What Does a Lifter Do?

A lifter is a cylinder that sits between a car's camshaft and the cylinder valves. As the camshaft moves over the top of the lifter, it actuates, temporarily opening the valve. And because the intake and exhaust valve need to open at different times, each has its own separate lifter.

Will a bad lifter hurt your engine?

The malfunctioning lifter will cause the pushrod to bend and fall out of space. When that happens, it leads to a dead cylinder that might break valves, rocker arms, or even damage the entire engine.

How much does it cost to replace a lifter?

Using a scale of labor being $100 per hours, you may have to shell out between $300 and $1000 -just for labor for your lifter job. While combining parts and labor, you'll have to ask a mechanic about your particular car. As an example, a V8 engine equipped with 16 lifters, can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $2,000.