I've always had problems adjusting these lifters and they've always taped. I tore it apart this week . Nothing visibly wrong. I made a jig for compressing the lifters. 7 compressed like there was nothing there. Submerged one in oil and try ed pumping it up but no change. The other 9 I could not compress at all. All seven that compressed where on the drivers side. Thought there was no use going any farther. How should the lifters be as far as easy to compress .
Railguy

 

I have a set of 16 ++ N.O.S. ++ O E M G M ++ in the box!!! set of Valve Lifters for the 1949 - 1956 Oldsmobile.......
Are you LUCKY?????????????

 

When there is no oil in them they compress easy, when oil is inside or flowing thru they are hard or cannot be pressed. They are not hard to take apart and clean as they can get varnished up and not compress like they should or only compress a bit
or perhaps the oil hole is blocked and they is no oil getting thru...