help! how to get valve lifter/tappet out of the block

[cub_hawaii]

Aloha, I'm new to the site, but have absolutely been a follower for A4's. So we brought out of storage of 12 years the "rebuilt" A4 to put back in the 1963 Choy Lee 30'. Yes we have gone through a number of topics so we have changed out the points to electronic ignition, new spark plug cables, new impeller for the raw water pump. We did have a few stuck valves but alot of PB freed them up.

The real problem is exhaust valve lifter on cylinder 1 and 4 will not move on their own. When we hand crank the engine over all the valves move put 1 and 4 will not move down. We have taken the valves and springs out and they flow great. Its the lifters that will not move freely. We can move them left and right with the wrench.

the question is. Can the lifters come out vertically? Is there a tool to screw into the top of the lifter to pull them out?

Appreciate Any thoughts,
Aloha,

[Al Schober]

As I recall, the lifters will not come out the top, ie: through the valve access cover. They have to come out the bottom after removing the cam. If I'm wrong on this (does happen) I'm sure someone will correct me.
Once the lifter is removed from its hole, it's an easy matter to screw a short piece of all-thread into it, smear it with valve compound, then rotate it in its bore using a power drill.
I remember having to do this on several new engines on the Commer truck assembly line. All engines were started using propane. Some stuck lifters could be freed up using a wooden mallet on the valve gear, but the occasional lifter would need the lapping treatment. The whole process took two of us about 20 minutes, but then we had everything we needed at hand.

[Surcouf]

i recommend asking Ken @MM, he would tell you that in a second

[cub_hawaii]

Wow having to take the whole engine apart is a little more then what I would want to do,

Thanks for the reference, I'll call ken @MM, Thanks

[cub_hawaii]

A quick update. yes the tappet can be removed vertically out the side of the valve chamber. I did it. I created a custom puller. I removed the valve, the spring and the adjustment nut in the top of the lifter/tappet.

the custom puller i created is this. I bought two different size bolts. The first bolt is same thread size of the adjustment screw. 3/8 -24 5". The important part of this bolt is the 2/3-24. This bolt is to wide to make it down through the valve guides so I had to buy the smaller bolt. I picked 1/4-28. this one needs to be 5" long to extend out the top of the block.

I cut the thread section off of the 3/8 bolt. I set it up in my drill press and drilled a center whole in the top of the 3/8 bolt. I used three drill bits to step up to the 1/4-28 tap size (#3 or 7/32). I used a 1/4 28 tap to create threads inside the 3/8 bolt. The 3/8 section of thread only needs to be a 1/4 to 1/2 in total length.

With the 3/8 bolt I was able to start to screw it in the top of the tappet. then I use the 1/4 bolt down through the valve guide into the 3/8 bolt and turned them both into the tappet. I needed to screw the 3/8 section completing into the tappet. on the top of the block we used a hooked crowbar to hook under the head of the 1/4 bolt and hit it with a hammer.

the tappet slowly with each hit came out.

Now I'm figuring out how to hone out the tappet cylinders.
[ATTACH]
Aloha

[Al Schober]

Just take a piece of 1/4-28 all-thread, run it into the tappet. Chuck it in a drill and go at it with the lapping compound.

[cub_hawaii]

a final update. the tappets I purchase from MMI were 1/4 inch longer then my originals. I honed out the cylinders and polished the old tappets. They drop right in as they should.

now if I could just get it to fire/start.