Lifter Replacement

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May 2, 2007 | 06:56 AM

ErnieX

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Lifter Replacement

I read in an older post while researching that "when a lifter is replaced, cam must be replaced also". This makes sense but the inverse would also be true that if you replace a cam, all lifters must be changed. This would tell me that you can't replace a single lifter w/o replacing the cam. If you replace the cam for a single lifter, then all lifters must be replaced.

Is this gospel or just a best practice? Do I have to pull engine, replace cam and all lifters if one lifter has gone bad?????

Thanks,
EE

95 Exp 4.0

May 2, 2007 | 08:31 AM

thelonerangerxlt

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Cams lobes are 'hardened' during mfg, but the hardening is only in the outside layer of the metal. Therefore, when this layer of metal wears through, the rest of the lobe will wear away very quickly. When a new lifter is mated with an older cam lobe, sometimes the mating surfaces aren't uniform and the lobe starts to wear.

It all depends on how new the cam is, how 'hard' the lobe is, and how good the new lifter mates to the lobe, as to how much wear occurs.

But to answer your question, I've replaced single lifters with no ill effects. Considering how much labor is involved in changing the cam, I'd try just replacing the lifter and see what happens.....