finding a bad lifter

Lucky Jeff · May 13, 2008

So what's the best way to find a bad hydrolic lifter? I don't want to replace all of them because it doesn't have many hours on the thing and I'm sure cam and lifters are all just happy and don't need to be broken in again. Is there any "Cleaner" way of doing it then just taking the valve covers off with the thing running?

junkyard jim · May 13, 2008

Depends which motor. I've used vacuum hose to hear where the noise is coming from before pulling the cover. A can of "Restore" shut up the lifters in my '87 Comanche's 4.0L motor at @300,000 miles.

GaryTJ · May 13, 2008

Pull the valve covers and try pushing down on the pushrod end of the rocker. If it compresses at all or feels spongy it is bad.

Damnyankee · May 13, 2008

to get a general idea of location stick a long screw driver to your ear and use it as a stetha scope.. or if you have a proper one.

crash2 · May 13, 2008

GaryTJ said:
Pull the valve covers and try pushing down on the pushrod end of the rocker. If it compresses at all or feels spongy it is bad.

Or run the motor and push on each rocker to nail the bad one...

Lucky Jeff · May 13, 2008

crash said:
Or run the motor and push on each rocker to nail the bad one...

yea Walt told me to try that one. But it's in the boat.. blah, i dunno if i want oil splashing all over in there..

Anyone know if the 302's (Ford) are just a tighten and leave alone for valve adjust? Or do you actually have to adjust these ones? I still can't get an answer on whether you can even buy just one. I don't mind having to replace all of them either.

Binder · May 13, 2008

IIRC the Windsor engines are tighten all the way down. I'm not sure if they're all that way but at least some are.

GaryTJ · May 13, 2008

302's can go both ways depending on year.

Just an FYI most of the time in a boat it is not the lifters it is bent pushrods because of over rev when the prop clears the water.

done that, been there.

Lucky Jeff · May 13, 2008

GaryTJ said:
302's can go both ways depending on year.

Just an FYI most of the time in a boat it is not the lifters it is bent pushrods because of over rev when the prop clears the water.

done that, been there.

so tearing it apart before I start should be a must..

GaryTJ · May 14, 2008

yes. I have bent pushrods enough for them to come out and the lifter then comes out and you loose all oil pressure.

I always carried a couple of spare pushrods in the boat with me, and a magnet to reinstall the lifter if need be.