Hyd lifters

rich2481 · Post by **rich2481** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:55 am

Since there is a plugger and spring, is there a value on spring tension?? How do you know when a lifter/cam follower is shot??

How come I cant adjust my valves by pushrod spin ( till cant spin ) then crank a 1/2 more more??

I would post this on Type 4 but there appears to be a flame war about to start since Jakes leaving here for awhile.

Thanks
Rich

ray greenwood · Post by **ray greenwood** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 10:57 am

I know they are expensive, but if they have any accumulation of miles...and you are rebuilding...just replace em. If you ar just checking on them, usually if they cannot stay in adjustment...or get noisey...intermittantly or easily when the oil temp changes a lot, they are probably getting worn. You cannot adjust by the pushrod spin method, because when you stop the engine to do this...oil pressure which keeps the lifters pumped up...will be gone. If you adjust them in taht method, you may very well get then so tight when they are pumped up...that the valves do not close. Ray

Vgonman · Post by **Vgonman** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 12:21 pm

The best site for this is www.bostonengine.com Bob's instructions are being used in the new Bentley's Could be your old lifters have always been preloaded and never allowed to pump up.

rich2481 · Post by **rich2481** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 6:26 am

thanks guys, yeah i did the procedure at Boston engine last year and the engine ran great, but I dont use it ( doesnt have title, needs body work, was given to me, long story )

and now one lifter never stops clacking, i start the engine every three weeks. guess I will start pulling lifter.

ray greenwood · Post by **ray greenwood** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 10:08 am

If its been sitting a lot, it sounds like its just gummed up...and not filling with oil. You could get new pushrod tube seals, pull all the lifters taking care to keep in sequence, soak in solvent...work em a little, re-oil, re-install. I would bet that all would be well. Ray

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sat Jul 27, 2002 2:20 pm

"Boston Engines" on there web site have a fairly new article on "lifters"..gives different views concerning the problem and possilble solutions...interesting read

ray greenwood · Post by **ray greenwood** » Mon Jul 29, 2002 2:40 pm

Boston engine does have an interesting read. A couple of opinions. 2 weeks is way too long to be running with potential valve lash over .006". It will hammer things. Also, I don't buy...totally...the trapped air part. If the lifter is spinning properly, eventually, and I mean quickly...the oil hole will rotate to the top of the bore...venting most of the air. If you have way too much lash...you may or may not get proper spin on the lifters.
The pin in the oil hole trick is one used long by american car engine builders. It also causes a vast amount of damage by nicking the plunger edge, but if you are careful...its common and works. You cannot expect, that just because its pumped up...it will stay that way while you load the lifter into the engine. But I do agree, that what they have found is the problem. I have also heard of people bleeding lifters using gear oil. Heavy gear oil would be less prone to bleed down while loading the lifters in. If you can use the method listed...with the check ball...to get all the air out, and put say...140 weight oil in them, they will not leak down during installation. regular motor oil will then displace the gear oil once under pressure. That may give a more acurate initial setting of 1/4-1/2 turn. Its also the reason I prefer solids though I have nothing against hydraulics once you get them adjusted. Ray