vetteguy216

When installing new pushrods does the intake have to be removed?

Also I know you can install a cam without removing the intake but is it reccomended and what has to be done to do it this way? :chevy

chucks88

For removing the pushrods............

pop off valve covers
remove rocker arms
slide out pushrods

I think you have to remove the intake to change a cam (to remove the lifters)....... but the heads can stay on

scorp508

You can do these w/o removing the manifold, just don't drop one into the lifter valley!!! Then it would suck trying to fish one out. :D

65Z01

Brian, now I'm curious.

I know you have to remove the lifters to swap cams but how do you get the lifters out without first removing the spiders? And the intake base has to come off to remove the spiders, right?

scorp508

Jim, I think this was only for pushrods. :)

65Z01

Oops, right you are; indeed it might be "fun" fishing a push rod out of the valley with the intake in place. :eek:

CFI-EFI

INFORMATION, PLEASE !!! Too many people ask questions without giving a clue as to what they're working on. I think it is a natural reaction to answer a question on an unspecified year car, from your own experiences with your own car. 65Z01 is right about the lifter retaining spiders. At first, that never occured to ME, because my car doesn't have them. Who knows if the guy that asked, has a spider or not. Odds are he does, but he could at least give us the year of the car. Sorry to vent. This has been happening a lot lately, and it has just built up inside me. Resume to normalcy. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

PS. I don't know how you would snake the lifters in and out on a flat tappet cam, either.

STL94LT1

Some of the C5 guys have installed cams without removing the intake, but I haven't heard of anyone doing it on a C4.

vetteguy216

Sorry the car is a '87. I ask because when the time comes I am going to get some heads, cam, lifters and will most likley have to wait until a later time to put some pushrods, rockers and springs.

So the pushrods will pull out no problem?

STL94LT1

Once the rocker arms are off, the push rods will pull right out. Just make sure when you install the new push rods that they are seated in the lifters.

chucks88

Did you know that you can click on his name in his avitar for more info about him............including his year

CFI-EFI

Yeah! If it is listed there. Why should a person looking for help expect a responder to check his profile just for the basics? How unreasonable is it to ask people to tell us WHAT it is they want help with? This guy appologised and gave the info. He's not the worst. I had one guy read me out because I was a little caustic when I asked the second time. He still didn't give the info, but he spent plenty of time giving me Hell. I was a dummy, according to him, because I should have checked his signature...which he neglected to post. I swear, I think there are SOME people on here that would try to send the counterman in the parts store out to the parking lot to check out his car before they'd give up the YEAR. I just don't understand it.

RACE ON!!!

kman0066

The intake has to come off and the lifters removed. The reason they can do it on the C-5(LS1) motor is that once you remove the tension on the rockers, they spring up out of the way due to a tie link between each set of lifters. Even if yours stay in, they will dropped down in the way of the camshaft. It is highly recommended to replace the lifters with the cam. All the motors work the same until the LS1. The plates however will prevent you from removing the lifters without removing the spider first. A risky thing to do is hook a magnet up to all 16 lifters, but if one drops, you're asking for a lot more work. The intake comes off in under an hour anyways. As to just changing pushrods, the only other thing you'll need is possibly some new valve cover gaskets if the old ones are bad.

vetteguy216

I talked to Scorp about this so I know if that if the gaskets look good you can reuse them. But :rolleyes: Is there any gaskets you cant reuse? I need to save money every way I can
:jester

CFI-EFI

For the push rod, rocker arm, spring change job, you MAY be able to reuse the valve cover gaskets, especially if they are fresh from the cam change job. For the cam change you will need, at a minumum, the intake to head gaskets, timing cover gasket, and water pump gaskets. You might skate on the valve cover gaskets. I can't speak on the runner to plenum and runner to manifold gaskets, because my experience isn't with a TPI, but I would be surprised if you wouldn't need them, also. A manifold gasket set would likely included a distributor gasket, which is always a good idea. Be sure to have some O2 friendly RTV on hand to reseal the timing cover to the oil pan, and make the intake end rail gaskets. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!