Posts by orange

  • Lobes & lifters worn- how would you approach repair?

    Quote from GoinManta

    Can you take a picture of them.. ? I know a few in europe and china were in the process of reproducing the lifters.

    Most the motors I built I used these new lifters and had no problems.. that I know of. Curious if the bad batch came from the same place. I have a feeling they didn't but want to be sure.

    C- Sorry for belated reply (I'd began thinking this site was just for "Dan chats with Gary" LOL)...he's great and all, but he tunes in at the other site too - and I've neglected returning here for quite a while.

    Also sorry, I think no pics remain of that era. I had been solely logging my opel pics/activity in a big provider platform that wouldn't disappear...Google+. Alas, gone.

    Here's what I can recall and share that should help you: hyd lifter retainer caps were black and stamped with 3 letters, came pkgd unmarked ea in a plastic bag stuffed into what what resembled a clear 35mm film canister, sourced probably late-ish 2015. Hope this much helps.

  • Lobes & lifters worn- how would you approach repair?

    Failure cause determined. Apparently vendor had a batch of BAD lifters a cpl years ago. Turns out I had bought 4 of those to troubleshoot what I suspected was a tuning problem in first engine build...but never got opportunity to install them- and so THOSE 4 unused lifters found a place on ex lobes of my second engine build (THIS engine with failed ex lobes and lifters).

    Ended up doing a full teardown, inspection and reassemble with a new cam, lifters, bearings, gaskets and seals. Vendor comped $180 retail of the bearings off the parts order.

    The gt is back on the road and running well - so far- with about a hundred new miles behind it...and I'm hoping it holds together this time!

  • What are your Winter Projects?

    Awaiting cam from vendor and head from machine shop. Not expecting to have Opel parts, interest, or time (simultaneously) til after January.

    Early this year I sold a house we had bought & fixed up. Focus this winter is paying taxes on that venture and spending leftover money on some LONG overdue remodeling projects in our own home!

  • Lobes & lifters worn- how would you approach repair?

    Hmm, appears I shared confusingly. Sorry. Oil passage blockage and what happened was failure of last engine. I started all over. Exhaust lifters/lobes is current failure of a separate engine build- I reused the timing chain, valves and water pump, but otherwise no parts sharing. This head received hardened seats, new guides & bearings, and threaded galley plugs. Yep, only damage to exhaust lobes and lifters.

    There's no good shortcuts in sight for me... yesterday I drained oil, pulled alternator and distributor, unhooked wiring and fuel lines, modified a pair of tall stands for front of car, and got picker positioned and chained to front suspension for lifting. Engine is coming out soon!

  • Lobes & lifters worn- how would you approach repair?

    I agree, those are good ideas to look in to. Maybe spring bind, too. Lifters and cam were new.

    Incedently, my prior engine rebuild held the surprise of a poorly aligned front cam bearing and thus very restricted head passage oil flow. Failure manifested at front cam bearing, and as chain pulled cam down into wearing bearing, cam oil groove became occupied by the bearing and flow was further restricted. Cam fulcrumed at bearings 2-3 and wore away top half of rear bearing. It made it 2000 miles before losing oil pressure and splattering particulate on to rear of cam sprocket.

  • Lobes & lifters worn- how would you approach repair?

    I`m procrastinating. Something bad happened to the GTs new engine. I've moved it to rv pad. Rear is on stands, hood is loose...I could've removed and used picker to lift front on way-high stands, but I took a nap instead. This all didn't JUST happen. I've been to machine shop, I've talked to parts supplier, I've examined and measured parts, I've stood there and looked at GT for multiple 10 minute stints...and then took naps. Today I got off work early with intentions of working on Opel- found it right where I left it - but it was cold outside and the house was all mine...so, yeah, I napped. When I woke up there was some daylight left, so I visited opelgt.com, then craigslist, then here. Hmmm, good opportunity for procrastinating with a long post, composed with thumbs on a kindle! Probably won't get read for awhile, maybe not even see a reply (always ensured by not posing a question up front). But hey, this is my impasse - exclusively here at classicopels for anyone to join in on.

    The last 30 miles on my 800 mile old rebuild I began wondering "Has that rocker noise always been so noticeable?" - so I pulled valve cover and ran it, finding #2 hydraulic ex over a turn loose off preload! Must've backed off- easy fix. Noise was much better, but still seemed overall loud... 5 miles later I find it's loose again (but the nut hasn't moved). This sucks.

    #2 ex lifter wouldn't pull out top, so I pulled the head to disassemble. #1 ex lifter was missing its crimped-on assembly retainer and the face was worn concave (as were 2 3 4 ex). #2 ex was worn worst and extracted out from inside. All exhaust lobes had severe corresponding wear-down. #1 ex lifter crimp ring is MIA and probably gobbled low and tossed throughout. Lower of front cam brng is just starting to take shape of cam oil groove. All INTAKE lifters and lobes are 800 miles PERFECT.

    I need to finish a shopping list...so far I've listed head parts, but that could grow depending on how far I need to chase this down. I don't desire starting all over again with block disassembly, but I'm curious if rod and main bearings are polish wearing. Machine shop advises drop, measure and clean everything; Parts Supplier advises just clean and repair head parts, then put neodymium magnets at filter and drain plug to capture remnant debris.

    I'll only hate you ;) for siding with machine shops advice...I know it's safest answer. Maybe there's some shareable experience to help justify needing redo of top only, or perhaps workaround tips to check condition of rest of block in car. Any insights?

    -Dan