You must first remove the head to get to the lifters. I suggest getting a repair manual from your local auto parts store for details on that.

once you have the head off you will either need a special lifter removal tool (which you should be able to borrow from autozone, checkers, krager, whatever your store may be) OR you can use just a regular magnetic tool retriever. stick the magnetic tool directly onto the lifter (it's best to try to get it to attach directly in the center of the lifter) and pull up slowly. the lifters can be a little tricky but I've found that if you continuously push the lifter up and down you can get it to come up a little more each time until it comes out. There will be a little bit of suction holding it in place due to the very tight cylinder it fits in and the amount of oil in and around the lifter.

once you have them removed you can inspect them by holding the bottom edge of each lifter against the side of any other lifter. if the bottom is slightly convex (bowed outward) and has no visible scratches or damage then it is still good. you can use a screwdriver to pop out the retaining spring in the top of the lifter and take the lifter apart and clean it with the proper solvent. DO NOT USE ANY FORM OF GASOLINE OR WATER! a bit of brake cleaner or carb cleaner should do fine. fill the lifters with oil and reassemble them. dip them in oil before installation as well.

if the bottom of the lifter is flat or concave (bowed inward) or shows any signs of damage then it must be replaced. this usually means that you also need to replace the camshaft. it is HIGHLY recommended that you replace the camshaft any time you replace lifters! even if only one of the lifters is bad you should replace the whole set.

if you do have to replace the camshaft be sure to inspect the camshaft bearings for damage as well. refer to your manual for more info on this procedure.

you can find great deals online that will include the camshaft, lifters, and timing chain and sprockets. you will also need to purchase some new gaskets, namely head gasket, valve cover gasket, intake/exhaust gasket (this is a combined gasket), thermostat housing gasket, and timing chain cover gasket. you can sometimes get these cheaper if you just purchase a top end rebuild gasket set which will come with a few extra gaskets (throttle body gasket, valve stem seals, etc.) which you could always keep around just in case.

once you have finished the job you will need to change the oil and filter. even if you changed the oil YESTERDAY you will need to do it again or risk damage to your new camshaft! start the engine and let it idle for about 30-45 minutes. DO NOT REV THE ENGINE! the camshaft will need to break-in before any high revving occurs. you should also use a conventional oil for the first 3000 miles or until your next oil change. avoid letting the engine labor past 4000 RPM for the first 100 miles or so at the very least.

you may notice some ticking for the first few minutes after the first start. this is because the new lifters have yet to completely fill with oil. once the engine warms up a bit the lifters should begin working at proper capacity and there should be very little to no ticking at all. you can help this process by dipping the new lifters in oil and pushing in on the sprung end to fill them with oil before installation.

if there is still a ticking noise you may need to remove the valve cover and recheck the rocker arm torque settings. if there is a "knocking" noise then you will need to determine its source and go from there. this could be the sign of a "spun" rod bearing or a worn wrist pin.

this job is actually pretty simple to finish and should only take you half a day at the most. you should be able to do everything (including camshaft replacement) with normal hand tools (except you will have to get a vibration dampener removal tool) and without having to remove the engine from the vehicle. just remove the grill, condenser, radiator, and trans cooler. I just rotate these components up on top of the engine after I've removed the head and lifters to gain access to the timing cover which houses the camshaft...

feel free to email me at jamesthejetman@netscape.net for any further advice or info!

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