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Signs/symptoms of a bad lifter....

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Old 10-31-2007, 03:45 PM
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Default Signs/symptoms of a bad lifter....

can someone describe to me what a bad lifter sounds like? My car has the normal valvetrain noise but then on top of it when the car is idling i can hear a "hollow" tapping noise in the top of the motor. I have a custom grind comp cam with .591 lift on both sides, PRC gold duals, and 7.400" hardened pushrods. I dont think its a pushrod b/c i had those out not long ago when i installed the new springs and everything looked fine to me. Also about 6 months ago i found a small tight spring on my drain plug.
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then i stumbled on a thread where a guy found the same looking spring along with needle bearings and it ended up being a lifter for him.Name:  DSC03919.jpg
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I haven't found needle bearings yet and i was thinking the spring was from some valve seals my old springs had chewed up. So i never thought about it again. But now this along with the "hollow" tapping noise i am hearing has me wondering.

I am going to start tearing down my daily driver this weekend to try and find the problem. But i dont want it to be down long since i need it for every day driving. So if anyone can tell me if they have had the same problem or can give me any advice please help me out. Thanks!

Brent
Old 10-31-2007, 06:27 PM
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anyone?
Old 10-31-2007, 06:58 PM
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looks like a lifter part
Old 10-31-2007, 07:05 PM
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I say start digging into it. I noticed my valvetrain making some new noises ran it at the track anyway and now my cam is ruined. The lifter did not spill its bearings but sure looks like was about to.

Check the pushrods first because they are much easier to get to and they would have to come out anyway. I hear that the lifters can be changed without removing the heads, but you'll have to search on how its done.
Old 10-31-2007, 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by turbogarrett
I say start digging into it. I noticed my valvetrain making some new noises ran it at the track anyway and now my cam is ruined. The lifter did not spill its bearings but sure looks like was about to.

Check the pushrods first because they are much easier to get to and they would have to come out anyway. I hear that the lifters can be changed without removing the heads, but you'll have to search on how its done.
yah i am gonna start diggin into it this weekend. I can't have it down long though since it is my daily driver and only car. I'm sure this one is about to spill the bearings if that spring did come from it. But i do have to remove the heads to change lifters. I already know what all i need to do if it is a lifter i'm just wanting to know what everyone else thinks is going on.

Brent
Old 10-31-2007, 08:54 PM
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That's a valve seal spring. I found the exact same thing in my lifter tray when I pulled my heads. When the valve springs came off there it was, a seal missing a spring. Sorry, but if you replace the lifters on an LS1 the heads are coming off.
Old 10-31-2007, 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by MJD
That's a valve seal spring. I found the exact same thing in my lifter tray when I pulled my heads. When the valve springs came off there it was, a seal missing a spring. Sorry, but if you replace the lifters on an LS1 the heads are coming off.

see dammit! That is what my initial thought was too! I didnt know if there was even a spring in the lifter that looked like that! And here i am ordering $1000 worth of **** to replace my lifters and cam and it might not even be that. Someone PLEASE help me out!

Brent



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