About 7500 miles ago, I noticed a bad knock coming from my 89lx 1.9. After pulling the valve cover, I started it up (idle only) and put a round wooden dowel on each rocker arm stud, and then to my hand against my ear. The knock was coming from #3 intake valve. After pulling the roller lifter, I noticed that it was frozen, and had a flat on it where it contacted the camshaft. It had not been rotating well for a very long time. The roller bearings were frozen, and their races were out of round. I was concerned about the cam lobe, but found it impossible to evaluate. It went to the junkyard and pulled a used roller lifter and put it in the engine. It looks like the operation was a success. After 7500 miles, I pulled the lifter out and it is in perfect condition. But I have a question.. I got a rebuilt roller cam for it on ebay for $15 and I am wondering could I slip the rebuilt cam in without changing the old cam bearings. I mic 'ed it out and it would be a perfect fit, but the cam bearings could be an obstacle. The motor has 200,000 on it.
Roller lifter went bad.
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I didn't think there was any cam bearings. Just the cam journals. Then again, I'm just a body guy.
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If you want to be very technical, the head has "built -in" bearings. It's fine provided you check the wear on the head journals. If it all checks out, enjoy the cam swap, but be extra careful not to nick the aluminum when actually moving the cams..it's easy to case the cam to bind.
roller lifters
I think I'm going to try to get all the mileage I can out of the old cam, and save the rebuilt one for a engine rebuild later on. I was at the junkyard yesterday and found 8 roller lifters from a recent head rebuild, so I took them home. They were like brand new. I just might change all the lifters, since I already had 1 failure already. Cash for Clunkers is wiping out the escorts in the junkyard here in california. The cars are turning over very fast now, and there are no escorts that were traded in. So the ones in the junkyard are being crushed to make room for the Cash for Clunkers cars.
Normally, after 15 -20 years a model line is extinct at the junkyard. So I'm glad that I have done all my shopping already.
I think I'm going to try to get all the mileage I can out of the old cam, and save the rebuilt one for a engine rebuild later on. I was at the junkyard yesterday and found 8 roller lifters from a recent head rebuild, so I took them home. They were like brand new. I just might change all the lifters, since I already had 1 failure already. Cash for Clunkers is wiping out the escorts in the junkyard here in california. The cars are turning over very fast now, and there are no escorts that were traded in. So the ones in the junkyard are being crushed to make room for the Cash for Clunkers cars.
Normally, after 15 -20 years a model line is extinct at the junkyard. So I'm glad that I have done all my shopping already.
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The new lifter will likely be fine, but the probably won't lift the valve properly. The cam lobe will be worn, but probably not chunked up.
lifter replacement
I was forced to change 1 lifter already, and with over 7500 miles on the replacement lifter with no wear and performance problems, I think it will be ok. What I did on the replacement lifter was to put it in a vise with protection on both ends, and force the all oil out of it, this way it could adjust without being too high to start with.
I was forced to change 1 lifter already, and with over 7500 miles on the replacement lifter with no wear and performance problems, I think it will be ok. What I did on the replacement lifter was to put it in a vise with protection on both ends, and force the all oil out of it, this way it could adjust without being too high to start with.
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It shouldn't have any oil in it unless it was used to begin with.
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