Anyone use the Lisle Push Rod Remover to do a LIMG?

[zzyzzx]

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-Push-Remover-2-8L-3-1L/dp/B000FMNWRQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1268059328&sr=1-1

Lisle Push Rod Remover 2.8L, 3.1L, 3.4L GM V6

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31SSd8KaxWL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Product Features
Works on GM V6 2.8L, 3.1L and 3.4L Engines
All steel construction
Quickly removes push rods so you can replace the intake gasket

This tool is perfect for what it is designed for, removing pushrods on GM 2.8L, 3.1L and 3.4L V6 engines without removing the rocker arms. This will save a couple of hours when you are replacing the Lower Intake Manifold Gasket on one of these engines.

[zzyzzx]

Manufacturer's webpage info:

http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=951

[zzyzzx]

Another customer review on Amaaon:

DON'T EVEN THINK about changing an intake gasket on the 2.8, 3.1 or 3.4 liter GM engines without this tool! Save yourself 10 hours: buy this tool! You won't have to remove the alternator, coils, either one of the valve covers, and the EGR if you use this tool. It also saves you the task of retorquing the rocker arms. If your valve covers are not currently leaking, it will save you the risk of making a leak. A further benefit is that by using this tool, the valve covers are not removed, exposing the top of the heads to dirt and debris. The engine compartment is so tight in a Venture, Montana, and Silhoutte that this tool save you up to 10 hours. In other words, this is perhaps the best $20 you'll ever spend to work on these engines!

[zzyzzx]

Video showing you how to use the tool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0b9Yh1IhoU

[cherrington17]

ok... so the quoted customer is an idiot.

and the at that point in the engine.. you've done ALL the hard work. loosening the rocker arms is really pretty easy...

[zzyzzx]

I don't think the tool saves you 10 hours, at least not on an Alero. I was thinking that it might save me from having to remove some stuff, but I have no idea what, if anything it might save me from having to remove on an Alero, besides the rocker arms.

[cherrington17]

from what i remember... i'd would save me from having to remove... um... nothing.

All it would do is allow me to NOT have to loosen the rocker arms. Which took like... 45 seconds?

[zzyzzx]

from what i remember... i'd would save me from having to remove... um... nothing.

All it would do is allow me to NOT have to loosen the rocker arms. Which took like... 45 seconds?

You didn't have to tighten them either when you put them back in if you use this tool, correct?

[rustyballs_69]

Another customer review on Amaaon:

DON'T EVEN THINK about changing an intake gasket on the 2.8, 3.1 or 3.4 liter GM engines without this tool! Save yourself 10 hours: buy this tool! You won't have to remove the alternator, coils, either one of the valve covers, and the EGR if you use this tool. It also saves you the task of retorquing the rocker arms. If your valve covers are not currently leaking, it will save you the risk of making a leak. A further benefit is that by using this tool, the valve covers are not removed, exposing the top of the heads to dirt and debris. The engine compartment is so tight in a Venture, Montana, and Silhoutte that this tool save you up to 10 hours. In other words, this is perhaps the best $20 you'll ever spend to work on these engines!

The valve covers have to come off to get the lower intake manifold off, which means the coils have to come off to get the rear valve cover off which means the person that wrote the above is a fucking idiot. I guess this person has never worked on the 60*V6. I don't see how it save you 10 hours either. If it take you 10 hours to torque the rocker arm bolts you should never work on a car.

But I do own the tool and it it handy to have. Just saves you the time of unbolting the rockers and torquing them on install.

[zzyzzx]

I suspect that on some other cars it might be more helpful. I did find someone who used it no a Grand Am and didn't remvoe the valve covers. I would think that maybe, using this tool you could just only remove one valve cover, or something.

[rustyballs_69]

Well the tool was made for speeding up the procces of doing a lower intake manifold job. Because the push rods run through the gasket the push rods have to come out.

I'm not understanding how you would use the tool for its intended purpose without removing the valve covers. The rocker arms are under the valve covers. The valve covers overlap from the heads to the lower intake manifold so to take the lower intake manifold off the valve covers have to come off. And there isn't enough room to use the tool if you just pull the valve covers off. The lower intake manifold wouldn't allow room to get the tool on the rocker arm.

[zzyzzx]

According to this Grand Am thread:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/t972723.html

One tool I found to be really handy is a "push rod remover" by Lisle (part #48500). Got it for less than $20 including shipping on the net. Couldn't find it in stock anywhere locally but received it two days after ordering it. This tool lets you remove the pushrods without loosening/ removing the rocker arms. Saves time and the mess you make when having to adjust all the rockers with no valve covers and the engine running. It's supposed to work on 2.8, 3.1, and 3.4 engines and supposedly you can do the job without removing the rear valve cover if you have it.

Anyway, the too is cheap enough so I'm probably going to get it. I'vw never done real engine work before (assuming that this would count) and just want to make it easier if I can.

[01silveralero]

would save like what 5 min lol. and in the video the valve covers are definitely off.

[rustyballs_69]

would save like what 5 min lol. and in the video the valve covers are definitely off.

It save you the time it would take to torque all the rocker arm bolts. If you do it right and torque it to the right spec and then add the addition 90 degrees GM wants it can take a little time.

I don't see how everyone thinks it take 5 mins. Without the tool you would have to pull all the rocker arms, put them somewhere so the don't get mixed up along with the push rods. Then once you putting everything back together put the rocker arms back in one by and torque. With the tool all yor doing is removing the push rod. 5 minutes my ass.

