Chevy 5.3 bad lifter

37chief · Dec 22, 2018

My daughter had a lifter go bad. She had it towed to a shop. The car sat for a few hours. When the shop started the car again everything sounded normal. I told her husband to just have the shop change the oil, and put in a can of Rislone and drive it. Any thoughts? Is it a big job to change one lifter on a 5.3, or best to change all of them.? Stan

rustyfarmall · Dec 22, 2018

How many miles on the truck?

Jeff NWOH · Dec 22, 2018

Does it have active fuel management? Lifters for those are prone to stick in the collapsed position( at least the earlier ones). I bought my 08 with a bad lifter. I changed all mine to non-afm and deleted it. It runs on 8 cyl all the time.

You have to pull the heads to get the lifters out of a 5.3, so its a big job.

rustred · Dec 22, 2018

what year truck? probably sticky.might be ok doing that. wont know till lifters are out and look at them. the bottoms should be convex shape ... not that you will tell from looking at them. use a straight edge.if they are concave then they are worn out and so would the camshaft be. its like a bacon and egg thing. both get changed together. meaning if it has a lot of miles on it.only time one gets changed is usually on warranty when one goes and no wear is involved. a days job.

grizz02 · Dec 22, 2018

my 2010 has roller cam and lifters , what year is yours?

Steve@Advance · Dec 22, 2018

What year model?

Some of the early ones, 99, 00, 01, had lifter problems. Had an 01 Silverado the dealer replaced the lifters under warranty. Didn't change anything, I could still hear a rattle.

Not an easy job, the heads have to come off.

Decided it was probably piston slap, they have very short narrow skirts.

That engine now has around 400,000 miles, still running!

Frankinfl · Dec 22, 2018

From your description could be AFM related. Usual fix is cam shaft and lifters. There are a lot technical service bulletins on this problem. Has not been completely resolved. Just google AFM problems.

Stephen Newell · Dec 22, 2018

I just overhauled a Chevy 5.7 and all 16 lifters were bad to one degree or another. I started trying to clean them but about half were not salvageable so I put in all new lifters.

DoubleO7 · Dec 22, 2018

(quoted from post at 22:28:31 12/22/18) I just overhauled a Chevy 5.7 and all 16 lifters were bad to one degree or another. I started trying to clean them but about half were not salvageable so I put in all new lifters.

A 5.7 is so easy to replace lifters and cheap as well, you would be a fool to not replace them all vs only a few.

You only have to pull the intake off versus the head(s) as well on the 5.3

4play · Dec 23, 2018

I guess it was making noise, was it just one little ticking noise, or a whole bunch? Oil pressure concerns maybe?

I have had quite a few lifter failures on 4.8,5.3,6.0's, its not just the AFM style and its not just collapsed lifters. I have seen a lot of the roller bearings fail and seize, sometimes making an intermittent noise, almost like a belt chirp and they eat cam lobes too. I have also seen a few with broken valve springs make noise at times. I don't know what Rislone product was used but it's not going to help

jacksun65 · Dec 23, 2018

I have a 2001 chevy 5.7 coupla lifters were bad and intake was leaking antifreeze had them and gaskets replaced $800. It's been a year and they are making a little noise when it starts.

Chevy 5.3 bad lifter

37chief

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rustyfarmall

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Jeff NWOH

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rustred

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grizz02

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Steve@Advance

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Frankinfl

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Stephen Newell

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DoubleO7

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4play

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jacksun65

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