How do you install engine lifters?
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: Buffalo NY
When I rebuilt mine, the Ford dealer actually let us borrow the seal tool. I think my mechanic kinda knew someone over there but it couldn't hurt to ask especially if you leave them some sort of deposit.
This is the tube you'll need to remove to get to the rears on each side. Rear cover must come off to remove it.
This is the one that caused me my problems. All the rest looked as new as the new ones I put in when I got the branch tube off. The lifters can be removed from the block with a retrieval magnet. Since they rest on the cam, there are no timing issues.
You can see here how the branch tube prevents you from removing the rear half of the lifters.
If it were me, I'd check the condition of all your lifters, but that's up to you. If you have a bad one, you could have some cam damage. If that's the case you are going ***** deep and need to remove the crank (if you don't want to remove the storied adapter plate), which means flipping the block, remove oil pan and bed plate, unbolting the connecting rods, and bearing caps, popping the crank, and then sliding out the cam.
Hopefully your cam doesn't end up looking like this.
This is the tube you'll need to remove to get to the rears on each side. Rear cover must come off to remove it.
This is the one that caused me my problems. All the rest looked as new as the new ones I put in when I got the branch tube off. The lifters can be removed from the block with a retrieval magnet. Since they rest on the cam, there are no timing issues.
You can see here how the branch tube prevents you from removing the rear half of the lifters.
If it were me, I'd check the condition of all your lifters, but that's up to you. If you have a bad one, you could have some cam damage. If that's the case you are going ***** deep and need to remove the crank (if you don't want to remove the storied adapter plate), which means flipping the block, remove oil pan and bed plate, unbolting the connecting rods, and bearing caps, popping the crank, and then sliding out the cam.
Hopefully your cam doesn't end up looking like this.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 10
From: Kansas City MO
Check this one out
Oh btw,, to get the cam out,, there's absolutely no reason to remove the adapter flange,, I've done it before because I had to ship the cam off ASAP,,, I did disassemble the engine after tho. But flip the engine,,, leave the rods bolted to the crank,, wrap a strap around the flange,, use the engine hoist to raise the crank enough to slide the cam out. Without unbolting the rods. There is plenty of flex to get the cam out. But if a cam went,, it'd be a half way job to not replace all the bearings. Crank bearings Re around $40,,, and the rod bearings are less than $200. IMHO.
Oh btw,, to get the cam out,, there's absolutely no reason to remove the adapter flange,, I've done it before because I had to ship the cam off ASAP,,, I did disassemble the engine after tho. But flip the engine,,, leave the rods bolted to the crank,, wrap a strap around the flange,, use the engine hoist to raise the crank enough to slide the cam out. Without unbolting the rods. There is plenty of flex to get the cam out. But if a cam went,, it'd be a half way job to not replace all the bearings. Crank bearings Re around $40,,, and the rod bearings are less than $200. IMHO.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: Buffalo NY
Check this one out
Oh btw,, to get the cam out,, there's absolutely no reason to remove the adapter flange,, I've done it before because I had to ship the cam off ASAP,,, I did disassemble the engine after tho. But flip the engine,,, leave the rods bolted to the crank,, wrap a strap around the flange,, use the engine hoist to raise the crank enough to slide the cam out. Without unbolting the rods. There is plenty of flex to get the cam out. But if a cam went,, it'd be a half way job to not replace all the bearings. Crank bearings Re around $40,,, and the rod bearings are less than $200. IMHO.
Oh btw,, to get the cam out,, there's absolutely no reason to remove the adapter flange,, I've done it before because I had to ship the cam off ASAP,,, I did disassemble the engine after tho. But flip the engine,,, leave the rods bolted to the crank,, wrap a strap around the flange,, use the engine hoist to raise the crank enough to slide the cam out. Without unbolting the rods. There is plenty of flex to get the cam out. But if a cam went,, it'd be a half way job to not replace all the bearings. Crank bearings Re around $40,,, and the rod bearings are less than $200. IMHO.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 10
From: Kansas City MO
Good times in Grain Valley!!!! I like to eat!! Lol. This feeds my family.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 13,484
Likes: 42
From: Stevens Point, WI
I bought a 6.0 with a bad lifter.
