How do you feel about this?

[squaredeal91]

Probably hood rats with the kernels lol. Once I installed a wrecking yard engine (3.9) in a 88 Dakota. Engine had been at the yard on the floor on a pallet for over 10 years. Started it up. No oil pressure. Put on mechanical gauge. Still no oil pressure. Removed Engine. (One of the funnest ever next to the 4.3 s10 ) dropped pan and it was full of hair. Wtf. All in oil pump and pickup. Replaced pump and cleaned pan. All is well with that engine. I figured mice somehow got into the oil pan or something to get all that hair inside for a nest to soak up oil or something. Engines are forgiving. Especially old chevys

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I just can't imagine it happened recently, and one more lifter had a tiny tiny spot like this but super small. I guarantee it's been like that the whole time.

I've seen a set of brand new unused bearings in the bottom of a pan before. As well as plenty of mouse house.

Im gonna run this one till she can't no more, while I get my rebuild on my other block finished up. It's been at the machine shop. This could also be considered a little experiment.

 

[KnuckleBuster]

It's flush and the lifter is still slightly concave like the rest. Just wanted some opinions!

I passed this one by and wasn't going to even reply, but you asked...
That lifter looks trashed from where I'm sitting. Lifters are not supposed to be concave. I would NOT reuse it. Not even close. Sounds like you've already made up your mind to reuse it, though. If it is put back into a different bore you can expect accelerated camshaft wear.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I passed this one by and wasn't going to even reply, but you asked...
That lifter looks trashed from where I'm sitting. Lifters are not supposed to be concave. I would NOT reuse it. Not even close. Sounds like you've already made up your mind to reuse it, though. If it is put back into a different bore you can expect accelerated camshaft wear.

Same bore for all. Lifters aren't perfectly flat, otherwise they would never spin like they're supposed to. They have the slightest dish to them.

Like I said, I understand the hesitation but i would bet it's been running like this for a long while.

 

[SquareRoot]

Nitrous and run it. Expect it won't last long but you'll have a story to tell.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Nitrous and run it. Expect it won't last long but you'll have a story to tell.

Sounds like a better way to spend $500 instead of on a cam and lifters lol. Too bad it would only make my lifted truck feel like a normal fastish c10 lol.

 

[KnuckleBuster]

Same bore for all. Lifters aren't perfectly flat, otherwise they would never spin like they're supposed to. They have the slightest dish to them.

Like I said, I understand the hesitation but i would bet it's been running like this for a long while.

I'm afraid you have it backwards. The lifter is supposed to have a very slight crown to it, which promotes spinning (see picture). Whether or not you risk it is, of course, entirely up to you. No skin off of my nose either way. You asked for opinions and I rendered mine. Good luck to ya!

 

[squaredeal91]

I think i mentioned these a while back. Pulled these out of a tired but running 454. So dished out they hold liquid lol. Saved them in my tool box for a trophy

 

[Hunter79764]

I've seen a set of brand new unused bearings in the bottom of a pan before. As well as plenty of mouse house.

(No input on the issue at hand, but...)
I guess someone took it literally when a buddy said "Nah, you don't need a full rebuild. Just throw a new set of bearings in the bottom end and you'll be fine!"

 

[Bennyt]

I'm afraid you have it backwards. The lifter is supposed to have a very slight crown to it, which promotes spinning (see picture). Whether or not you risk it is, of course, entirely up to you. No skin off of my nose either way. You asked for opinions and I rendered mine. Good luck to ya!

This is correct. Almost all hydraulic lifters are convex. Some of the spinning motion is created because flat/hydraulic tappet, non-roller cams have a 2-3 degree slope in them so the cam is always forced to the rear. Roller cams do not have this so a thrust bearing/ button/ retainer is required.

If the cam is in good shape, 817's are fairly cheap.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I'm afraid you have it backwards. The lifter is supposed to have a very slight crown to it, which promotes spinning (see picture). Whether or not you risk it is, of course, entirely up to you. No skin off of my nose either way. You asked for opinions and I rendered mine. Good luck to ya!

Yep I had it backwards. convex, concave, tomato, tomato. They all scramble up there lol. I meant to say my lifter is slightly convexed still. As well as dished would be wrong as well, technically. I meant dished as in dished out but I understand the confusion.

I did want your opinion. Thanks!

 

[PrairieDrifter]

(No input on the issue at hand, but...)
I guess someone took it literally when a buddy said "Nah, you don't need a full rebuild. Just throw a new set of bearings in the bottom end and you'll be fine!"

That sounds like it's exactly what happened lol

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I think i mentioned these a while back. Pulled these out of a tired but running 454. So dished out they hold liquid lol. Saved them in my tool box for a trophy

Those are pretty bad. Not too far from some of the worst I've seen.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

I'd like to report, 1 year, 10,000ish miles later. It's still truckin. Running great. For all the "haters" haha


I'm just playin! If this engine wasn't what it is, I would have been much more hesitant. I'd say it's a successful test! Small block Chevys refuse to die.