is it possible to replace the lifters in a 90 modle 460 with out pulling the intake? I have heard rumers that i can pull the valve covers and use a specal tool? is this right? Thanks

 

no it's not possible anyway I could even think of the lifters won't fit through the holes in the heads, a 3/8 dia pushrod is close.

 

nope no way. but the intake is pretty simple to pull.

 

Not to mention the fact that you shouldn't be running new lifters on an old cam. If I had to guess, your replacing the lifters because they are collapsing at mid-rpm long pulls, right? If that’s the case, its more than likely not a problem with the lifters themselves, but instead a problem with oil pressure. I went round and round trying to figure out why the lifters in my '88 460 were collapsing, and have come to the conclusion that the pressure spring in the oil pump has gotten weak. At normal driving rpms the lifters have enough oil, and the spring in the pump provides just enough pressure to keep everything happy. When you really get on it to pass someone or when pulling a trailer up a long grade, the pressure that the oil pump puts out over rides the weak spring, causing the pressure to drop, and therefore the lifters to collapse.

Replace your oil pump with a new OEM ford unit (not a crappy aftermarket one) and it should eliminate your problem. When I swap my oil pump out I'm going to try to find a 'high pressure' spring to go in the factory pump. Just what ever you do, don't get a 'high volume' oil pump, its completely unneeded on a stock engine, and will probably cause more trouble than good.

 

Oil pumps really catch heck and do wear out! For 30 bucks or so you can get a rebuild kit and then you will know what you have. This is a good opportunity to clean up the oil pan and pickup as well. Kind of a messy job but not all that bad.