Here you can see the tube after pulling the rear plate.
I found the roller bearing up in the oil cooler.
And the rest of the lifter in the oil pan.
I pulled the adapter flange off the crank to pull the cam.
I made my own seal installers front and back.
Used cam, new aftermarket lifters, all is good again.
Here you can see the tube after pulling the rear plate.
I found the roller bearing up in the oil cooler.
And the rest of the lifter in the oil pan.
I pulled the adapter flange off the crank to pull the cam.
I made my own seal installers front and back.
Used cam, new aftermarket lifters, all is good again.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 240
Likes: 6
From: Asheville, NC
As I understand it, you guys have gone into way more than needs to be done. There is absolutely no reason to pull the rear cover, camshaft, etc. if all you are doing is studding your engine. Your idea of replacing whichever lifters you can get at is a good idea but unless you have a bad lifter, forget about the rear ones and hope for the best.
If for some reason you find yourself pulling the camshaft out, then you do have to put the timing back correctly. Another factor to look at, if and when you decide to go that deep into your engine is mileage. If it's high, you may be better off rebuilding the whole thing or replacing it with a reman.
If for some reason you find yourself pulling the camshaft out, then you do have to put the timing back correctly. Another factor to look at, if and when you decide to go that deep into your engine is mileage. If it's high, you may be better off rebuilding the whole thing or replacing it with a reman.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 10
From: Kansas City MO
Words of wisdom,,, HOPE FOR THE BEST!!!! Lol
One persons "high mileage" may not be the same for another. I dropped 10 lifters,,,, At high mileage,,,,, how high you say???? 582k mi. I see no need to have a customer pull their wallet out with "hope" anywhere in the equation. I had a Ford lifter fail before while under warranty. Not the whole engine warranty btw,, just the lifter warranty,,, And just one lifter. Ford replaced EVERYTHING needed to properly repair this engine. Including ALL 16 lifters, camshaft, hg's, oil cooler, cam bearings, main n rod bearings, ect ect. I buy a bunch of parts also,, so maybe they was just protecting their sales. Either way,, I was very happy they stepped up.
One persons "high mileage" may not be the same for another. I dropped 10 lifters,,,, At high mileage,,,,, how high you say???? 582k mi. I see no need to have a customer pull their wallet out with "hope" anywhere in the equation. I had a Ford lifter fail before while under warranty. Not the whole engine warranty btw,, just the lifter warranty,,, And just one lifter. Ford replaced EVERYTHING needed to properly repair this engine. Including ALL 16 lifters, camshaft, hg's, oil cooler, cam bearings, main n rod bearings, ect ect. I buy a bunch of parts also,, so maybe they was just protecting their sales. Either way,, I was very happy they stepped up.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 240
Likes: 6
From: Asheville, NC
Yes, words of wisdom but they are also words of common sense. It's a lot better to do the studs, gaskets, pushrods and whatever lifters they can get at is much cheaper and a lot less work than pulling an engine to get the rear cover off so they can swap out the rear lifters.
IF he has a lifter failure in the future, the only additional damage will be to the cam and the front cover. He can pull the engine if and when he needs to.
hihihiDude13, the answer is yes to whether someone can still lose a lifter after the new pushrods are installed. The main reason why lifters fail is poor maintenance. Other reasons are a high rev or a high boost situation. All three of which are caused by the owner.
IF he has a lifter failure in the future, the only additional damage will be to the cam and the front cover. He can pull the engine if and when he needs to.
hihihiDude13, the answer is yes to whether someone can still lose a lifter after the new pushrods are installed. The main reason why lifters fail is poor maintenance. Other reasons are a high rev or a high boost situation. All three of which are caused by the owner.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 10
From: Kansas City MO
A question I ALWAYS ask customers when they inquire about studs,, is does their engine leak oil. And if it does,, do they want to address it while they are holding their wallet out. Because the price is not much more. I understand your thoughts Ashville,, I just should've mentioned the oil leak info also. Because most customers want to have a dry bell housing after dropping that amount of cash. And it's on the oil leak, stud jobs,, that lifters are done.