Hey guys!

I have a 2001 Suburban with a 8.1L (150,000miles), that has a strange problem.

It starts up and runs smother, sounds great, lots of power. However when I rev it to 2,500 RPMs I get a loud ticking sound. It sounds just like a rocker arm clapping. Now the noise is happening at lower rpms.

I just pulled off the valve covers and everything seems to be OK and tight. Now I suspect I have a weak lifter.

My question is, can I replace the lifters WITH OUT pulling the heads?

I have done this MANY times on Dodge trucks, but this is my first time to dig into the 8.1L. Do you have any tips or tricks? Estimated time doing this? Looks like a 3 hour job or so.


Kind regards,
Nathan

 

I know on the smaller ls based motors you have to pull em, not sure on the 8.1 and hope to never have to find out unless im upgrading.

 

Actually on the 8.1 you don't have to pull the heads so it is actually not too bad to do.

 

Pop the intake off 10 bolts 10 mm heads
valve covers again 10 mm 7 bolts per side
I think the rocker arm retainer nuts are 13 mm
remove pushrods
check camshaft carefully for lobe wear 15/16 nut on crank and turn over by hand
Check each lifter as you remove it. replace with new
Put the BBC back together make sure you spin it over with the coils unplugged to get oil in the lifters first or it will be noisy on intial start up.

 

SWEET deal on that, i hate pulling heads to change lifters haha it sucks.

 

Great news!

Turned out to be a slightly bent pushrod. I had to special order the pushrod from Chevy, but other than that it was an easy fix. :-)