[cmitchell17]

I've got my LT1 on a stand but I'm running into a lot of issues trying to just get a PTV measurement so I can get my cam started on.

I have seen where people take apart the stock LS type lifters to make them solid to use them for situations like this. I have clay I used and have weak checker springs in place of my regular valve springs but I get a huge clearance measurement when I check them since I am assuming my lifters are collapsed from sitting around with no oil pressure.

Am I missing something here? I also have a comp cams adjustable pushrod I can put in place to get back to zero lash since I am putting the head back on with no gasket in place.

Also can anyone recommend a good degree wheel for the LT stuff? I would think any degree wheel even for small block stuff would work though. I need to go ahead and remove my damper/pulley but I assume this LS one is going to work, I didn't want to have to get into pulling the damper and timing cover to put the wheel on yet but I guess I need to go ahead anyway.

[cmitchell17]

So unfortunately I can't find my stock lifters to try to convert one or two of them to solid. I think i'm just going to measure the valve travel and keep spinning the motor over until I find the smallest measurement and then subtract my lift. I just need a good enough measurement to get a new cam made.

[cmitchell17]

So the flip the plunger over trick like they do for the LS lifters apparently doesn't work on the stock LT1 (non AFM) lifters. I took the clip out and flipped the plunger around. There is also what looks like a flat piece of shim type metal too in there, I took the spring out and the flat shim and flipped the plunger over and put it back on, after fighting with trying to put the retainer clip on it I just gave up and put a converted solid lifer in the intake and exhaust on the #1.

So what doesn't make sense is now the valves are hitting the pistons, I rotated it slowly while pushing on the rocker arms and thought it was weird that there was barely no clearance, so I rotated it backwards slowly then it locked up.

I don't get it, the lifter travel shouldnt have changed, I couldn't get the retainer clip back in but visually comparing it to a good lifter it seemed the cup was pushed in the same height.

[cmitchell17]

So I forgot I left my head gasket off and I put my used stock one (apparently .050in compressed thickness) back on. Apparently this is how much intake valve clearance I have:


The exhaust seems like it has plenty about .167 in is the smallest measurement I took:


So I still think the lifters are still extended more than they would be if they were pumped up with oil, I guess I need to try the measurement leaving the shim piece out of the lifter.

[17camaroSS]

What was the intake side?

[cmitchell17]

Yes intake side. It is a TSP custom 228/236 114-LSA+3 ,635/.635. I think the lifters are sticking out more than they should now that I flipped the plunger over. The VVT is locked at zero, or I guess at the stock full advanced position.

[Baddawg53]

More of a question here than any useful advice. Aren't the weak springs you installed in the valves designed weak enough to not compress the lifter? I've never done it before, but this was always my understanding.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by Baddawg53

More of a question here than any useful advice. Aren't the weak springs you installed in the valves designed weak enough to not compress the lifter? I've never done it before, but this was always my understanding.

Yeah I thought so too but apparently not. Its like my lifters have sat there so long they are completely decompressed but I would think the spring in them would keep them uncompressed and at least be stronger than the weak checker springs.

I am going to try to put my adjustable pushrod back in and see if I can get back to zero lash then clay it again with the adjustable pushrod set at zero lash and see what I get.

[Baddawg53]

Originally Posted by cmitchell17

Yeah I thought so too but apparently not. Its like my lifters have sat there so long they are completely decompressed but I would think the spring in them would keep them uncompressed and at least be stronger than the weak checker springs.

I am going to try to put my adjustable pushrod back in and see if I can get back to zero lash then clay it again with the adjustable pushrod set at zero lash and see what I get.

I'm very curious about what you find, I'm going to be pulling my heads off in a few weeks, was thinking about using thinner head gaskets and/or getting the heads milled to raise the compression a little bit. I really want to build a stroker but that's probably not in the cards just yet. Either way, at some point I'll have to check the piston to valve clearance so I'm definitely curious how this works for you here.

[cmitchell17]

Originally Posted by Baddawg53

I'm very curious about what you find, I'm going to be pulling my heads off in a few weeks, was thinking about using thinner head gaskets and/or getting the heads milled to raise the compression a little bit. I really want to build a stroker but that's probably not in the cards just yet. Either way, at some point I'll have to check the piston to valve clearance so I'm definitely curious how this works for you here.

I am trying to find the motivation to go check it again, but I did do it again before and I got about the same thing. Although there is a lot of variability in trying to measure the clay thickness. Sometimes I would get .040 or .050 in then I would get .020, I tried calipers and a depth meter used to measure tire tread depth as well.