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Dished lifter #2413397
12/05/17 02:08 AM
12/05/17 02:08 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,384
Madison Wi
NTOLERANCE Offline OP
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NTOLERANCE  Offline OP
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Madison Wi
So here's the deal. LA 360. Been sitting for a few years.

Clean out the fuel system.
Change plugs.
Change oil n filter

Check for spark - no spark. Jump ballast resistor - we have spark.

Fire up engine - have a loud lifter tick from the front left

Shut engine down pull valve cover - exhaust rocker super loose - hyd cam

Figure the exhaust valve was open during dormancy and the lifter is collapsed

pull intake and rocker gear and find the lifter is super dished

So- any idea why it happened ????

Cam lobe looks ok. But I'm hesitant to throw a lifter at it.

IMG_4769.JPG

I used to care but....... things have changed
Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413401
12/05/17 02:10 AM
12/05/17 02:10 AM
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Porter67 Offline
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odd, how hard did it come out of the bore.

Hard to imagine the cam being "ok"

Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413404
12/05/17 02:12 AM
12/05/17 02:12 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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You need new cam and lifters. Don't even think of putting a new lifter on that cam.
You may have (probably did) gotten lucky that the two pieces didn't grind up more metal than just the base of the lifter.

Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413406
12/05/17 02:13 AM
12/05/17 02:13 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,384
Madison Wi
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Madison Wi
Lifter slid right out by hand. Had an extractor handy and didn't need it.

Again cam lobe "looks " ok. Haven't measured it


I used to care but....... things have changed
Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413407
12/05/17 02:15 AM
12/05/17 02:15 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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And it looks like that lifter kept spinning, despite the wear....lucky you, otherwise it would have been uglier.

Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413430
12/05/17 02:50 AM
12/05/17 02:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Freeport IL USA
I suspect you will find more lifters that look just like that one if you pull them out and have a look. Once the wear gets down past the surface hardness (see the ring around the outside?), they dish pretty quickly.

Time for a new cam and lifters, or you can install new lifters, then in a couple thousand miles, when you pull down the motor to clean up all the metal partials, you can buy a new cam and lifters along with the bearings and everything else the metallic oil has flowed over or through. Gene

Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413483
12/05/17 10:38 AM
12/05/17 10:38 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,384
Madison Wi
NTOLERANCE Offline OP
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Madison Wi
Going to have to put a lifter in just to be able to move the truck.

Wonder if the valve was stuck ?


I used to care but....... things have changed
Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413810
12/05/17 08:41 PM
12/05/17 08:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,212
Minnesota
peabodyracing Offline
top fuel
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I've seen a fair number of those on LA engines over the years. In my experience as well it always looked like the cam lobe was ok.

I had never chanced it and always replaced the cam and lifters, figuring another one was probably not far behind. In each case once the cam was out, it was pretty apparent the lobe was starting to go flat, even though it sure didn't look that way viewed through the valley.

It sounds like you were wondering if a valve stuck open would cause this. I don't think so. Chances are the lifter just wore through the hardness and starting cupping. If the valve was stuck closed I'd guess you'd see a bent pushrod. I've had that happen on LA's and even slant sixes that had sat for a long time.

Anymore before I try and turn over one that's been dormant a long time I will pull the valve covers and rap on each valve stem with a fiber mallet just to be safe. Some may say that's asking for trouble too, but I've found a freed up more than one stuck valve that way.


Lead, follow or get the hell out of the way
Re: Dished lifter [Re: NTOLERANCE] #2413848
12/05/17 09:57 PM
12/05/17 09:57 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,935
WI
Dcuda69 Offline
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I've never pulled a lifter out that looked like that and had the cam be OK. If the lifter looks like that the cam is done as well.Saw many,many lifters/cams wiped out in the 80s and 90s from all manufactures. Don't forget,flat tappet cams like oil with zinc.

Re: Dished lifter [Re: Dcuda69] #2413974
12/06/17 12:41 AM
12/06/17 12:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664
IN
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ahy Offline
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IN
I have seen an LA 360 run quite a while with dished lifter... and would never recommend it. A new cam and lifer set is in order... and the high(er) zinc oil of your choice and careful break-in. Not worth risking a trashed engine IMO.







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