Changing lifters in a 428

[wicked fast]

Hey,

In the "How to Rebuild Your Big Block Ford (FE)" the author
says you can change lifters without removing the intake.

He never goes on to explain how, does anybody know
how or have you ever done it ??

I have a flat hyd. lifter on the #1 exhaust.

Thanks,
BC

[427 S/O]

'cannot', I'm carefull when pulling push rods for that very reason.............

[427 S/O]

If you had one of those small tube flexible telescopes and a pick-up magnet, you could possibly get it back in.

[Jerry Clayton]

yes you can do it--takes mech finger pickup tool/magnets,etc--but--if you have a flat lifter you probably have a flat cam lobe---maybe not flat, but at least the lobe is worn to where it won't spin the lifter which then results in the lifter wearing

[427 S/O]

You got my interest up........Check this out........


http://www.borescopes.us.com/

[Woodz428]

I do a lot of FE engines, but I'm not looking at one currently, I would think it would be less labor intensive to pull the manifold. There are only a few areas that a lifter might come up through and that means a lot of fishing...in and out. Just my .02

[Jerry Clayton]

Number 1 exhaust----only rt valve cover needs to come off, worth the try-----but my money says bad cam---now that means front accessoies, drain coolant,etc, etc, etc

[undy]

Run the bad lifter down to zero lash (turn it into a solid) and spin the motor with a dial indicator on the rocker/valve. You can compare to another "known to be good" lifter/cam lobe. This will tell you at least if the cam lobe's gone away. At that point it's a moot point whether you can pull the lifter w/o pulling the intake

[Jerry Clayton]

you don't even have to do that---just start the engine--any pushrods not rotating indicate problem with cam

[FWB]

Originally Posted by undy

Run the bad lifter down to zero lash (turn it into a solid) and spin the motor with a dial indicator on the rocker/valve. You can compare to another "known to be good" lifter/cam lobe. This will tell you at least if the cam lobe's gone away. At that point it's a moot point whether you can pull the lifter w/o pulling the intake

how do you run a feakin rocker down to zero lash on a hydraulic motor with
a rocker shaft?
that would be a good trick. number 1 lifter can be changed thru the oil fill
tube hole in the manifold. remove the tube or plug and use a lifter puller.

[RedCSX1]

You guys are confused....

Most 428 FE motors came with hyd lifters. You can have a Hyd lifter go bad and the cam will still be in good shape. YES, you can remove the lifters without removing the intake. Do not use a magnet, use as some one mentioned a tool designed to grab the lifter where the push rod sits. Replace the bad lifter then reinstall the rocker assembly. Been there, done that, and it worked fine.

[undy]

Originally Posted by FWB

how do you run a feakin rocker down to zero lash on a hydraulic motor with
a rocker shaft?
that would be a good trick. number 1 lifter can be changed thru the oil fill
tube hole in the manifold. remove the tube or plug and use a lifter puller.

If it's adjustable rockers, OEM or otherwise, you run the lifter preload down till it bottoms out and starts compressing the valve. I thought EVERYBODY knew that.. sheesh..

[CHANMADD]

If the lifters flat so is the cam!!

[CJ428CJ]

Being able to remove the lifter without removing the manifold may be dependent upon your heads and manifold. I had a bent pushrod incident a while back (a rocker arm adjusting screw backed off). I wanted to check the condition of the lifters without pulling the manifold. I was able to use a magnet in conjunction with one of those pointed scribes (like a dentist uses) to get the lifter all the way up to the gap between the manifold and the head. I was able to examine it that way but it would not physically fit through the opening. I run an Edelbrock RPM manfold and Edelbrock heads. Other head/manifold combinations may have more room to allow the lifter to be pulled up through the gap.

I don't understand how the tool mentioned above to grab the lifter would work. There's no way the lifter will fit through the pushrod hole. If anything, it's got to come out through the gap between the head and the manifold or perhaps through an oil fill tube or breather baffle if you have one on your manifold.

Chris

[Jerry Clayton]

I've been occasionally taking lifters out of the FE engines from the early 332/352s in 1958 up until now 2008---guess thats aprox 50 years--it can be done---

But-----if the lifter/pushrod isn't spinning the cam is flat-----the cam won't come out the top ----but the lifters can be pulled up and cam changed without removing the manifold---the engine can also be started and ran without the front cover or dampner in place---

[FWB]

Originally Posted by undy

If it's adjustable rockers, OEM or otherwise, you run the lifter preload down till it bottoms out and starts compressing the valve. I thought EVERYBODY knew that.. sheesh..

maybe you could look at a pic and see that tightening down on a rocker
is virtually impossible with the factory rocker for a hydraulic cam

[427 S/O]

Hold on guys, your assuming way too much, I believe he pull the lifter out by mistake with the push rod. When I pull my pushrods, I noticed it sometimes pulls the lifter from suction where the pushrod sets in the lifter, It's the oil that causes the suction and if you pull too fast it can pull the lifter out. That's what I got from his question. I could be wrong.

[FWB]

he stated he has a flat (i define as collapsed) lifter he wants to change
without pulling the intake, sometimes the oil retention causes the pushrod
and the lifter to suck together when you pull on the pushrod, you can ease
this by spinning the rod as you lift slowly.

[wicked fast]

Morgan,

That is exactly what I am going to do.

Talked to a friend today that also comfirmed it can be done.

The cam is not flat or wiped. Cam Dynamics broke the
cam in for me.

I think I killed the lifter by overtightening (sp?) the rocker.

Thanks to all.
BC

[undy]

Originally Posted by FWB

maybe you could look at a pic and see that tightening down on a rocker
is virtually impossible with the factory rocker for a hydraulic cam

You've got all the rocker arms facing up but they appear to be the non-adjustable type. Most people will switch to an adjustable set in a performance application, hydraulic, solid or roller. I assumed they were so in my original statement.