roller lifter stuck

[luckymanz]

I have a 89 caprice with a 305 (owner was told it was a 350 but the stamping on rear of block says 5.0). Anyways, it has stock roller lifters and they were very hard to come out. In fact for a few, I had to remove the camshaft and tap the lifter from the bottom (engine on stand). Is this normal for them to be that stuck? Should I just replace the roller lifters? Thoughts?

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by luckymanz

I have a 89 caprice with a 305 (owner was told it was a 350 but the stamping on rear of block says 5.0). Anyways, it has stock roller lifters and they were very hard to come out. In fact for a few, I had to remove the camshaft and tap the lifter from the bottom (engine on stand). Is this normal for them to be that stuck? Should I just replace the roller lifters? Thoughts?

Just clean 'em down good, don't use sandpaper or emery cloth (as doing so will reconfigure the wear surface and not in a good way), but soak them in something like Berryman Chem-Dip (warning: this stuff is nasty nasty nasty and I suggest you do this nowhere near your house as it is nasty and once more, it's nasty stuff) to clean off the sludge coating that's near their roller surface. It's this sludge that makes them hard to come out.

As long as the wear surface is good and the rollers roll and are not galled on the surface, you should be able to reuse them with no problems.

[luckymanz]

Thanks, I will try that. That's for the warning about it being "nasty"

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by luckymanz

Thanks, I will try that. That's for the warning about it being "nasty"

Let me put it this way: Do you get migraine headaches? If you do, this stuff will trigger one within minutes. The smell gets in your nose and does not escape - everything you smell or taste will smell or taste like the chemdip for hours. It will dissolve plastic like heat melts butter. It will burn if it gets on your skin. But it produces damn clean parts!

It used to be sold as 'carburetor cleaner', the industrial stuff, not the stuff in an aerosol can. People like me found out how good it cleans other stuff.

I now try to use diesel for most stuff as a cleaner, but this stuff (chemdip) works good to remove sludge.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by luckymanz

Thanks, I will try that. That's for the warning about it being "nasty"

if the parts are all metal the use of laquer thinner does a great job of cleaning the carbon/sludge with little work...and no metal damage...
placed in a metal container closed to soak a few hours...

whenever you use chemicals like these that are dangerous to breath get a resperator with paint filters...these have carbon filters that keep the air you breath safe..a set of goggles as well..

[iroc343]

I assume the rollers were stuck due to varnish. I used to race NHRA superstockers and we were told to roll the rollers on a piece of plate glass, this smooth surface will allow you to feel if the roller bearings are damaged. If the rollers are damaged they are not long for this world, especially with stout springs.