[quick] How do you get lifters out of the rocker arms?

[acgourley]

Okay, so it turns out my lifters need to be bled. There is a 'how to' here: http://www.ricecopforums.com/showthread.php?t=52423

But that thread doesn't explicitly say how to get the damn things out. I've tried pliers with a rubber shim to protect the lifter, and i've tried a fairly strong magnet.

Do I just need to pull harder while moving it side to side? I don't want to damage it so i'd appreciate a quick answer!

[acgourley]

hmm okay, it looks like a very small clip which is hard to see through the oil, i'll clean the oil with some chemical (not sure what, i'll figure it out) and try a small pick.

[acgourley]

goddamn - i have no idea how to get these guys out. i already broke a dentists pick, and i can't even think of a better tool for the job. There must be some other method ...

[ronj]

Is it an SR20 or KA??? If its an SR20 all you have to do is pull the rocker arm off. BE CAREFUL NOT TO LOOSE THE SHIMS ON TOP OF THE VALVES!!!! Then pull on the lifter gently, try to spin it and rock it back and forth. They can be a pain in the ass

[ronj]

If its a KA, good luck, i dont know shit about the insides of that engine.

[acgourley]

It's a KA. I finally did it. I suggest you clamp down the arm in a vise, then use a c-clamp to close the lifter, while using all your picks/razors you can to pull the clip out.

Of course - now my car's "idle" is all over the place and the engine won't stay alive unless i gas it. The valve noise is gone at least...

I dont' get it, my timing should be fine, i pulled the oil pump but put it right back, and i should have only FIXED the lifters. sigh, i'll start forum debugging.

[acgourley]

can someone check my sanity here? if I removed the oil pump and put it back...it MUST have preserved the timing on a SOHC.

My problems runnning SOUNDS like timing, but i don't see how only moving the oil pump/spindle could have done anything.

edit: duh - the dizzy just spins in place if the spindle is missing. When I took out the pump + spingle, the dizzy could have moved all over. Now, I of course checked the mark on the cap indicated good timing, and it was about right. But...its possible i'm 180 degrees off isn't it, haha. That would explain the completely whacky engine response.