Camshaft

I have low compression on cylinder 3 and after doing a compression test and hearing a tick from my valve cover I expect a bad hydraulic lifter. So far I have the exhaust cam out and all the cap bolts out on the input side, but the shaft seems to be stuck and won't lift out. Does the end have a bearing in the side of the head?

 

Solved it. I was using Chilton and they mentioned larger bolts on the end cap, but never said it looked nothing like the other caps. In fact, it is a complete housing for the end bearing and needed a rubber mallet to separate it from the head. So the answer was yes, there's a bearing in the head. Next is soaking the lifters in acetone.

 

Used mineral spirits instead. Soaked for three days, then drained and checked all by pressing down on the head, using the rocker. All remained rock solid except for the two input on cylinder 4 - they were springy and moved. (Why couldn't it be 3, where the problem lies.) Not sure what this means. Any ideas?

 

It means your lifter problem may not be on the same cylinder as your compression issue. No one says they have to be associated with the same cylinder.

Sort out the compression issue first. It could be a ring issue for all we know. Then worry about the lifters when you put it back together if you even do put it back together