Should there be oil pooled around cam lifters / followers?

This is on an '89 2L non-DI turbo 9000 engine. I've pulled the camshaft cover off and each cavity where the lifters (followers) are is filled with oil. This engine has the internal oil supply for the lifters (ie, no external pipes). Should the lifters be in this oil bath or is there a leak somewhere? I can't tell from the Haynes manual.

The reason I'm looking at the lifters is because I have zero compression in the #2 cylinder and I'm hoping that I've got either a stuck lifer or broken valve spring instead of a burned valve. I haven't pulled the cams off yet to check further.

Thanks, Rod.

Reply to
Rodney Orr
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cover off and each cavity where the lifters (followers) are is filled with oil. This engine has the internal oil supply for the lifters (ie, no external pipes). Should the lifters be in this oil bath or is there a leak somewhere? I can't tell from the Haynes manual.

What you see is absolutely as it should be.

in the #2 cylinder and I'm hoping that I've got either a stuck lifer or broken valve spring instead of a burned valve. I haven't pulled the cams off yet to check further.

You will be able to hear a stuck lifter they are very noisy. Press down on each lifter in turn using a wide-bladed flat screwdriver to test them - there shouldn't be much movement.

AndyH '94 9000 CDE

Reply to
Andy Hookins

Thanks Andy. Another question: Do you know if the intake and exhaust followers have the same amount of internal movement? All of my intake side followers have the 2-3 mm play before hitting the resistance of the valve spring. Only one of the 8 on the exhaust side has any movement and it's maybe 1 mm.

Rod.

Reply to
Rodney Orr

followers have the same amount of internal movement? All of my intake side followers have the 2-3 mm play before hitting the resistance of the valve spring. Only one of the 8 on the exhaust side has any movement and it's maybe 1 mm.

I'm not sure that I follow you, but if you have taken the followers out and most/all of the oil has drained out of them then you will be able to compress them by a few mm against a weak internal spring. Intake and exhaust followers are the same so should behave in the same way.

If you've recently had the rocker cover off and some debris - e.g. rocker cover gasket/silicone stuff had fallen into those pools of oil then some of it may have found its way into the followers causing them to seize.

AndyH '94 9000 CDE

Reply to
Andy Hookins

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