Time for a cam and lifters?

[Schmotown]

I'm cleaning parts in preparation to reinstalling them on my B7100 / D750. Attached are (2) pics of lifters. Five of the six lifters look fine but one doesn't look good. My recollection is that you can't replace one lifter, you replace all of them and also replace the cam. Do you have any advice? I can't feel any distortion with a fingernail and a strait edge doesn't reveal any distortion but in the right light those marks are slightly concave.

This "project" is becoming a money pit if I have to buy a new cam and lifters. Thanks for any suggestions.

Larry

 

[torch]

Measure the cam. Do you know which hole the suspect lifter came out of? If the cam is ok I'd probably just replace the one lifter, provided I knew which ones where worn into which hole.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I'm cleaning parts in preparation to reinstalling them on my B7100 / D750. Attached are (2) pics of lifters. Five of the six lifters look fine but one doesn't look good. My recollection is that you can't replace one lifter, you replace all of them and also replace the cam. Do you have any advice? I can't feel any distortion with a fingernail and a strait edge doesn't reveal any distortion but in the right light those marks are slightly concave.

This "project" is becoming a money pit if I have to buy a new cam and lifters. Thanks for any suggestions.

Larry

Valves are adjustable. Why cant you
replace just one lifter? That gets done all the time. Personally I would have all of them refaced.

Dan

 

[Schmotown]

Measure the cam. Do you know which hole the suspect lifter came out of? If the cam is ok I'd probably just replace the one lifter, provided I knew which ones where worn into which hole.

Torch,
Yes, I know which hole the lifter came from. That lobe doesn't have any scratches on it. Would I compare the measurement to other lobes to see if they are wearing evenly or see if it is in spec per the manual or maybe both?

Thanks,
Larry

 

[Schmotown]

Valves are adjustable. Why cant you
replace just one lifter? That gets done all the time. Personally I would have all of them refaced.

Dan

Dan,
Refacing is probably a very good option, especially if the cam is okay. It may be the best solution. I don't know why I couldn't replace just one but it seems like the conventional wisdom on the web is to repalce all of the lifters. I think refacing might be the most economical route. Time to go out and measure the cam.
Thanks,
Larry

 

[torch]

Torch,
Yes, I know which hole the lifter came from. That lobe doesn't have any scratches on it. Would I compare the measurement to other lobes to see if they are wearing evenly or see if it is in spec per the manual or maybe both?

Thanks,
Larry

That's what I'd do: Is it in spec and is it close to the others?

And like Dan suggests: it may even be possible to save that lifter by polishing it out, depending on depth of damage. If you have access to a surface plate there's a couple of ways you couid measure that. Plastigauge or a DTI mounted on a height gauge perhaps. Most people can detect a difference of about 0.001" with a finger, so if you can't feel it then it may not be as bad as it looks in the photo.

 

[torch]

conventional wisdom on the web

Well there's your problem, right there. <lol>

It's an 80's vintage tractor not a top fuel dragster.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Check the bore that the lifter goes in.
It looks like it didn't spin like it should for a while.
If it's damaged it might need honed.

Measure the lobes of the cam, if it matches the other 2 I'd run it.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Dan,
Refacing is probably a very good option, especially if the cam is okay. It may be the best solution. I don't know why I couldn't replace just one but it seems like the conventional wisdom on the web is to repalce all of the lifters. I think refacing might be the most economical route. Time to go out and measure the cam.
Thanks,
Larry

The face on solid tappet lifters is crowned so refacing is a job best left to an automotive machine shop.

Dan

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I feel your pain………I have had my fair share of “money pit” projects.

The problem/dilemma/rub is always how to value my time and frustration as compared to the “cost over-run”.

The question is always “How pissed off am I going to be, if/when I start this thing up, and find out that I should have replaced the cam/lifter(s)?”

How much is a cam and lifters?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I feel your pain………I have had my fair share of “money pit” projects.

The problem/dilemma/rub is always how to value my time and frustration as compared to the “cost over-run”.

The question is always “How pissed off am I going to be, if/when I start this thing up, and find out that I should have replaced the cam/lifter(s)?”

How much is a cam and lifters?

One source: $1492.80