Catching a non-rotating lifter on first startup.
So a few months ago I was starting a rebuilt 383 (new block, reused the rotaing equipment) and I was super cautious about the cam. I treated the breakin like a new cam/lifters and used breakin cam lube on the lobes and lifters. I used high zinc oil and a ZDDP additive.
I marked all the tops of the lifters with a dab of yellow paint to see the lifters rotate. I removed the valley pan to observe the 16 rotaing lifters and started the engine. Within 10 seconds I discovered that #2 exhaust lifter was not rotating. It was messy BUT I found the problem in less than 20 seconds of run time.
The lifter in question felt convex when faced against another lifter. The cam set was a Crower cam and lifters. I ordered another lifter (solid) and did the break in again. The same issue happened where #2 exhaust didn't rotate.
It was messy but I caught the failure before the lifter wore out and put metal throughout the engine. It's possible that this could be done with just viewing a marks on the pushrods but I can't validate that.
So a few months ago I was starting a rebuilt 383 (new block, reused the rotaing equipment) and I was super cautious about the cam. I treated the breakin like a new cam/lifters and used breakin cam lube on the lobes and lifters. I used high zinc oil and a ZDDP additive.
I marked all the tops of the lifters with a dab of yellow paint to see the lifters rotate. I removed the valley pan to observe the 16 rotaing lifters and started the engine. Within 10 seconds I discovered that #2 exhaust lifter was not rotating. It was messy BUT I found the problem in less than 20 seconds of run time.
The lifter in question felt convex when faced against another lifter. The cam set was a Crower cam and lifters. I ordered another lifter (solid) and did the break in again. The same issue happened where #2 exhaust didn't rotate.
It was messy but I caught the failure before the lifter wore out and put metal throughout the engine. It's possible that this could be done with just viewing a marks on the pushrods but I can't validate that.
