2.9 Cam and Lifters

[Gunfighter97]

I've got my junkyard engine torn down to a short block and began work on the rear main seal, cleaning up the pickup tube/pump, and just managed to clean enough varnish out to pull the first lifter. Immediately could tell it was cupped. Im running some erands to among other things, grab a can of spray that will better aniahlate varnish, but am curious what yall would do. I don't want to remove the crank if I dont have to, but I think it might be wise at this point to pull the cam out for a looksee.

 

[franklin2]

When I pulled my engine during a swap, I pulled the pan and took a main bearing cap off and a rod cap off just to have a look. They looked good and I knew the history of the engine, so new gaskets and cylinder heads, and it has been running ever since. Didn't have but one pesky oil leak around the front of the engine. Found out you must put rtv behind the large washer that goes behind the crankshaft bolt. Oil will migrate up past the key and the keyway and make it's way around the washer and sling out all over the front of the engine. Not a bad leak, but one of those small aggravating leaks.

P.S. Make sure your freeze plugs look like new. Mine were rusted and there is one inbetween the back of the engine and the bellhousing that you can't get to except with the engine out. I would replace them all while you have the engine out. And make sure the timing chain looks like new.

 

[Gunfighter97]

When I pulled my engine during a swap, I pulled the pan and took a main bearing cap off and a rod cap off just to have a look. They looked good and I knew the history of the engine, so new gaskets and cylinder heads, and it has been running ever since. Didn't have but one pesky oil leak around the front of the engine. Found out you must put rtv behind the large washer that goes behind the crankshaft bolt. Oil will migrate up past the key and the keyway and make it's way around the washer and sling out all over the front of the engine. Not a bad leak, but one of those small aggravating leaks.

P.S. Make sure your freeze plugs look like new. Mine were rusted and there is one inbetween the back of the engine and the bellhousing that you can't get to except with the engine out. I would replace them all while you have the engine out. And make sure the timing chain looks like new.

Cam is wiped

Probably why it was in the junkyard. Every single lifter was dished, bar one and it was flat and non rotational. Lobes dont look great. As I type Im going to measure with my dial caliper. . . The one lobe from the one non dished lifter is 35 thou taller than most of the rest, there are a few 15 thou shorter at closest.

 

[gaz]

@Gunfighter97
As @franklin2 said, inspect the main bearings and cylinders; otherwise if I want a reliability from wrecking yard pull:
• new oil pump
• new timing set
• new water pump
Since you have already torn down the valve train: • completely clean the rocker arms
• deburr the rockers and arms
• up drill, chamfer and blend all the rocker and arm oil passages
• improved rockers and CUSTOM reground camshafts can be sourced from Delta Camshaft of Tacoma Wa.
• I had no issue source NOS lifters (Mahle, Federal/Mogal, Sealed Power/Topline and Melling)

This is a great opportunity to ditch the crankshaft power stealing fan/clutch for an electric fan setup; it will not add horse power but it will restore the power was lost to the former, archaic components. No other single change yielded higher fuel economy to my stock 2.9l.

 

[Gunfighter97]

I need to get a hold of a good bore caliper, mains and rods look meh. Usable but not great. I did pull one piston. Oil ring was stuck. Its crank journal miced to the top of spec, and was consistent all the way around so if that holds all the way down the engine, could do with standard size bearings.

Who makes a good oil pump these days? Every time I look at new ones I hear horror stories.

 

[franklin2]

Pull your oil pump apart and see what it looks like. How much ridge is at the top of the cylinders? That is a rough indication how much wear is in the bores. There is a very small area at the top of the bore where the rings do not run.

 

[Gunfighter97]

It had a defined ridge, but I've seen plenty of engines that way with good cams :/ havent cleaned up the oil pump yet but it looked good taking it apart

 

[franklin2]

A ridge that you can catch your fingernail on means the engine has a lot of wear. That explains your camshaft, the engine is just plain worn out and needs a rebuild.

 

[gaz]

@Gunfighter97
Mellings is know for quality oil pumps; they have 2 options for your engine:
• OEM replacement (original equipment manufacturer)
• High Volume

NOTE
1-Each of the pumps by Melling require the use of a Mellings pick up tube.
2-the primary reason that I would simply replace the oil pump on an engine with limited to no known history is that if it fails the engine has to come out, new pump virtually insures that it will provide 150k or more without an oil pump failure.

 

[19Walt93]

If the cam is trashed that means metal went throughout the oil passages. I'd send the block to a machine shop and have it boiled or it'll come back to bite you. If the crank looks good, mic the journals and replace at least the bearings after blasting the oil passages with brake clean and compressed air. The Crane cam in my son's T Bird had 2 lobes go flat in a few thousand miles and he had to completely rebuild his 302 a second time due to the metal particles in his oil. Sorry, there isn't a cheap or easy fix.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

@Gunfighter97
Mellings is know for quality oil pumps; they have 2 options for your engine:
• OEM replacement (original equipment manufacturer)
• High Volume

NOTE
1-Each of the pumps by Melling require the use of a Mellings pick up tube.
2-the primary reason that I would simply replace the oil pump on an engine with limited to no known history is that if it fails the engine has to come out, new pump virtually insures that it will provide 150k or more without an oil pump failure.

To add to this, high volume pumps are not necessary for general purpose vehicles, they just rob horsepower.