intake manifold removal

[eran tomer]

what would you do if some coolant gets into the lifters after removing the intake manifold?

 

[GoToGuy]

Paper towels, shop rags, change oil. Blow with low pressure air. Or if really worried get hair dryer to blow evaporate all moisture with warm / hot air.
Good luck.

 

[eran tomer]

i thought of removing the lifters and pour oil into the bores. it will go down to the sump won't it?

 

[GoToGuy]

Depends, how much did you get into the valley? What water you see in valley is what didn't find a drain back hole. The lifters should be full of oil. Taking the heads off? If you loosen all the rocker arms, pull the lifters, reset in exactly same holes , then going to go have to reset all valve clearance. Did spill that much water? That's worst case scenario.
Good luck!

 

[eran tomer]

there was enough, i spilled new oil over the valley, so some got out from the sump drain. the heads are off anyway.

 

[Pinger]

IIRC, when I did mine I drained the oil first (it was going to be replaced as (slightly) contaminated with coolant - the analysis said so and was the pointer to the failed inlet manifold gasket). I didn't spill coolant into the valley as far as I was aware but as a precaution I removed the oil pan drain plug to let any coolant that had found its way there escape (none visible). I then refilled with the same oil (I'd suctioned it out and kept it clean) and ran with it for 100 miles to mop up any coolant that was in the oil crankcase then changed it for fresh. Two years on, it's fine.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Any time I am in an engine, I replace the oil and filter. I run the engine a short period of time, get it up to temp, purge the cooling system, make sure it builds pressure and then change it again. Cheap insurance as the fresh oil will mop up coolant, dust and other small contaminants that may have inadvertently found its way into the crankcase.

 

[Supercharged111]

The lifters come apart completely. No amount of soaking them will purge anything from the inside, but with that said what was inside when the coolant hit them stayed inside. It's unlikely coolant got inside the lifters at all. Just follow L31MaxExpress's recipe. I go for a drive before dumping myself. Can also sub in a quart of ATF for oil.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

The lifters come apart completely. No amount of soaking them will purge anything from the inside, but with that said what was inside when the coolant hit them stayed inside. It's unlikely coolant got inside the lifters at all. Just follow L31MaxExpress's recipe. I go for a drive before dumping myself. Can also sub in a quart of ATF for oil.

1 qt of risoline does a great job cleaning as well.

 

[Schurkey]

I wouldn't spend ten seconds worrying about coolant IN the lifters. Sludge in the lifters is another story.

Coolant ON the lifters can be absorbed with paper towels. Watch that you don't leave lint on the lifter valley casting.

If I were re-using the lifters, I'd pull them out of the bores ONE AT A TIME, and take them apart ONE AT A TIME for cleaning. Hydraulic lifters are like tiny oil filters. They collect sludge.

And now you know the reason to remove the block drain plugs before lifting the intake manifold and cylinder heads.