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2008 5.3L LC9 (AFM + Flex Fuel) Lifter install help!

jkdavis32

New Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
2
Please let me start off by saying hello to everyone and I appreciate all of the great information. I needed some help,  hints, tips, tricks,etc...  on changing the lifters. I unfortunately have fallen victim to the notorious  knock, click, chirp  noise. I have decided to just change the lifters without changing the cam just to quiet it enough to be able to trade it in. I have researched the process,  but I can't find anywhere that just replaced lifters. All I can find is replacing the cam also.  The reason I'm asking,  is because everyone says it can be done with simple hand tools,  but  then I read it requires a tool to center the timing chain cover.  That tool is $400,  which I do not consider cheap or simple.  So,  my main question is,  do I have to pull the timing chain cover to pull the heads if I'm not pulling the cam shaft?  If I do have to,  is there  anything else I can do our use to center the timing chain cover upon re-assembly?  Thank you all in advance.
 
I've never messed with any of the AFM + Flex Fuel engines but I don't think it matters.  I've never used a tool to center the timing chain cover on any of the 3 engines that I've removed the cover from, one of them more than once and that engine has 266K miles on it with the first time I removed the cover about 150K miles ago.  I've always had success with just getting the cover bolts lightly snugged down (less than finger tight) and then installing the crank pulley.  The crank pulley will get the cover where it needs to be - then you can just tighten down the cover bolts to lock the cover into proper position.

Good luck.  I hope for both you and the AVs future owner that the cam is in good shape.  You should be able to get a fairly good visual on it with the heads off - you can see half of the lobes with the just the valve covers off.
 
Thank you so much for your reply.  I've read that procedure but didn't know how well it worked out if you have to have experience doing it that way.  Sounds pretty easy though,  so I think that is how I will try to go about it.  Thank you again.
 
Beyond not needing a tool for the timing chain cover, I don't think you'll even need to take it off.
 
Boy, that little trade in trick sure brings back some memories.  About fifteen years ago my wife and I needed a car that could move us and the kids around without breaking the bank on gas.  We found a really nice Dodge Minivan.  About three or four weeks after we bought it, it started making a lot of top end noise.  This was quickly followed by extremely rough running and louder top end noise.

Upon examination, the lifters were horribly worn on their faces.  While checking what it would cost to have a new cam and lifters installed we found out the rest of the story.  A shop owner was already familiar with this van as he is the one who diagnosed it for the original owner.  The owner told him he was just going to put in new lifters and trade it in.

Well that's exactly what he did.  I was catching rides to work with coworkers and working a night job at a grocery store for a long time until we could afford another car. It was very hard on our whole family.

By just changing the lifters knowing the cam is bad you're not sticking it to the dealer; you're sticking it to a person or family that may not be able to deal with that kind of repair.  (n)
 
I've never messed with any of the AFM + Flex Fuel engines but I don't think it matters. I've never used a tool to center the timing chain cover on any of the 3 engines that I've removed the cover from, one of them more than once and that engine has 266K miles on it with the first time I removed the cover about 150K miles ago. I've always had success with just getting the cover bolts lightly snugged down (less than finger tight) and then installing the crank pulley. The crank pulley will get the cover where it needs to be - then you can just tighten down the cover bolts to lock the cover into proper position.

Good luck. I hope for both you and the AVs future owner that the cam is in good shape. You should be able to get a fairly good visual on it with the heads off - you can see half of the lobes with the just the valve covers off.
I replaced all afm lifters and vlom but after putting it back together none of the afm lifters are not moving valves! Truck run great until one afm lifter stuck and i decided to change them all! After this is when the problem occured! Any suggestions! I already tried a new ecm with no change
 
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