Hey team, does anyone know firsthand...
Can you replace a hydraulic valve lifter on a mopar small block without removing the head or the intake?

i.e. Is the pushrod port large enough to take the lifter in/out?


if you've done this before please chime in

thanks for the ad!

Yes indeed, just get an extendable pick-up magnet or mini-grabber tool, and they will all come out super-easy once you have the pushrods out.

If you have some scuzz built up in the engine, you might need to break a little ridge at the top of the bores, but nothing some cleaner can't take care of. One of the first jobs I did with my car.

in the old days? yes.

now days? no. I have dropped 1 too many and had to pull the intake anyways.

I have also opened up a couple engines that had lifters in the valley or in the oil pan. I ASSume from someone doing this very thing.

so now I get a gasket set and pull all of it for a good cleaning/paint/gaskets.

plus you can clean any carbon deposit build up or gunk out of the valley area while looking over the wear pattern of the lifters/cam lobes.

now days all I have are pre-magnum LA roller cam engines. and the ones I do find that have a flat tappet cam I swap over to roller cam/valve gear.

There is a tool made for grabbing the lifter. I have done them more then once. Some are harder to get to then others.

there was enough room on my 308's (not real tight but tight). You have pinpointed a bad one?