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L77 lifter advice

Jezza888

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Hello all, my first post to this forum as I brought my first commodore yesterday.

I picked up a 07 VE v8 berlina sedan that has the notorious lifter noise issue. Brought it with the intention to fix her up and get back on the road as a cheap daily. After reading some
Of the posts here it seems the motor has a good chance of being seriously damaged. Need help with some questions..

The 07 ve is the l77 motor right? Any issues with changing it to l98.. electrically etc?

How do you determine the engine is to far gone instead of just putting a new cam package and lifters in? I'd change oil pump and clean oil pickup etc

Is it worth doing this to an engine with 180,000kms on it? Would I just be bandaiding a now very risky motor given the chance of metal running through it?

Should I just swap with a wrecked motor? Cheaper in the long run and have a lower km engine? Build the stuffed motor in the shed as a side project?

Cheers for any comments ya fellas have!
 

blackve76

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Hello all, my first post to this forum as I brought my first commodore yesterday.

I picked up a 07 VE v8 berlina sedan that has the notorious lifter noise issue. Brought it with the intention to fix her up and get back on the road as a cheap daily. After reading some
Of the posts here it seems the motor has a good chance of being seriously damaged. Need help with some questions..

The 07 ve is the l77 motor right? Any issues with changing it to l98.. electrically etc?

How do you determine the engine is to far gone instead of just putting a new cam package and lifters in? I'd change oil pump and clean oil pickup etc

Is it worth doing this to an engine with 180,000kms on it? Would I just be bandaiding a now very risky motor given the chance of metal running through it?

Should I just swap with a wrecked motor? Cheaper in the long run and have a lower km engine? Build the stuffed motor in the shed as a side project?

Cheers for any comments ya fellas have!

07 V8 will be a L98, if a lifter noise damage probably done, pull done and investigate, at 180K i'd do new lifters probably cam(probally a few lobes worn and springs
 

monstar

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L77 engine started with Series II in 10/2010, your engine code is on the compliance plate.
Cheap LS3 Cam, lifters, trays, maybe rods, and overhaul / exchange heads inc new springs, retainers, seats, swap LS3 intake valves.
Inspect timing sprocket and pump likely fine new good single chain and tensioner.
Good as new LS3, only diff is a pube less either side of the bore.
 
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Jezza888

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L77 engine started with Series II in 10/2010, your engine code is on the compliance plate.
Cheap LS3 Cam, lifters, trays, maybe rods, and overhaul / exchange heads inc new springs, retainers, seats, swap LS3 intake valves.
Inspect timing sprocket and pump likely fine new good single chain and tensioner.
Good as new LS3, only diff is a pube less either side of the bore.

yeah i checked it is a l98. does the engine need to come out of the car to do rods? or can you do it from underneath the car by removing sump?

I've never touched an l98 motor before, just need some guidance.

Cheers!
 

Jezza888

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Ahh gotcha.. I've never ripped down a car engine before, only bike motors. I want to try and do the labour side myself so I can learn.. I might just do a thread on here with pics when I start and get people to guide me.

Cheers for the info mate!
 

Jezza888

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few questions - i'm going to attempt this so bare with me...

So i've decided i'm going to do a small VCM cam (5 or 21).. now the springs on the heads have recently (less than 5000kms) been replaced with new PAC 1219 springs (the previous owner took it too mechanics to fix the lifter noise and they replaced the springs).. given this, can i simply just pull the heads off and not touch them?? just change the lifters and cam and then put heads back on with maybe a thinner gasket to change compression? how do i determine compression or what needs to happen there? The rods i will likely get from a cam kit (7.4').. ill just leave out the springs if i can get away with it.

so my questions:
1). can i leave the heads alone with the springs (cam is .600 / .578) and i think the springs are good for max .625 lift?
2). how do i determine compression, or needing to shave some off the head or simply use a thinner gasket?
3). should i install a magnet into the sump after to try and catch remnant metal that may still be in the engine
 

monstar

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few questions - i'm going to attempt this so bare with me...

So i've decided i'm going to do a small VCM cam (5 or 21).. now the springs on the heads have recently (less than 5000kms) been replaced with new PAC 1219 springs (the previous owner took it too mechanics to fix the lifter noise and they replaced the springs).. given this, can i simply just pull the heads off and not touch them?? just change the lifters and cam and then put heads back on with maybe a thinner gasket to change compression? how do i determine compression or what needs to happen there? The rods i will likely get from a cam kit (7.4').. ill just leave out the springs if i can get away with it.

so my questions:
1). can i leave the heads alone with the springs (cam is .600 / .578) and i think the springs are good for max .625 lift?
2). how do i determine compression, or needing to shave some off the head or simply use a thinner gasket?
3). should i install a magnet into the sump after to try and catch remnant metal that may still be in the engine

Of course you can leave heads alone and use generic rod length but that's not really doing the job properly / end up with regrets.
VCM21 has too much lift / aggressive lobes for failure risk / rewarding life, VCM 5 should be good upper mid to top with raised compression. Not really a street daily though. Springs are fine, you should resurface heads anyway especially coz cam / higher compression / duty.
Shaving 0.030" off will give you 11.2 static when you use GM 0.051" compressed gasket. Plenty of CR calculators online, here are stock specs:
04a457b795ef55c2c4be2a116df68a37.jpg


You clearly need to measure for new rod length any option.
Sump is cast aluminium, simple neodymium magnet on filter makes sense.
 

Jezza888

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appreciate your help monstar, ill update with photos and progress once i start pulling it apart next week!
 

Jezza888

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In regards to shaving the head, i will need to re-check the pushrod lengths right? because your basically shortening up the distance between the lifter and the rockers? I see a lot of packages include 7.4' rods, but a lot of people say you should always remeasure the rods if changing lifters to be sure (the LS7 lifters are suppose to be the same size as stock lifters?).

I'm trying to get away with changing cam, replacing lifters using ls7 lifters, not touch the springs, and potentially just swap the pushrods for newer same size ones. Avoid the more detailed **** with my limited knowledge. Otherwise ill need to also get a rod checker tool to re-measure...

Am i doing the dodgy by doing this.. or is this logical?
 
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