Ok, I got the fuel problem fixed on dad's challenger, Since its getting the proper amount of fuel now, the car will cruise without surging. The only problem left with the car is what I believe to be a lifter/cam problem. When you accelerate easy, the car does fine, but when you get on it, the car stumbles and backfires. Also, it has a bad tick at all rpm's, and does not go away when it gets warm. Sooo, I pulled both valve covers off and disconnected the coil wire, and had dad crank the engine. What I found is that on the #8 cylinder, both rockers barely move compared to the other three on that head. Also, on the #7 cylinder, the intake rocker barely moves about half the stroke of the other rockers on that head. Now, I pulled the rockers off and pulled the pushrods, they are not bent or anything, and the shafts are installed the proper way, so they are getting oil. I think either the lifters are bad, and are collapsed, or the cam is wiped. The engine is all original, and I can't see why the original cam that has 31,000 miles on it would suddenly wipe three lobes, but it is very possible. I won't be able to pull the intake for a week or so, but I wanted to get some opinions until then. Could a collapsed lifter have that much slack to provide the ticking and the slop to not allow the rocker to move that much, or could that only mean cam? A compression test wouldn't tell me anything I don't already know would it? Anyways, I think this is definately causing the car to spit and sputter at full throttle, and causing my tick, now its just time to fix it. By the way, car is a 1971 dodge challenger r/t 340

Thanks,

Will

Sorry, sounds like ya wiped lobes off the cam. Usually doesn't happen on seasoned motors, but with the oils nowdays, I guess anythings possible.

Are the rockers adjustable or not? Could just be out of adjustment. Also, drain the oil and cut the filter open and look for metal shavings. That will tell you if the lobes came off or not because trust me, there will be plenty of metal if they did.

No, the rockers are not adjustable, they are just the stock stamped shaft style rockers. I'm hoping its just a few lifters and not the cam!!!

Will

Small blocks are known to wear the rear lobes as they do not splash oil as well back there--lots of stock units I tear down have that trouble--It is the cam I bet..

Ok, if I pull the rockers out of the way, can you look down in the pushrod holes or head casting holes to see if the cam is wiped or not, or would you have to pull the intake anyways? Also, what would a collapsed lifter look like, can you tell by looking? Any other suggestions?

Unless you have a very definite top end clatter at idle I wouldn't even think of a collapsed lifter or wiped cam lobe. If a lifter or lobe is gone you will no it by the lifter noise it creates. As for the rocker not moving as you turn the engine over that is not earth shaking either (IMO) as you are not pumping any oil to build pressure to pressurize the lifters.
IMO look else where.

If you get a long handle flexible magnet you can pull the lifters out without removing th intake. Look at the cam lobes. If they are real jagged at the edges you need to replace it. If they look fine, check the lifters. Look at the bottom of the lifters and see if they are shiney all over, or if the have a dull straight line in the middle. If they do the lifter is bad and was not rotating in the lifter bore. You can also take a pushrod and try to compress the lifter. If you are lucky you just have a few bad lifters. You can replace them, but you need to break them in just like you would a new cam and lifters.

Raul

you can pull the lifters out without taking off the intake? I'm assuming they will fit through the casting holes in the heads?

Pretty sure that's the case, another edge the chev small block does not feature. Took a few of those out distrib hole.

Yes they will fit thru the casting holes. It can be a bit tricky, but I can do it on my 915 J heads.

Raul

You wont always get a bad noise from a wiped cam.When we pulled the vam from my kids 87 318 it had 2 lobes just about perfectly round and 2 that were worn almost as bad.He didnt lose oil pressure and was driving it everday.Id pull the intake sounds like a wiped cam.Oh one lifter has a fairly big hole and one a small hole.Rocky

Sometimes they will fit through some of the holes in the heads. Depends on the amount of casting flash. Try a new lifter in each hole to see if it clears.

I wiped a lobe off of my 86 318 in a D100. It didnt make any noise either. Just started popping through the carb.

varnish build up will make the removal of the lifters a pain with the intake on.IMO

dont want any in the pan

better to remove and get a better looky see at the cam lobes while hand turning it over

Cam issues, it happens more and more often with "new" oil.
removed my lifters with this handy tool from K-and-D http://www.kd-tools.com/2114.htm

didnt help, wiped out the cam in my 273, had to replace it.
good luck

Well, I think I found out the problem, I pulled the suspecting lifters through the heads, and The bottoms of them are cupped pretty good. Even the other lifters which I thought looked ok, are starting to go. I blame the reformulated oil, as nothing has changed except that, and we have used 10W-40 mobil 1 since 1995. Now, I can't see the cam because the intake isn't pulled yet, but I'm sure if the lifters are cupped like that, the cam is shot also. I am looking at a Lunati voodoo cam to replace it, does anybody have any comments on them? I am thinking about the #60401 cam, its specs are 213/220 @ .050, and .454/.475 lift. The car came with 3.91 gears and it has headers. Does anybody know if this cam will work ok with stock springs, as they thought it would. Does anyody have any experience, good or bad, with this cam or a similar one? I'm already nervous about flat tappet cams now as it is, lol

Thanks,

Will

Sorry to hear about your cam lobe problems, I just went through it. I almost just replaced the cam and cleaned out the pan. Changed my mind , pulled motor apart, inspected crank/rod bearings ,found it had trashed them also. Best to disassemble motor, clean and inspect everything.