Bad Lifters

I just pulled the intake on my 304, and found both lifters in #1 hole were dished, and weak from long term storage. I had this 304 rebuilt about 30 year ago, and the engine has less than 1000 easy miles on it. Now some will say to replace the cam, lifters, and push rods...and some say rebuild the whole thing....I aint rich, and it run just fine on 7 cylinders with a slight miss through exhaust, but didn't want a cylinder wash problem. I have heard with the amount of miles, I may get away with cam, and lifters, and push rods only. What say the experts here

 

I'd do what you have in mind. Maybe a compression check before doing anything, just for fun. How is oil pressure?

I dont know how storage would dish a lifter so this time around use a lot more break-in lube and break-in oil with ZDDP.

Before I hit reply, I also dont know how a lifter gets weak from storage. My hunch is nothinh changed since it was last ran, and whatever happened had happened prior to storage. Maybe thats the reason it was stored? Bad news lime that has a way of sucking the enthusiasm out of a fellow, leading to "ran when parked" adds a few decades later.

 

And Im not an expert. Pay attention to other people. Lots of smart guys around here.

 

Just put some lifters in it and go. Whats the worst that's going to happen? Need a rebuild... Run it.

 

foolish me I didn't properly break in cam. I've had it in my pole barn, and only started it once in a while. The lifters probably got stuck from sitting, and the oil pressure has been is good, around 50-55 pounds, drops too 45-50 when warmed up. Its not a DD, but now I'm retired its more of an expensive toy right now I think. When last it was rebuilt, the total cost was $1000-$1200....it aint now

 

Probably what I'll do. It was rebuilt less than a 1000 miles ago, so dang.... change the hell outta the oil, and filters, and see if I can flush the crap out of it without a complete tear down, which will cost a lot. It aint that easy now on a fixed income, and being 71 years old

 

Your engine is fine except lifters, and maybe cam. Best case you need lifters. Worst case is cam and lifters. I think.

 

I'm thinking that's what I'll do. cam, and lifter kit. The timing chain etc. should be good.

 

Here's what the lifters looked like. When I pulled valve covers off, and watched push rods were oiling, and when I depressed down on the lifters, they were cycling through. You can see the wear

 

You’ll need a cam too.

 

from the lifter damage in the photo above, what would make them do this?

 

You mentioned it earlier, the proper break in procedure wasn’t followed. Good news is the engine is fairly fresh. Replace the cam and lifters, follow the break in procedure and change the oil often. Might not be a bad idea to drop the pan to see how much metal is there. Clean that out before it’s sucked back into the system.

 

you know I already dropped pan when I changed the freeze plugs a few years ago while it was sitting in my pole barn/garage, because I didn't run it so the anti freeze would circulate, and it turned bad, and ate my timing chain/oil pump cover setup, and I didn't find anything scary. I've also changed the oil, even tho I haven't even driven it on the road for years. Just since I've been retired I want to putt through the 2 tracks I have found this problem, so now its a cam/lifter kit, and do like you said, and keep my fingers crossed. and also when it was last running last year, it ran like a beast on 7 cylinders, and great oil pressure....I just hope I'm not whistling through the cemetery

 

I would check you push rods and rockers also ...........that look of getting beat on is usually from excessive clearance when running.......so flat cam, dish in lifter, bent push rods or rockers are shot even a valve stem tip........the hardened tips on the rocker arms can go away as well as the tips on the push rods & valves.....look for any push rods that are shorter than the others.........basically from top to bottom check all the valve train........

 

Well crap... I took a magnet, and checked the oil galley rear under intake, and found a small pc. of metal. So it appears a total take down, and clean, and the whole 9 yards.... what can I expect to dish out for machine shop services, and optional cost savings, like if I break it down, and reassemble, or if they do all of it. Last time it was done in 89 or 90 it was NAPA machining, and parts for reassembly costing $1000, but it was for boring .30 over, and other stuff. Any info would be appreciated......I know pricing is subjective to where I'm at etc. I need to think about this

 

Pull it apart and clean it yourself it ran decent slam a cam and lifters in and run it. The galley plugs all come out and rifle cleaning brushes work great.