[clutch1]

I coulda sworn you only had to loosen them, no remove them???
The not torquing part is nice though.

This is really only a tool that someone at a GM dealership would need though, IMO.

[01silveralero]

It save you the time it would take to torque all the rocker arm bolts. If you do it right and torque it to the right spec and then add the addition 90 degrees GM wants it can take a little time.

I don't see how everyone thinks it take 5 mins. Without the tool you would have to pull all the rocker arms, put them somewhere so the don't get mixed up along with the push rods. Then once you putting everything back together put the rocker arms back in one by and torque. With the tool all yor doing is removing the push rod. 5 minutes my ass.

just like bdyman with his body work knowledge and expertise...my knowledge and experience working on more than enough engines I know how long it takes to remove the rocker arms from our engines.

[zzyzzx]

in the video the valve covers are definitely off.

I was also wondering about that.

[rustyballs_69]

just like bdyman with his body work knowledge and expertise...my knowledge and experience working on more than enough engines I know how long it takes to remove the rocker arms from our engines.

Good for you, you know how to pull rocker arms off. Thats not the point of this thread. The point is the tool makes the job quicker. If it saves me the time of torqueing every rocker arm bolt then the tool is worth it. If you don't think it saves time then don't use it.

zzyzzx if you planing on doing your lower intake manifold gaskets the tool is worth it. It won't save you 10 hours by any means but it will save you more than 5 minutes.

[zzyzzx]

I was also wondering why this tool hadn't been discussed here before. Yes, I am planning on doing a LIMG job sometime in the near future. I mentioned it here:
http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30691

Just came acros the tool on Amazon.com and was wondering they it had never come up here before. If I can make the job easier I will. I've never done anything remotely like e LIMG job. Closet thing would be a valve cover gasket, but I've done plenty of other harder stuff to do I am sure.

[rustyballs_69]

I was also wondering why this tool hadn't been discussed here before. Yes, I am planning on doing a LIMG job sometime in the near future. I mentioned it here:
http://www.aleromod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30691

Just came acros the tool on Amazon.com and was wondering they it had never come up here before. If I can make the job easier I will. I've never done anything remotely like e LIMG job. Closet thing would be a valve cover gasket, but I've done plenty of other harder stuff to do I am sure.

More than likely it hasn't come up because it is more of a dealership or shop tool. A place that does alot of the same work over and over again. I saw one on Amazon.com for a little over $15 shipped. I think I payed around $50 for mine when they first came out. I bought it off the Snap on truck so I'm sure there was a 20% markup. I can tell you the tool will make the job easyer to do. Its worth the money.

[zzyzzx]

I saw one on Amazon.com for a little over $15 shipped. I think I payed around $50 for mine when they first came out.


That might be the real reason nobody mentioned them. Nobody discovered that they don't cost that much anymore. If I had to pay $50 for it, id's pass.

[zzyzzx]

That, and the tool would be more useful if it prevented me from buying a torque wrench just for this job. I don't already have one that does the inch pounds, and even the Harbor Freight one costs $30

[zzyzzx]

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v647/44/39/500370123/n500370123_1737017_8618.jpg

Unless I'm interpreting this picture wrong, here is someone doing it with the valve covers on (3800 engine though).

[TheThickster]

i replaced the head gaskets last year on my old 3.4 and never need that tool.

[mbeals]

That, and the tool would be more useful if it prevented me from buying a torque wrench just for this job. I don't already have one that does the inch pounds, and even the Harbor Freight one costs $30

Yea, but a good inch pound wrench is one of those tools that is really nice to have on hand. In this case, I think I would rather spend $100 on a good inch pound wrench than $30 on a tool I'm going to use for 10 minutes, one time.

[rustyballs_69]

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v647/44/39/500370123/n500370123_1737017_8618.jpg

Unless I'm interpreting this picture wrong, here is someone doing it with the valve covers on (3800 engine though).

The valve covers on the 3.8 don't overlap onto the lower intake manifold like they do on the 3.4.

i replaced the head gaskets last year on my old 3.4 and never need that tool.

You don't need the tool to do the job, it just makes it a little easyer.

[Cliff8928]

Ugh... 3800... nice balance shaft LOL.

This is how a 3400 is...

http://www.carcomplaints.com/images/complaints/a1cba1c6-1fda-102b-a3d4-d09ea8713dder.png

[zzyzzx]

Yea, but a good inch pound wrench is one of those tools that is really nice to have on hand. In this case, I think I would rather spend $100 on a good inch pound wrench than $30 on a tool I'm going to use for 10 minutes, one time.

I haven't decided on which torque wrench to buy. I have a regular 1/2" socket HF torque wrench I use for lug nuts, and it's perfectly fine for that. For something like this, that's a different story.

I'm also looking to buy a serpentine belt tool as well.

[zzyzzx]

They don't make this tool any more! It's been replaced by this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-48300-Push-Rod-Remover/dp/B00DBMLY8G/
http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/products/?product=632

Lisle 48300 Push Rod Remover
Redesigned for Newer 3.5L and 3.6L GM Engines. Also Works on GM V6 2.8L, 3.1L and 3.4L.

Quickly removes push rods so you can replace the intake gasket. No need to loosen and retighten the rocker arm. The tool pivots the rocker arm to compress the valve spring and free the push rod for removal.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61fbcuvVvsL._SL1500_.jpg