Possible to put lifters in from the oil pan side in 4.0?
 

2004 grand Cherokee;
I have googled this topic many times and cannot find my specific question ever asked; can I put lifters in through the oil pan side if I remove my camshaft? I have read that you should not pull the camshaft without supporting the lifters because they can fall into the oil pan, and therefore conclude that they can be put in from the oil pan side, correct?


Yes, I am thinking about replacing my lifters but was thinking that since the lifters can fall into the oil pan that we might be able to install the lifters from the bottom?


thanks,

The short answer is harder then winning the powerball to do that.Its easier to do it from the top.

The only way I can see to do that is flip the jeep on it's roof. Gravity's a B. plus you'd have to release the rockers, then the pushrods would fall off.

No.

Are you smoking something?

Easier to eat soup with chopsticks...

tough crowd....

I was thinking about putting a dowel through the oil galley to hold the new lifters back while I put in the cam. I don't think this is that hard. I have replaced multiple oil pan gaskets on jeeps and looked up and saw good access to the lifters.

Your plan is like doing brain surgery through the rectum. It's far less work to pull the head off in order to replace the lifters.

This thread has literally had me LOL. I have a very dark sense of humor, and some of your comparisons got me good.

But, how about pulling the valve cover, rockers, and push rods, and feeding teenie tiny little magnets on string through the push rod holes. I'm don't know where you'd get magnets powerful and small enough, but you never know. I am in no way recommending this. I just like brain challenges.

Never say never...

I'm a DOHC guy so I don't know if this would work or not, but I think there is a possibility there.

I saw a video of a guy with a Jeep 4.0 pulling his lifters out through his head. What head is that?

Alright so it sounds like its possible. I only wanted to understand my options. I have read many threads emphatically stating you must pull the head but it seems there iS another option! This doesn't sound that hard; while im under I can feed a lifter then push the dowel through the oil galley enough to hold it up. Then insert the cam then pull the dowel.

Oh, that video is for the 4cylinder not the 6.

HAHAHAHAHA Oh man you made Laugh my $#$ OFF!!!!!

just.. no

I did see a special tool that grabs the lifters without pulling the head. Just pull the valve cover, rockers, and push rods, feed the tool down and it hooks onto the lifters. There may be a video someplace.

I just pulled my head and oil pan off to do my pistons, rings, and bearings. You can follow what I've done here:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f5/wj-...istons-229835/

After thinking about it, pulling the head was actually no big deal. It just seems like it's been more of a big deal because I've had to do some much other stuff. But now that I've thought about it:

Do it from the top. You could do it in a day no prob.

Are we still beating this dog? Wow! The hardest part about pulling the head, besides it's weight, is getting it back on the dowels without damaging the head or gasket on the re-install. You can sling it on a pipe with two guys, one on each side of the engine. It weighs about 78 lbs.

OH!...I Forgot! Pulling the cam with the engine still in the chassis is a trick in itself. It's nearly 3 feet long and the entire grill, radiator, etc has to come off first and the engine jacked up for the cam to clear the frame. WAY too much work!