Hydraulic valve Lifter Repair

Aug 18 2012
Cadillac 1958 Repairs Repairs
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Pictures showing my Hydraulic Lifter exchange done on my 1958 Cadillac — winter 2008/2009.

Tear down start, carb and fuel/vacuum lines removed 

Intake manifold to be removed 8 screws to be loosened. 

Vacuum line to wiper motor. 

Oil filler tube next after gas pump is removed 

Valve train cover needs to be removed 3 bolts one of them holding the crank case vent tube. 

Here the valve train gallery is uncovered. Didn´t look to bad, no sludge or burnt in oil residue. 

Rocker arm assembly removal. Mark from which side you remove, it´s easy to forget that some weeks later at reassembly. 

Important to make a lifter tray or buy one. the pieces needs to be assembled in correct place later (DO NOT MIX) 

Valve timing chain assembly. I changed to new even if it didn´t look too bad. If this drive is worn it is hard to get the engine to run smooth. 

Radiator waitng for cleaning and rinsing. And hopefully not needing the electric fan anymore. 

Timing gears and chain removed leaving camshaft end clear. 

Camshaft removed for inspection. Was ready to buy a new camshaft but after inspection and measuring the old one was up to spec. Will keep. 

Rocker arm assembly disassembled for cleaning. 

Rocker arm assembly during assembly. Very important to install every detail correct. 

Making new timing marks on the harmonic balancer 

This is the check valve for the sump located vacuum pump supplying vacuum to the wiper motor. Often defect. Which means that you get oil sucted up to the carburator when turning of the motor. 

In my case the spring was defective. Tried to replace with a tailor cut spring. We will see how it works. Here a picture before cuttig to correct length. 

New lifters getting a bath of oil before installing. To prefill with oil and also lubricate. 

Cam goes back into engine. Important to grease cams and gears thouroghly. Use sprocket as handle to hold the cam. 

Supply a thick layer of grease before inserting. 

Timing sprockets and chain installed. Marks on gears/sprockets to face each other as in picture otherwise the engine will not start. 

New lifters goes in. Lubricate richly. 

All lifters in. Next stage installing push rods. 

To install timing gear cover plate the oil pan has to be removed. (Should have been done before removing the timing cover.) Bottom of oil pan had some sludge residue to be cleaned. 

After cleaning of oil pan. 

Important to cut the oilpan to timing cover cork gasket to correct length to get good seal. 

Add a bit of grease to get the gaskets to slide togethter correct. 

Rocker arm assemblies installed. Note that notch on front end of axles point toward center and down. Otherwise problems with lubrication can result. 

Torqueing the rocker arm assembly 

Intake manifold back in place 

Prelubricating engine with elctric drill running on oil pump axle.  

Cleaned and painted radiator. Hopefully for better cooling performance. 

Correct order of carburator gaskets and shims. 

Carburator back on manifold. 

Engine coming together. Plumbing and hoses reconnected. Check for leaks when starting. 

Everything back for restarting. Just filling water and set timing. 

Engine running again. Important to run engine for approx 20 min on +1000 rpm to get good lubrication on new lifters and also to check everything. A job well done ! 

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