Ducman82

i have a set of lifters for my euro top end that have all the oil drained out of them. springy button etc.. how do i re prime them before i install? i have to check valve clearance in my hybrid build and i know i need them pumped up.

stvracing

I take a clean bucket, put the lifters in rightside up and then fill with oil and let them sit over night.

Ducman82

right side up? as in upside down so the button faces up? or the pressure hole faces up?

Rob Edwards

My uninformed opinion would be that you want the oiling passage up, so the chamber above the piston fills too. Not sure how/whether oil will 'fill' past the piston, otherwise.

RCinXS

1: You need a needle syringe to fill the lifter (cam follower) hole.

A needle small enough to let the air out of the lifter as it fills.

2: Container large enough to submerge the lifter in oil while filling it and large enough for your hands to be able to manipulate the lifter.

3: Fill container with oil and submerge the lifter with the hole facing straight up.

Insert the syringe, also filled with oil, and squirt the oil into the lifter SLOWLY. You will see bubbles coming out of the hole. Then tilt the lifter so the the hole is the highest point and squirt more oil into the hole. Soon you will see no bubbles.

While under the oil press the plunger on the lifter up and down. This should pump the lifter up. If it doesn't get hard the lifter is shot.

Once you know the lifter is good you can pump it up a bit harder using a squeeze bottle that will cover the hole. Takes a bit of hard force to actually perssurize the lifter this way.

NOTE: the lifter will NOT hold pressure forever. The oil will try to escape and equalize the pressure to match the outside pressure.

When they are is their bores, in the engine, it really isn't much of a problem since the majority of the lifters will be sealed against the bores which will prolong the bleed down for quite some time.

The main goal is to have them filled before the engine is started for the first time. They will get hard on their own once oil pressure hits them. Normally you would crank the engine to prime the oil up anyway and this should take care of it. (without spark plugs, the engine will crank much faster)

I use the steel bores from old 16Vs to store the pumped up lifters in. Stored like this they will stay hard for about 6 months.

Anyway, I've always used this old school method. Hope it helps you out.

Maybe someone has a newer way?

Ducman82

i got 4 of them sitting on there sides, with the oil passage facing up.... see how that works.
wonder where i could get a syringe like that

RCinXS

Yes, I suppose that would work. How quick, depends on how thick the oil is.

I use the old school method to also flush all the crap out of the lifters with light weight oil or Marvel.

Like bleeding brakes, when the oil comes out clean, you are done.

You would really be shocked on how much dirt comes out!

Ducman82

right now I'm using 20w50 castrol.... prob to thick.... hummmmm. can't seem to find a syringe at the auto parts places....

RCinXS

Hobby store has them for oiling trains and such.

Ducman82

nice! thanks

Livio928

Local drugstore sells syringes. Ask any diabetic.

I remember asking for some once because i needed to inject some glue under some wood veneer that bubbled. Boy, did i get a couple of funny looks.

jeff spahn

Hmm. I just put them back in the engine and started it. Were out for three weeks. Runs perfectly well. Clicked for about a minute and all was well. Didn't sound any different than letting the car sit for the winter.

Rob Edwards

Jake, I can send you a couple of 10cc Luer lock syringes and some 21 to 25 gauge needles, I bet at least the 23ga would fit in the hole.

If you haven't done it already, you should consider blowing the pistons out of the lifters and dropping them in some simple green in an ultrasonic cleaner- the amount of crap that comes out is epic. (Note the volcano of stuff at lower left...)

Ducman82

How do U do that rob?

dr bob

Dexron is about 5wt with high detergent component. Might be my choice for filling already-clean lifters. Certainly good to store them. Must be a plastic-compartmented parts tray that will hold lifters soaking in whatever, keeping them in order.

I need to add a good ultrasonic cleaner to my tool collection. Heated, variable load, stainless tray like Rob's. When I remember...