Hydraulic lifters won't budge!!!

[Capt. Crunch]

Hi guys

On Wednesday I started the XJ and noticed it was extremely loud, crawled under the car to look around the exhaust and saw the rear lower stud sheared off! couldn't for the life of me get it out so I pulled the head and while it's off I decided to get the valves lapped, replace all seals and replace the lifters while i'm at it.

Problem being the lifters will only come out 1/3 - 1/2 way then won't go any further. I tried with a magnetic tool and then with needle nose pliers but the pliers would just slip before budging them any further. Noticed this on all of the lifters so I am wondering whether I am missing something here or if there's a tool to make this easier. I really don't want to pull the cam and drop them out through the sump.

[Macca2801]

Lifters do mushroom if they are old enough. I have had ones that needed circlip pliers to grip the lip and then pull out.....just!
Others I have had to remove the camshaft but this was a very old Holden 202 and the base of the lifter had worn away and the inner piston in the lifter dropped out the base!! No wonder it was noisy haha!

Matt.

[resident e]

you need to remove the head to take out the lifters.

[Capt. Crunch]

Macca cheers for the reply, i've bought a pair of long nosed vise grips today to give it a crack and even then they won't budge, they just lift to a point then stop. Tried it on 3 different lifters, one even decided to let the retaining clip out and have the top half come out of the lifter body.

I hope like hell I don't have to take the cam out as well and drop them through the pan, So much more work.

Resident e. thanks mate, head was off well before I decided to refurbish anyway, pulled it to get at a snapped exhaust stud that couldn't be removed with extractor tools, as an afterthought I decided to tidy up a bit while it was already stripped.

If it helps any, the lifter are all getting replaced so damaging them is not a concern to me.

[bruggz351]

There is a lifter removal tool you can get.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Lifter-Removal-Remover-Puller-Tool-Hydraulic-Solid-/230912822290?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&hash=item35c37a0c12

It's likely the lifters have a coating of varnish on the bottom half, jamming them when you try to remove them...

[Capt. Crunch]

Yeah thanks Bruggz, after your post i asked my mate that works at wangara jeep and he said he has a tool I can borrow tomorrow. i just hope that they aren't mushroomed though, i'd be spewing if I damaged the area they go in.

I heard ATF fluid is very good for cleaning up an engine, perhaps I should put a little bit of ATF fluid on each lifter and jiggle them a bit?

[rastus2571]

Yeah thanks Bruggz, after your post i asked my mate that works at wangara jeep and he said he has a tool I can borrow tomorrow. i just hope that they aren't mushroomed though, i'd be spewing if I damaged the area they go in.

I heard ATF fluid is very good for cleaning up an engine, perhaps I should put a little bit of ATF fluid on each lifter and jiggle them a bit?

Kero mate. Then wiggle and jiggle. Always worked for me.

[Capt. Crunch]

Yep cheers guys, used a bit of diesel and the puller tool and we are all sorted. now i just need to wait for auto 1 to stop stuffing me around and get my parts here already! been hearing it'll be here tomorrow since Tuesday.

[bruggz351]

Glad to hear it.

What condition are the bottoms of the lifters in? It will indicate the condition of the lobes on the cam.

cheers

[Capt. Crunch]

flat and clean, no scoring and no concave surfaces. I was actually really surprised at how good the condition was considering the PITA it was to get them out. Good relief knowing i don't have to pull the cam though.

Question to any Perth drivers, who do you guys go see to get gaskets and other such components? Auto 1 was good with price but a pain to get stuff on time. Thinking I will get a rear main and get that done over the week seeing as I am already busy.

[bruggz351]

Top stuff...

cheers