Back again...now with bus!

[cadillackid]

some people are saying they have had lifters collapse on these.. a couple people seem to think you can get them out with the heads on by removing the retaiing bracket and pulling them out the pushrod hole using a very strong magnet or a homemade hook tool...

ive never had the valve covers off one of these so I dont know what it looks like inside to see what things look like..

I tried to see if there was a lifter extraction tool but I dont think there is.. having a pic of a new lifter might give an idea of what the lifters look like in that engine..
-Christopher

[deftone]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

some people are saying they have had lifters collapse on these.. a couple people seem to think you can get them out with the heads on by removing the retaiing bracket and pulling them out the pushrod hole using a very strong magnet or a homemade hook tool...

ive never had the valve covers off one of these so I dont know what it looks like inside to see what things look like..

I tried to see if there was a lifter extraction tool but I dont think there is.. having a pic of a new lifter might give an idea of what the lifters look like in that engine..
-Christopher

I tried with my long thing magnet but no luck, luckily I always have a boroscope in my truck thanks to my job, so I took a look...

This is the lifter in question, can see that it is flattened even below the plate that holds it square.



And to the left you can see what it should look like.



At this point I am packing up my tools and heading back to Louisiana. I have some hard thinking to do about if I should continue on with this bus. If I could get it home I would certainly work on it, but a 2400 mile round trip just flat out sucks.

[Carytowncat]

Oh gosh i was just watching a video of a guy using a specific tool that grabs lifters. Amazing the culprit has been uncovered.

[cadillackid]

so i looked at that closer... even a flat lifter shouldnt go below the retainer plate and twist... at least it looks to me like that lifter dropped down and then rotated in its bore because the flat sides no longer match the flat sides on the retainer plate..

these are hydraulic roller lifters.. unlike flat tappet lifters these guys should never rotate in the bore... a couple of scenerios come to mind..

1. the roller bearing at the bottom of the lifter broke so a bunch of needle bearings probably ended up in the oil pan.. at least thats what ive seen happen on gassers.

I wasted a couple of these on a small block chevy one when my B & M ratchet shifter failed me runnin down the track.. I slapped for 4th gear and it slapped to neutral and my foot was to the floor at red-line already... yep things came unglued.. namely I flaoted the valves, and ended up tagging a couple with the piston.. the result was bent pushrods and the roller bearings busted off the lifters.. since the pushrod went limp the cam wasnt hurt..

the other possibility is a cam lobe got wiped... but that would be a serious wiping of a lobe to end up wit ha lifter down that low and not move at all.. ive wrecked some cam lobes in my day but never shaved one clean..

getting the lifter out... you would have to at the very least remove that retainer piece that keeps it straight and try to pull it out.. if you look at a new lifter there is a ridge around the top of it where compression pieces are. you may be able to make a little hook tool to hook that inside edge and pull it out (if the push rod hole is big enough).. I dont know this engine so I dont know the look of it with the valve covers off.. ive only seen bits and pieces of photos..

I know the tool I might be inclined to make.. would be take a new lifter, go to the hardware store and see if you could find a "spring" that would "thread" into that lip.. put a dowel or couple screwdrivers down to spread that spring and then pull out... it might just come out of there...

the magnet might work if the lifter isnt lodged too hard.. (the reatiner which holds it straight has to come off... id thats in the valley pan then things have to come apart... the intake at a minimum would have to come off... maybe the head depending on how its built..

once the lifter is out you could shine the boroscope down the bore and rotate the engne to make sure the cam lobe is Ok and that the rest of the lifter parts are not nearby..

the crux of this whole thing is the bastard that sold you the bus probably already knew there was an issue... if they drove it at all they sure would. and someone had put a ReMan turbo on for a reason!!... probably this reason.. I doubt they ever pulled the valve cover they just assumed it was done and unloaded the bus..

-Christopher

[deftone]

First of all....I note that there is over 3500 views on this thread, hopefully some have gained some knowledge over the process and havnt made the same mistakes I have made! If I have saved at least one person from making similar mistakes as me than this thread is a success (plus it has probably been entertaining)

So I have had a few days to think about this, and I have to admit I was ready to move the bus on, however my wife talked me off the ledge and convinced me to take one more stab at getting it running well enough to get it home. At least at home I can pretty much work on it at my leisure. Never underestimate the helpfulness of a supportive wife!

So I have been looking into what would be involved if it is going to be as simple as just replacing the lifter. The more I have researched, the more unlikely it looks that I can get the lifter replaced without pulling the head (which in this bus will really suck due to access). I have a couple of lifters coming and will do what Christopher suggested above and try and fashion a tool and give it a shot. If that doesnt work I will pull the head.

Ideally I will have the head pulled, lifter replaced, engine checked for any other damage, head replaced and motor running all within two days as again, it is hard to justify any longer when as of today I have not been home for a month due to work.

So I will probably be mid-December before I have a chance to get back up there, but the story of this bus continues!

[Carytowncat]

Thanks for the update. Yea i have grown attached to this bus... being driven by you lol
Goodness a lady who encourages love for a bus even when the going gets tough?!
... she have a single sister?

Glad you're home safe.

[tobeamiss]

thanks for the update.....I've been wondering what's going on....
Your wife sounds pretty awsome
GOOD LUCK!!!

[Brewerbob]

I've been MIA myself for awhile. Apparently I turned off the email notifications. Anywho, I dunno if it's good to see you still going at it or not. I had hoped to see that you and the bus were home by now.

I can't help too much with repairs but if you need a place to stay while in MD, send me a PM.

[deftone]

Cant believe I let this fall to page 3

Due to Xmas etc I have not had a chance to get back up to the bus, and I actually came into possession of another bus (65passenger Freightliner, 3126 CAT) I plan on selling one of the buses, the freightliner isnt really what I wanted (flat nosed pusher) so for the right offer I would let it go. Otherwise I will have to sell the International and cut my loses.

If anyone is interested in the bus drop me a message and we can see if we can work something out. I dont have a great deal of money in it, so not looking for a lot on the condition that it gets put back on the road and not just taken for scrap.

Also if someone wants the freightline come buy it so I have the funds to rescue the international