I need some help, bad

[SCIV]

Okay, started the cam swap in my LQ9. I bought the lifter tools from Thunder, but they won't go in?? Spun it 50 thousand times both ways, and both tools hang at the same place on both sides. Yes I am using them on the right sides. Hang up 2 cylinders back. the drivers side finally went, but it had resistance the whole way. The passenger side only goes back to the 2 cylinder then it gouges the lifter rod tool?? I filed it down, and then it would make it just barely past that spot & gouge it again. what the hell is wrong? is it me, these tools, what? anyone with similar experience??? This is bad, very bad. HELP PLEASE!!!!!

[chrisj6]

So your changing lifters and the whole drivetrain right? Cause if not you dont have to remove the lifters to install a cam on the LQ9. The lifters will stay up if you just rotate the cam a few times before you pull it so you dont have to remove the manifold and lifters.

Chris

[jethro_3]

Chris, I am helping him and no we are not taking the heads off. He spun the cam, stuck the rod that is designed to hold the lifters up and can not get the rod to go all the way in. Just a cam swap with push rods and springs.

[RedHeartbeat]

The lifters will normally stay up on their own without the holder rods unless the engine has a ton of miles on it. The top end of the lifter fits into a plastic type retainer that keep them from spinning in the lifter bores. They fit pretty snug and will normally hold up on their own if you pull the lifter push rods out from on top of the lifter. Sounds like maybe they missed the location of the drilled hole on that engine or your retainer rod is the wrong size, fixable with the trusty grinder.

[chrisj6]

oh i figured you werent taking the heads off, i just was saying you dont have to pull the intake and lifters. My lifters stayed up with just over 100k on the engine before my cam swap.

Chris

[SCIV]

I think I am going to try using a 3/16" rod, and get some more magnets. Or just spin the shit out of it, and roll the dice...

Thanks Jethro, and thanks guys.

PS - another forum multiple guys feel these lifter tools suck ass. Great investment...

[RedHeartbeat]

yeah, I hear of guys buying a bunch of the telescoping magnetic retrieval tools to hold the lifters up. I like the rod tool idea, though I've never used one myself. I've never swapped cams while the engine was together, always while porting heads or something.

[farmtruc]

I've changed many cams and never used those tools. Spin the cam, wait about 5 mins, spin it again and see if any of the pushrods move. If they don't move, spin it again and remove the cam, the lifters will stay up!


good luck,


allen

[jethro_3]

He got it done without the tools, we finished with 25 minutes to kick off... That VHO does not like to idle now but I like the "Lope!" "Must be a Vaccum LeaK? !" Now he needs a tune...........

[chrisj6]

BTW, what cam is going in that thing!? Glad it worked for you, let us know how much power it throws down after the tune.

Chris