Question : *WAY TOO MUCH valve lash after LIM gasket repair!*

[fishin4j247]

I just finished replacing the LIM gasket on my '96 Grand Am with a 3100. I got every thing put back together, and the engine started and ran fine, but the there was a pretty loud ticking coming from the rear valve cover. I pulled the VC this morning, and on the rear, passinger-side rocker assembly, there's between 1/32 and 1/16 of an inch of valve lash. I took the rocker off and examined it, but couldn't find anything wrong, so I put it back on and retorqued it. I've read that if you get enough coolant in the oil from a failed gasket, it can cause the lifters to collapse, so while I had the LIM off I replaced all 12 lifters. Could one of the new lifters be collapsed?! I can't figure out why I've got so much lash! Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

[tractorman]

You ain't gonna want to hear this: But are you absolutely, positively, 100% sure that you got all the pushrods back in the right place?

[fishin4j247]

YES!!! Absolutely!!! When disassembling I tagged each pushrod, and when reassembling I measured each pushrod immediately before inserting it.

Any other possibles causes?

[ProX]

It is possible you've just got a defective lifter. I've seen it happen before.

How long have you run it? If only for a couple of minutes, just let it run for a while longer and get good and warm. If it still doesn't come out of it, try gently revving it and quickly shutting the throttle back down.

[fishin4j247]

I let it run for probably 15-20 minutes. I did rev it some, but it didn't seem to help anything.

[3400-95-Modified]

as noted there is no lash in these setups, they are preloaded, so if you have lash you have lifters that are clogged with oil and crap from the LIMG leak and you need to remove/clean them, or replace them.

[SappySE107]

he already replaced them. There is about .083" preload stock, so it has to be a collapsed lifter or the pushrod is in the wrong place.

[3400-95-Modified]

he already replaced them. There is about .083" preload stock, so it has to be a collapsed lifter or the pushrod is in the wrong place.

Didn't see that... my bad.