checking lifters

[timtiminy]

hey guys i was wondering if there is a way to test hydraulic lifters to know if they are bad or good? I am rebuilding my SR and just want to go over everything before i put it all together. Thanks

[DarkPhoenix]

I always say better safe then sorry, just buy new lifters. Great insurance in the long run.

Did you have issues with them before the rebuild or are you running the engine for the first time?

[GSXRJJordan]

Lifters aren't really something that causes engine failure... they do get 'noisy', but that's just a matter of bleeding them again (if you search my posts for 'bleeding lifters' I'm sure you'll find the write-up I linked). I'd say bleed 'em and spend the money on a head gasket.

[timtiminy]

i am rebuilding the motor right now so everything is apart and getting cleaned so i will be bleeding them whin i get everything together, i was just wondering if there is a way to know if they are good or bad out of the motor as i wasnt the original owner of the engine so i dont know if they made any noise. i will be getting a mls head gasket as well.

[redtop91]

Why does it matter if they are good or bad? They are out, just bleed them. And don't buy new hydraulic lifters. Ever.

[KiLLeR2001]

my lifters seem to make noise from a cold start at idle... once the car warms up it goes away...

[timtiminy]

okay so you are saying that they dont go bad? I know i need to bleed them, I have to, there is no oil in them as i cleaned them with brake parts cleaner. I am completely clear on the fact that i need to do the whole bleeding proceedure. I just need to know how to tell if they are good or bad or if they even go bad.

[onehundredoctane]

I think my new lifters were only like $80 or so for the set, don't remember the exact price, it was included in my final bill, but when in doubt, replace and throw away your worries.

[redtop91]

Ughhhhhh. Why don't you guys check the FSM? The only thing that constitutes "going bad" for head parts is if they are out of spec size wise. Lifters don't go bad, they get out of diameter if anything. Replacing lifters that aren't out of spec is a waste. Looking at how a lifter works would benefit your understanding of why they don't go bad.

[timtiminy]

okay so i just tried squeezing one of my lifters end to end and it was solid so i thought that it still must be filled with oil so i put it on a vice with plastic protecting each end and started squeezing it slowly and sure enough some really thick black oil came out of the side hole. after doing this i was able to squeeze it with my thumb and forefinger. I then proceeded to do the bleeding proceedure on the lifters, submerging them in oil and getting all the air out of them. i pulled it out of the oil and i could still compress it with my fingers... shouldn't i not be able to do this?

[johngriff]

Bleed them during the build.

If they are still noisy, add 1/2 quart of ATF for 500 miles to quiet them down.

Did you mar them in the vice? They might be toast after that.

[timtiminy]

no they arent marred at all. I made sure to use plastic on the vice to protect the lifters from getting damaged. just wanted to get all the old oil out of it incase there was any contaminants. How do i exactly bleed them other than the submerge and poke method?

[johngriff]

thats the only way, after that if you run atf on startup it is thin enough to get all the air out of the lifters.

[timtiminy]

gotcha, i have heard that running atf also cleans out gummed up oil since it is such a detergent, dont know how seals take it though... i think i might just put the lifters in oil and put them in a vacuum chamber (the kind used to get bubbles out of silicone molds) , that should pull out all the air bubbles.

[johngriff]

I am not sure if that will work because the lifter works as a valve, but it would be interesting to try.

I wouldn't recommend running atf for an extended period of time, but it won't hurt anything for 500 miles with just one quart.

Now Diesel as oil engine cleaning... that is something I have yet to try.

[GSXRJJordan]

i think i might just put the lifters in oil and put them in a vacuum chamber (the kind used to get bubbles out of silicone molds) , that should pull out all the air bubbles.

You'd have to have it "compressed" while it's in there... seems like it'd be tough, and a waste of time. Just use a jar/big cup, and keep them completely vertical from the time they're submerged to the time they're in the head.