HELP lifters stuck in block

so i decided to put a new cam and heads in my daily driver and what i found in the process made me cry! the timing chain had about an inch of play on one side and about a quarter inch on the other, the rotor had lost a screw and come apart inside the distributor cap, and when i tried to pull the lifters they wouldnt come out, i was able to get 3 of them ou with a vice grips. my question is why wont they come out? by looking at the 3 i did get out i can't see any mushrooming but they are cupped pretty bad, is the block any good still or should i find a new one? it is a small block chevy, i have worked on many but i have never seen anything like this before

 

Remove the cam and take them out from the bottom instead.

Should work i think......

 

The bottom part of the lifter is usually not in the lifter bore when installed, so they tend to get alittle crud buildup on them, making them hard to pull out. They make a tool for pulling lifters, the one I have is from K/D tools, but I'm sure other make it as well.

 

ditto on ford fairlane

 

I had this happen on a 283 years ago, you can take the lifter apart to get a way to grab hold of it.

 

My pop told me how to get them out 40+ years ago on a 371 Rocket Olds. They have varnish on the bottom. Just try to get some PB Blaster or similar stuff sprayed there and just keep working them up & down, to clean off the crud.

 

i cant get the cam out with the lifters still in i would like to keep the motor in the truck if possible, i don't know if the tool will be much good considering i can't even pull them out with a vise grip, i know if i take the block out i can spin it upside down and the liters should drop enough to get the cam out but i wonder if i might have a bigger issue with the block itself, i tried to put a new lifter in the hole and it doesnt seem to go in, the motor only has about 10000 miles on it since i last rebuilt it and the lifters i did get out look clean no ring on the bottom but all 3 that i did get out are collapsed

 

http://www.kd-tools.com/2079.htm
Here's the tool I'm talking about.

 

I keep some berrymans b-12 around for problems like that. Push the lifter down against the cam and pour some berrymans down around it. Then work the lifter up and down and before you know it, it will slide right out. Any good carb cleaner should work just as good.

 

Yo Baby told me of a labor saving idea. He says you can insert a piece of pvc pipe with a slot cut down the top of it in place of the cam and knock the lifters down into it and then slide it out of the engine.

 

Yep, just like others have said, there is varnish and crud build up on the bottom part of the lifter that does not enter the bore when it moves up. Can make it real hard to get them out. The correct tool makes it easier. I usually grab them with vise grips or channel locks and work them up and down untill they come out. Berrymans or some other type solvent helps.

 

sounds like you have enough issues to warrent removing the engine from the vehicle..if you dont and do not get it right you will be eventually taking it out any way, the only problem will be that you will have spent alot of time and money on a boat anchor. and alot of frustration..trust me if you have got problems getting tham out and cant get the new ones in and you have questions as to the condition of this block..its time to pull it and have it looked at and corrected before you waste any more of your precious time and money

 

I have used one of those big telescoping magnets and worked it up and down while spraying PB blaster around it.

 

I like to use brake cleaner...seems to cut the varnish a bit better...but make certain you get all the crud out of the engine before you re-fire.

 

I had that problem on a 283, as was said soaked in pb, worked up and down and on the ones I couldn't get out still, I had to take the top of the lifter apart and then you can hook under a lip of the lifter to start moving it up.

 

I agree with Vonn Rig Fink. If the lifters are cupped,the metal that used to be there is now throughout the inside of the engine.
The lifters are usually slightly convex(the opposite of "cupped")
when they are new.
From your description of the condition of the timing chain,it sounds
like it might be a high milage worn out engine.
Especially if you find a signifigant wear ring,from the piston rings,
at the top of the cylinders.
You know that you MUST use new lifters with the new cam...right?
Hopefully you are not planning to try a used cam.
I think you should consider a rebuild or a good used engine.
Good luck buddy.Sorry for the negative view but i used to work
in an engine rebuild shop,and it all sounds too familiar.

 

Drive em out thru the bottom because the lifters are mushroomed and will scar the bore pulling them up which in turn will affect oil pressure after rebuild.

 

My thoughts exactly. Hopefully you didnt damage the lifter bores on the ones you forced out.

 

I think you are just lucky catching this when you did!! A chain with THAT much slack in it was just about to skip a few teeth! Then you would have had LOTS more problems! Yank the whole thing!

Good luck!

Dave