Lifters chartering

Tiny
FIREMNTED
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 BUICK REGAL
  • 191,000 MILES
3500-4000 Miles on rebuilt engine, oil light works but don't come on when running. I had the engine apart foe 9 months and forgot what way the lifters came out so I put them in with the oil hole to the front of the engine or to the oil pump. The engine ran fine after I got some sensor issues fixed. Is it possible that the lifters need to go the other way and they just didn't get sufficient oil flow and finally collapsed?
Sunday, July 8th, 2012 AT 4:49 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,091 POSTS
There's a large groove all the way around the middle for oil to come in. If there was no oil getting to them, they never would have pumped up and it would sound like a typewriter ready to fly apart.

Also, the lobes on the camshaft are tapered to one side to make the lifters rotate while in operation. That prevents a wear spot from forming on the rubbing surface. What IS important is you must reinstall the lifters back on the lobes they were on before because they will have matched wear patterns. Switching lifter locations can lead to excessive wear of the bottom of the lifter and the cam lobe.
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Sunday, July 8th, 2012 AT 5:32 AM
Tiny
FIREMNTED
  • MEMBER
  • 81 POSTS
This is a 3.8L and they are roller lifters and the didn't have a grove around them just a notch at the oil hole!
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Sunday, July 8th, 2012 AT 9:51 AM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
Low oil? Timing to advanced?
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Sunday, July 8th, 2012 AT 1:00 PM
Tiny
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  • 81 POSTS
Oil is full and the timing is computer controlled! I did change the oil filter about 300 Miles ago! Could the check valve be stuck?
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Sunday, July 8th, 2012 AT 3:27 PM
Tiny
FIREMNTED
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  • 81 POSTS
What should the oil pressure be? I have 70-75
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Monday, July 9th, 2012 AT 10:36 PM

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