2015 5.3 collapsed lifter? Something else?

[2015 High Miler]

2015 5.3 205,000 miles.  Have not had any issues engine wise, except it’s had a manifold gasket leak for about 6-7 months.  I decided to replace with headers and ory pipe since I’m there.  Also replaced spark plugs and new wires.   Engine now has a miss so bad they can’t tune it...  shop owner thinks it is a collapsed lifter.   Is there anything they could have done to cause this to kiss so bad they can’t tune it?  They have even changed plugs and replaced the old wires to rule out bad ones.  No luck.   
 

im taking it to get a second opinion.  I’m going to have to drive it 40 miles round trip like this.  Am I risking more damage if it is a lifter?  I just don’t know if I trust this shop right now.  They say they have experience but I’m not feeling it.  It was a simple header change but now it’s def something else. 
 

I’m just looking for ideas.  I was interested in doing a cam and AFM delete at some point but def not today, or even this year.  
 

 

[CamGTP]

Did they test the simple stuff?

 

Like swapping spark plugs or wires around?

Did they even tell you what cylinder was misfiring? They had the scan tool to figure that out I would hope.

[2015 High Miler]

Yes they swapped out to another set of new plugs and replaced the wires back to the original. Number 7 is miss-firing. 

[Robby James]

Check the spark at the coil pack for #7 also check all coil packs plugged in all the way and no wires are touching the new headers etc.

The miss needs to be diagnosed as to if it is electrical or mechanical.

I  myself would not drive it 40 miles if it is mechanical as if it is  a lifter failure that could cause camshaft damage.

Check the coil spark and let us know.

This is the reason I don't let anyone touch my cars or trucks most mechanics are idiots with a monkey wrench and have no idea what a torque wrench even is.

You can also use a auto stethoscope for like 10 bucks to listen to the valve cover and determine a lifter collapse etc.

If it is mechanical you also will easily be able to tell what side it is on with hood open and listening to it unless you have really loud exhaust.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Robby James
Spelling

[newdude]

Nothing they did would have caused a lifter to collapse.  That 40 mile drive might wipe the cam out so I'd advise against it.  

 

Have them swap coil packs between 5 and 7.  If it doesn't go away, cylinder 7 decided to draw the short straw and probably dropped a lifter or the lifter miss-timed and bent a pushrod.  

Edited May 5, 2021 by newdude

[rlcole321]

You should be able to hear a collapsed lifter, it "Ticks" fairly loud, I agree, swap coil pac and wire from cyl. 5 and 7.  Now if you don't have a way to determined the cyl. misfire, you can use a short piece of vacuum hose between the coil pac and the plug wire and ground it with a test light by toughing the test light to the vacuum hose to "Ground out" the spark and check to see if the cyl. is firing. 

[2015 High Miler]

Click here to listen

 

Im taking it to a more experienced shop tomorrow for another opinion. 
 

 

[2015 High Miler]

On 5/5/2021 at 8:53 AM, newdude said:

Nothing they did would have caused a lifter to collapse.  That 40 mile drive might wipe the cam out so I'd advise against it.  

 

I don’t think they did it.  No blame placed.  I’m trailering it so no more driving for sure.  
 

Thanks for all the comments so far.  I’ll post the diagnosis.

Edited May 9, 2021 by 15 hi miler

[2015 High Miler]

Embarrassing...  for me and the shop.  One coil was unplugged... not the plug wire but the coil itself. 

 

Getting the truck tuned at the current shop.  Trusting their experience a little more at this point.  

[RangerU]

At least it was a simple fix. That could have really sucked. I would be using a different shop as well, that should have been one of the first things they checked.

[2015 High Miler]

18 hours ago, RangerU said:

At least it was a simple fix. That could have really sucked. I would be using a different shop as well, that should have been one of the first things they checked.

Yes for sure on both points!  When they couldn't determine what exactly it was that was wrong with it and just wanted to do a cam swap, I knew I needed to take it elsewhere.