relatively easily compresses a short distance, but pulling it out it seems to be under spring (vacuum?) load.
Also, is it possible to tap out the pin holding the roller and it's needle bearings in? Or, is it pressed in (don't bother.)
I had to move, so finds are very tight, so no comments of. "Just buy new ones"
I have to work with what I got (get it as good as possible. The engine runs and has good compression. Will hone the cylinders but cannot afford a full rebuild, yet.)
If I have to pull the caps off each, noting where each lifter (already labeled them per cylinder and intake/exhaust, and orientation as removed.) and shim is, and just toss them in heated ultrasonic cleaner for a while I'll do that.
Thanks!
2000 6l LS out of a Silverado.
"Poor man's rebuild" (new bearings, timing set, oil pump re using pistons. Everything looks good inside, but dirty.)
Taking apart the lifter, the snap ring is easy to remove with no pressure applied, a cap and a spacer come out, but while I can press down on the plunger inside, I cannot pull it out. It seems attached to the spring going both ways?
It relatively easily compresses a short distance, but pulling it out it seems to be under spring (vacuum?) load.
Also, is it possible to tap out the pin holding the roller and it's needle bearings in? Or, is it pressed in (don't bother.)
I had to move, so finds are very tight, so no comments of. "Just buy new ones"
I have to work with what I got (get it as good as possible. The engine runs and has good compression. Will hone the cylinders but cannot afford a full rebuild, yet.)
If I have to pull the caps off each, noting where each lifter (already labeled them per cylinder and intake/exhaust, and orientation as removed.) and shim is, and just toss them in heated ultrasonic cleaner for a while I'll do that.
Thanks!
11 Second Club
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If the lifters look good visually for sure you can reuse them. I soak them in a small container full with laquer (paint) thinner or acetone for a couple days and shake it around now and again. All of the gunk in the lifters ends up melting. Then remove and soak them in oil overnight. I have over 100k mileage old OE factory lifters in my LS2 in sig. I prefer to use good factory lifters over anything aftermarket unless they are Jesel lifters. I own more LS powered cars and all of them still have the factory lifters in them. You will become a "poor man" if buying aftermarket parts that fail rather than using the gifts that GM handed us.
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2020
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From: Ohio
I've probably done close to a 100 of em. It's a lot of effort
Pull the clip
Lifter cup and pushrod cup oil metering valve (or flap/plate) will come out
Flip the lifter upside down and find some rigid plastic or a block of wood. Beat it on there and the plunger will come most of the way out
Push the plunger back in
Repeat
Then put a screw driver into the plunger and rapidly push it in and out until a little bit of the plunger is exposed. You may need to push down and then **** the screw driver at an angle when pulling on the plunger. When a touch of the plunger is out of the lifter body, carefully grab it without scratching it. (Degrease it, and use clean dry fingers usually works).
Then just pull it out
No you can't take the axle out. They are staked/swedged in there. At least I've never done it but suppose someone can mill it and then restake. Never seen it done and don't recommend
Most likely yours are fine as is without cleaning
Old machine shop used to make me rebuild em and I've done a few sets for myself and friends
Pull the clip
Lifter cup and pushrod cup oil metering valve (or flap/plate) will come out
Flip the lifter upside down and find some rigid plastic or a block of wood. Beat it on there and the plunger will come most of the way out
Push the plunger back in
Repeat
Then put a screw driver into the plunger and rapidly push it in and out until a little bit of the plunger is exposed. You may need to push down and then **** the screw driver at an angle when pulling on the plunger. When a touch of the plunger is out of the lifter body, carefully grab it without scratching it. (Degrease it, and use clean dry fingers usually works).
Then just pull it out
No you can't take the axle out. They are staked/swedged in there. At least I've never done it but suppose someone can mill it and then restake. Never seen it done and don't recommend
Most likely yours are fine as is without cleaning
Old machine shop used to make me rebuild em and I've done a few sets for myself and friends
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
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Try air pressure in the oil hole. Be careful though, if it works, it'll launch the plunger acoupla hundred yards.
Be aware that the plunger is a pretty tight tolerance to the body; some if not all are selected to fit. Don't mix em up.
Be aware that the plunger is a pretty tight tolerance to the body; some if not all are selected to fit. Don't mix em up.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 10
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If the lifters look good visually for sure you can reuse them. I soak them in a small container full with laquer (paint) thinner or acetone for a couple days and shake it around now and again. All of the gunk in the lifters ends up melting. Then remove and soak them in oil overnight. I have over 100k mileage old OE factory lifters in my LS2 in sig. I prefer to use good factory lifters over anything aftermarket unless they are Jesel lifters. I own more LS powered cars and all of them still have the factory lifters in them. You will become a "poor man" if buying aftermarket parts that fail rather than using the gifts that GM handed us.
