Valve Lifters

[papa karl]

How to install the lifters in a 2.2 Ecotec?

My son's 08 Cobalt 2.2 overheated again and blew the head gasket again. Had the head shaved but it came back with the lifters and rockers in a plastic bag (the recommended guy had a death in his family and now his shop is closed for a while).

So now what? Do the lifters get pressed in (or hammered in), do I get new ones, or do I take the head to another shop, any other ideas? I assume I have to remove the cams to do this?

Do those HLA's come apart to inspect the valve inside (like the Japanese versions)?, they all wont compress down (don't want to use pliers).

Thanks guys!!!

 

[YelloEye]

I haven't done lifters yet, let me do a little research and I'll post back.

---------- Post added at 11:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------

Alright I looked at it and talked to a friend that's done it. The lifters just get set in there by hand, no hammering or pressing required. Cams must be removed.

Make sure those cam caps go back into exactly the same spot they came from when you remove them, otherwise the cam journals won't be happy for long.

To inspect the inside of the valves you'll need to remove the retainer and spring to get the valve out, is not much fun. Otherwise you can wait until you have the cams in and spin them.

 

[papa karl]

Oh GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the stuff (rollers and lifters, brackets and bolts) came back in a plastic bag!! DANG!!!

I tried to force the HLA's with fingers and....... no joy. Those things aint going in there without a fight (used a small hammer and was careful around the little plunger), and I'm not up for a battle.

I do believe now the shop gave me another head, or parts. <<curses!!!>>

I guess there is no other way other than throw in new stuff, or wait till the guy shows up. Dang again!!!

OK!! Thanks again YellowEye

DANG!!

 

[YelloEye]

Could you post a picture of the head and parts you got back?

 

[papa karl]

Any part of the head you need pics of?

 

[YelloEye]

I was just looking for reference.

 

[papa karl]

I think I have a weird dilemma though, what if the new lifters won't fit, are there different sizes, will I have to drill them out? Maybe he gave me a different year head.

I guess I'll wait till the guy shows up from the funerals and stuff (I mean, how long can it be?)

Thanks guys!!!

 

[YelloEye]

I don't think there are different size lifters. The head he gave you has the VVT provisions next to cyl 1 right?

 

[papa karl]

Don't think I know what that looks like, but there's nothing like the 300zx VVT stuff, no solenoid or cables, no plungers in either cam, no nothing.

Dude aint picking up his shop phone and this weekend should be around 75 here, so I'm gonna try another shop.

Thanks guys!!!

 

[YelloEye]

That picture you posted of the head above, is that cyl1? Cause if so that's the wrong head for an 08 LAP, there's no VVT solenoid provisions. Should look like this.

The two holes next to the cyl1 spark plug hole are for your solenoids, you do have solenoids right?

 

[papa karl]

Hey YellowEye man!! I have a LT so I don't think mine came with VVT's, but the saga thickens. Another $120 and now I have a head to use. New guy said the HLA's were hard to go in due to left over coating/detergent/cleaner from the other dude.

So, spent the weekend putting things back together and found a messed up spark plug thread (I'm convinced now I got another head), and the chain adjuster doesn't seem to go all the way out.

Should I start another thread or should I keep going?

 

[YelloEye]

Actually, you're right there. I always get the year split messed up when they went from the L61 to the LAP, it was 2009. Heh, sorry about that.

Which chain tensioner did you get? There's a mechanical and a hydraulic, the mechanical one has a flat hex head, the hydraulic one is raised in the center.

Hydraulic is the clean shiny one.

You can keep it in here. It's all somewhat related.

 

[papa karl]

I have the mechanical one, and it seems to work except it doesn't seem to extend out far enough as I think it should. I can rotate the plunger way down till it's "cocked", then press down to "spring" it, then if I want, pull the thing completely apart. I think the tensioner works, but maybe I'm missing 1/2 inch or so.

Another thing is if I slowly turn the engine, there are "clicks" (or something like it) once every 1/3 turn or so, but while running, everything seems ok. It started out ok at first, then after 5 min or so, started running rough.

Well, I went back to look at the chain, and it's kinda loose (I think I jumped a teeth or two). So I just shut it down for the night.

Is there a way to check the timing with only the valve cover off? The timing marks didn't line up (dunno if they should) at TDC.

Once again, DANG!!!!!!

 

[YelloEye]

The newer one is the hydraulic unit, supposedly better for DD cars. Of you decide to stick with the mechanical one, once you get it installed you'll want to smack the back side or push on the front from overhead with the valve cover off to extend it.

The chain has 3 colored links, you'll need the side cover off to make sure it's timed correctly.

 

[papa karl]

Oh GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So the only way to time this motor is to pull it down again??? There's got to be a cheat or shortcut here. TDC is easy to find but the 10 and 2 position thingie wont make it run semi decent?

Oh well, the car runs like crap anyways (shakes a whole lot). The CEL says cam sensor but the $60 replacement didn't change a thing, there's a 1 second startup clatter (which I'm sure is from the lifters) , and this morning, the gauges went nuts and tranny was shifting funny for about 5 min (no steering either).

I hope all this from the timing chain tensioner not having the chain tight. Maybe the chain got stretched somehow, but at 85K miles????? What the hell???

Gonna wait this thing out till the original head guy comes back from the funeral stuff. This is almost too much!!

Thanx guys