I just talk with my mechanic and that´s what he told me. The lifter is "loose" and knock with the cam. The good notice is that maybe the valves are ok. I'll get a new cam and lifters.
Thanks
Lifter replacement
- Thread starter MiGorda
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Thanks
Vikingdude
I'm Awesome
It's 2023. Replacing your failed cam/lifters with another flat tappet is a losing strategy. Pony up a little extra money and do a roller. The next flat tappet will fail as well.
Would be nice, I'll do my research about cost and benefits but this cam worked like 12 years without a problem, I guess is better that the Barebones, maybe I get one like this.
Thanks
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DeCaff2007
I'm Awesome
Ok, I have to know, is this a movie reference or something?
^^^This! I made the mistake of replacing 2 lifters on my flat tappet cam, then upgraded to a roller cam. After that a rod bearing spun. I'm sure it's due to metal shavings and filings from the 1st cam.
I'd strip down the block and send it out to get boiled and cleaned. There's metal parts inside the journals and oiling ports you probably won't find too. Drain the pan and look for shiny glitter in the oil! Otherwise, go find a new/rebuilt short block.
No idea. Just an old saying as far as I know ... "Uncle Rodney came a knockin"
Should be the best, first we'll check the debris and try to remove it and of course change the oil.
But another concern, when I removed the intake, the coolant drop into the heads, what's your advice to clean it up?
Wild Guess with no evidence:
There may be bearing damage. Maybe it's a rod knock.
I'm guessing that when the bottom of the lifter wore-through, all the "trapped" oil that keeps the lifter adjusted, blew out. Instant LOUD knocking noise due to a lifter that can't pump-up, and now has massive valve clearance.
I had an Oldsmobile 455 fresh on the engine stand. Started it up--tremendous knocking. Traced it to a lifter that wasn't assembled properly. There was no check-valve in the thing, so it could not pump up.
Good lifter and defective (missing check valve) lifter.
There may be bearing damage. Maybe it's a rod knock.
I'm guessing that when the bottom of the lifter wore-through, all the "trapped" oil that keeps the lifter adjusted, blew out. Instant LOUD knocking noise due to a lifter that can't pump-up, and now has massive valve clearance.
I had an Oldsmobile 455 fresh on the engine stand. Started it up--tremendous knocking. Traced it to a lifter that wasn't assembled properly. There was no check-valve in the thing, so it could not pump up.
Good lifter and defective (missing check valve) lifter.
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Are you saying that you have a flat tappet cam that's already been broken in? That's the only way I'd consider ever running one again, and I'm a cheap basturd.
If you have a Pull-A-Part near you, go find a Vortec Suburban (less likely to be abused) and pull the cam, lifters, pushrods, spider, dogbones, cam retainer plate, and distributor gear. If your block doesn't have roller cam provisions, you can use the spider as a template to drill and tap the oil gallery in the center of the lifter valley and install all-thread. If you don't have the cam retainer bolt holes you'll have to run a cam button. You should be well under $100 all-in, and the L31 cam has better specs than the TBI cam.
If you're really froggy, you can get a set of Elgin 1.6 rockers for about $170 and make the L31 cam into something decent. My math says around .445" lift. I have a $150 350 I'm midway through rebuilding with this setup.
Elgin, Long Slot Steel Rockers, Chev SB (87-Up), 3/8", 1.60 Ratio, Self Aligning, Set of 16 - Competition Products
Elgin, Long Slot Steel Rockers, Chev SB (87-Up), 3/8 1.6BR Chev SB (87-Up), 3/8 1.6, Self AligningBR Stamped from high strength steel alloy, specially heat treated and designed to resist rocker arm flex. Long slot design to handle high lift profile cams. Each kit includes special grooved rocker...
www.competitionproducts.com
It would be nice but there are some reasons that won´t take me into that way.Are you saying that you have a flat tappet cam that's already been broken in? That's the only way I'd consider ever running one again, and I'm a cheap basturd.
If you have a Pull-A-Part near you, go find a Vortec Suburban (less likely to be abused) and pull the cam, lifters, pushrods, spider, dogbones, cam retainer plate, and distributor gear. If your block doesn't have roller cam provisions, you can use the spider as a template to drill and tap the oil gallery in the center of the lifter valley and install all-thread. If you don't have the cam retainer bolt holes you'll have to run a cam button. You should be well under $100 all-in, and the L31 cam has better specs than the TBI cam.
If you're really froggy, you can get a set of Elgin 1.6 rockers for about $170 and make the L31 cam into something decent. My math says around .445" lift. I have a $150 350 I'm midway through rebuilding with this setup.
Elgin, Long Slot Steel Rockers, Chev SB (87-Up), 3/8", 1.60 Ratio, Self Aligning, Set of 16 - Competition Products
Elgin, Long Slot Steel Rockers, Chev SB (87-Up), 3/8 1.6BR Chev SB (87-Up), 3/8 1.6, Self AligningBR Stamped from high strength steel alloy, specially heat treated and designed to resist rocker arm flex. Long slot design to handle high lift profile cams. Each kit includes special grooved rocker...www.competitionproducts.com
One is the first you mention, got a flat tappet came broken in, hopefully I only just need to replace the cam and lifters.
As you can see I post a picture of my first cam, when the engine was fully stock, just put a Vodoo cam and Edelbrock headers and that's enough power for me, also If I put more HP it's important to upgrade the brakes, actually, before this damage, I was planning buy new rear drums and try to fix the ABS module but now that must wait.
And here in Mexico, the TBI was built until '98 and in the middle of the same year became the Vortec and just last few years, so it´s not easy and cheap find those parts.
The most important thing at this moment is the money, I can´t make a project, maybe a few years later because I want to keep my truck until my last days, it's '98 and I got it in 2004, it was in good shape until I screwed it.
Anyway thanks Erik
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