This is very good and confirms some things I have assumed. Namey that stock is pretty damn durable.
When I got the cap off I noticed there was the usual, "I don't change my oil until the engine starts complaining with noise that is louder than the radio" (I pulled the engine from a bone yard truck with body damage, and verified it ran when I got it home)
The sludge was inside the lifter which made me believe they should be disassembled and cleaned.
Perhaps lacquer thinner in the heated ultrasonic cleaner for a day or two to make sure everything is cleaned out?
I think foreign matter got in the engine at some point (maybe in the oil cooler lines/radiator when stored and moved) as the bearings looked scratched when I got it apart, but the journals looked decent.
I wanted any of that debris to be totally out of the liters.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2025
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I've probably done close to a 100 of em. It's a lot of effort
Pull the clip
Lifter cup and pushrod cup oil metering valve (or flap/plate) will come out
Flip the lifter upside down and find some rigid plastic or a block of wood. Beat it on there and the plunger will come most of the way out
Push the plunger back in
Repeat
Then put a screw driver into the plunger and rapidly push it in and out until a little bit of the plunger is exposed. You may need to push down and then **** the screw driver at an angle when pulling on the plunger. When a touch of the plunger is out of the lifter body, carefully grab it without scratching it. (Degrease it, and use clean dry fingers usually works).
Then just pull it out
No you can't take the axle out. They are staked/swedged in there. At least I've never done it but suppose someone can mill it and then restake. Never seen it done and don't recommend
Most likely yours are fine as is without cleaning
Old machine shop used to make me rebuild em and I've done a few sets for myself and friends
Pull the clip
Lifter cup and pushrod cup oil metering valve (or flap/plate) will come out
Flip the lifter upside down and find some rigid plastic or a block of wood. Beat it on there and the plunger will come most of the way out
Push the plunger back in
Repeat
Then put a screw driver into the plunger and rapidly push it in and out until a little bit of the plunger is exposed. You may need to push down and then **** the screw driver at an angle when pulling on the plunger. When a touch of the plunger is out of the lifter body, carefully grab it without scratching it. (Degrease it, and use clean dry fingers usually works).
Then just pull it out
No you can't take the axle out. They are staked/swedged in there. At least I've never done it but suppose someone can mill it and then restake. Never seen it done and don't recommend
Most likely yours are fine as is without cleaning
Old machine shop used to make me rebuild em and I've done a few sets for myself and friends
This is good info I will try it.
I wonder how much success can be had using a powerful, small magnet to pull the plungers?
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Thread Starter
Teching In
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Lol good tip! I've had to chase springs and things and things that went into the void, so this is a good tip
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2018
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From: Michigan
This seems like a tremendous waste of time IMO, unless you're just doing it for the fun of it.
Best way to clean a lifter is to do a series of short oil change intervals. Valvoline Restore and Protect seems to do a really good job cleaning junk out of engines.
Best way to clean a lifter is to do a series of short oil change intervals. Valvoline Restore and Protect seems to do a really good job cleaning junk out of engines.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2025
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Maybe. I want the gunk and grit out of them and the oil pathways and start clean
I have heard and seen good things about Valvoline restore and protect
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,062
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From: Bostwick, GA.
"Perhaps lacquer thinner in the heated ultrasonic cleaner for a day or two to make sure everything is cleaned out?"
A Darwin Award move for sure!
Summit has the correct stuff.
Allstar Performance ALL10644: Allstar Performance Ultrasonic Cleaning Fluid
A Darwin Award move for sure!
Summit has the correct stuff.
Allstar Performance ALL10644: Allstar Performance Ultrasonic Cleaning Fluid
I've heard of guys mixing in a quart of ATF with the engine oil. Say 1qt ATF to 5qts engine oil. I'm not rich (My LS7 has assured that!
), but there's no way I'd go to the trouble to disassemble 16 lifters to manually clean them. To much room for a possible error in reassembling them. If we were discussing high end Johnson lifters, maybe I would. But for relatively cheap OEM lifters, no go for me. My .02....
), but there's no way I'd go to the trouble to disassemble 16 lifters to manually clean them. To much room for a possible error in reassembling them. If we were discussing high end Johnson lifters, maybe I would. But for relatively cheap OEM lifters, no go for me. My .02.... 
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 286
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From: Bradentucky Florida
Nothing wrong with being on a budget and having to clean the factory lifters and pull the oil pump apart to clean and port that as well.
we all have to start somewhere.
diesel fuel works to soak the lifters in prior to dis-assembly and is not as flammable as lacquer thinner. its also easier on the hands than lacquer thinner.
we all have to start somewhere.
diesel fuel works to soak the lifters in prior to dis-assembly and is not as flammable as lacquer thinner. its also easier on the hands than lacquer thinner.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jun 2025
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Appreciate the warning about the lacquer thinner, I looked up the flash point it's quite low