Just buy the whole set and sell the other 7 on ebay or craigslist; it would probably pay for the one lifter.

 

So the guy I recommended couldn't help?

 

I had this problem earlier this year in my crew cab 5.3..... 60 thousand miles. the roller on the lifter flat spotted and ate the cam lobe. Sad thing is that all that metal just went through your bearings and scuffed your pistons.I went ahead and swapped the engine out with a low mileage junkyarder. You may want to pull your oil pan and have a look see at your bearings.

 

Same here. I rebuilt, though. When those hardened cam lobes are ground to powder and circulate in the oil, it is like valve grinding compound. I lucked out with my pistons, but all of the bearings showed some damage, and two or three mains were just wiped out. I had one damaged lifter (Comp Rs), but because the "diamond dust" was everywhere, I replaced them as a set. Every oil gallery, every hole, and every nook and cranny had powdered cam lobe in it. There was more labor (the engine shop let me do it all) cleaning this mess than the original build took.

That is why, SmokinHot98, I was amazed that you were going to even try and reuse the lifter that ruined the cam. I hope you reconsider throwing back together on the cheap.

 

This is starting to become a very common thing on the Gen 3 and 4s. Its either broken valve springs or flat cams or collapsed lifters. Where is GM getting their cams made? Mexico, China? All I can figure is the hard surfacing just isn't there. I mean its a ROLLER cam, the very name entails less friction yet these things are going flat faster then flat tappet cams that were never intended to be ran on todays oil with all the good non emissions friendly wear additives.

I would not chance it on the lifter(s) either. At the least I would replace the lifter on the effected lobe if not all of them for the amount of work it takes to get to them.

 

well the truck was torn apart today and put back together. I replaced the lifter and put in some ARP bolts.

I'll be changing the oil again saturday, to help flush out the system. I clean out the bottom end b4 I installed the block, and so far with maybe putting on 30 miles it has had 4 oil changes. LOL

I know, I was thinking irrationally. I've been rushing to put it back together for the past 2 months with nothing but bad results So I hope everything holds up now

 

How many miles on the LQ4? The inside of that front cover is nasty. It doesn't appear the engine was maintained too well

 

I would be concerned that the particles of camshaft have become in bedded in your bearings...I'll keep my fingers crossed for you...

 

was told 36k, besides the build up the cylinder walls show low mileage. My 4.8 w/100k looked better internally than the 6.0 but nothing that can't be taken care of

thanks me too

 

I'd be very suspicious of 36k, maybe they forgot to put a 1 in front of that.

Anyways, regardless, I am surprised myself to hear of this misfortune. That is severely bad luck for a stock motor. I guess I've been pretty good/lucky with junkyard motors and trans.