Looking for simple help

I am getting close to starting my motor rebuild, and i have come up on something that im sure is simple but i feel the only dumb question is the one that wont get asked! I want to replace my lifters and push rods, how ever the lifters are really wedged in. can someone give me advice as how to get them out with out pulling the cam?
thanks for all the help!
Rick

 

For lifters that are hard to come out I have used vise grips and twisted them out, but if they are mushroomed on the cam side you may damage the lifter bores trying to get them out. If they are mushroomed then maybe you need to take the cam out and look at it for excessive wear.
Is the motor out of the car or are you trying to do this in the car?
Why not just buy a new cam, and while you are at it why not change the timing chain/gear if the motor has a lot of miles on it..........kind of cheap insurance.
Can you give some more history on the motor, what is it, how many miles does it have on the clock and when you say "rebuild" are you going to pull the whole motor apart?

 

got the motor from 74 grabber. dont know mileage,motor is on stand,timing gear and chain is off. replace w/e7 cast heads,new push rods,lifters,oil pump.timing chain etc

 

They will come out, just try spinning them as you remove them, work them in and out and eventually they will come out. Its pretty normal on mileaged motors.

 

what about penitrating oil?

 

I was told by 74 grabber to turn the motor upside down let lifters fall off the cam and spin the cam out. but that does not seem to be working either. the cam will spin but wont come out. oil pump and shaft are out. cant figure what is stopping the cam. I was trying to keep the bottom end in tack

 

I've sometimes been able to use on of the tools that has a pick at the end, like they use for radiator hoses and get it under the lifter keeper and pull them out.

 

The cam retainer has to be removed to get the cam out - the lifters have to be pulled at least far enough to clear the cam lobes. It should slide out easily.
The lifters should be easy to get out through the bottom after the cam is removed.
My experience has been that if the lifters have enough wear to make them difficult to remove then the cam lobes are toast too.

 

everything is out. thank you everybody.

 

it is and the cam bearings are shot. man when can i catch a break? this car is fighting me every step of the way.