ticking and question on lifter replacement

[MichiganLarry]

My son's 89 ranger had the cracked head overheating problem. We put new heads on it and all is fine with the cooling system now. The motor sometimes ticks really bad and others not at all. I have flushed it once and put different additives in the oil that claim to quiet noisy lifters. Nothing has worked. Still occasional ticking. I was thinking that maybe I should change the lifters now. My question is can I change the lifters without removing the heads? I was hoping I could remove the valve covers and rockers and pull the lifters out with a magnet. Also what brand of lifters seem to be better?

 

[BlackBII]

Since this is not happening all the time, it's most likely an oil starvation issue.

What type of oil and filter are you using?

 

[RustedRanger]

On a flat tappet cam when you change the lifters you need to change the cam also. They break in or wear in together when new. New lifters can cause the cam to go "flat". The push rods and rockers are the same way.

 

[MichiganLarry]

Since this is not happening all the time, it's most likely an oil starvation issue.

What type of oil and filter are you using?

I believe it has Penzoil and a Fram filter.

 

[MichiganLarry]

On a flat tappet cam when you change the lifters you need to change the cam also. They break in or wear in together when new. New lifters can cause the cam to go "flat". The push rods and rockers are the same way.

Are you saying you can't change push rods or rockers??

 

[Big Jim M]

YEs you can change pushrods and rockers. They wear into themselves. The camshaft goes round and round grinding itself and the lifter as it goes. They wear into a tight fit.
When new the camsaft is ground flat and the rockers ALL have a slight hump on the wear surface.. So they start off having only a slight surface touching the camshaft. This eleminates immediate harsh wear on the camshaft.
Most cases of rocker and pushrod being worn will have a worn camshaft and lifters also.
If a little ticking is all there is and the engine runs well perhaps a simple adjustment is all that is needed. In some engines this is accomplished by installing a longer pushrod.
Big JIm

 

[MichiganLarry]

YEs you can change pushrods and rockers. They wear into themselves. The camshaft goes round and round grinding itself and the lifter as it goes. They wear into a tight fit.
When new the camsaft is ground flat and the rockers ALL have a slight hump on the wear surface.. So they start off having only a slight surface touching the camshaft. This eleminates immediate harsh wear on the camshaft.
Most cases of rocker and pushrod being worn will have a worn camshaft and lifters also.
If a little ticking is all there is and the engine runs well perhaps a simple adjustment is all that is needed. In some engines this is accomplished by installing a longer pushrod.
Big JIm

Thanks. I'm very aware of how a cam shaft goes! Comp cam states right on their website that you CAN in fact change lifters as long as you go through a breakin procedure. Lifters never "girnd" themselves flat. They retain the "hump" and the cam is not flat either. The lobes on a cam are ground with on a slight angle from side to side to promote spinning of the lifters.

 

[Big Jim M]

Larry it is obvious you have never seen really well worn lifters.. Most seem to be cupped when worn out.
Big Jim

 

[MichiganLarry]

Jim - Thanks for setting me straight.

All I wanted to know is if you can remove the lifters without removing the heads. Didn't want a primer on how a cam works!

 

[Psychopete]

All I wanted to know is if you can remove the lifters without removing the heads.

Unfortunately, heads need to come off.

FWIW, I cracked a head and my oil pressure dropped. Engine would tick horribly off the high way. Engine bearings were smoked from the coolant in my oil at 98K. This was just my experience though.

I believe I bought a set of lifters from Napa, and they still looked new when I pulled them 15K later. My truck is more or less a toy, and I pulled my rebuilt V6 out in favor of an 8 cylinder.

Pete

 

[RustedRanger]

I'm not saying you can't change the pushrods or rockers just that if they are removed they need to be kept together and if you replace a rocker you need a new pushrod to go with it. I've seen pics of pushrods with the tips torn/worn off from just changing the rocker or pushrod but not both. I have always read and heard that with flat tappet cams you need to number the lifters so they go back on the lobe they came from and not to put new lifters on an old cam. Maybe it will work sometimes but I wouldnt chance it.