Macadoo

New hydraulic lifters with new cam. Do you folks soak them in oil before install? I've read some even pump them with a push rod to get 'em full. Or just let the priming of the oil system do it's thing?
Opinions?

wgonzo64

I soaked my lifters for several days before I installed them

Allan R

Standard procedure - even in the CSM's. Absolutely soak em and soak em good. You also coat your head bolts before installing them to get the proper torque reading when tightening.

Octania

Motor oil or assembly lube in lifter bores
cam breakin lube on cam and lifter base.
Assm. Lube in pushrod cup [and all other wear points in the valvetrain]

During oil pump priming, which the CSM does not refer to, all air will be chased out of the lifters within seconds.

No need to soak the lifters if alternate procedures take care of that issue.

Macadoo

Thanks for the thoughts guys. It's 2 to 1 for, although I'm leaning towards Octania which makes it a tie. More opinions?

dc2x4drvr

Don't soak, not necessary.
What Octania said.

coppercutlass

I dont soak mine but that because I set the valve lash on my adjustable rockers before firing up the engine since the engine has non adjustable rockers It wouldn't hurt to sok. the only reason I don't soak is to set valve lash.

BILL DEMMER

soak them and pump them a few times, it can't hurt anything to have lube immediately. and, use assembly lube as suggested above. there's no such thing as being too careful.


bill

gearheads78

Don't worry about soaking just prelube the motor.

tru-blue 442

+1

Macadoo

Lol, well...that's 4 for and 4 against. Not exactly a landslide. Starting to look like either way is good.

oldcutlass

I still like to soak them overnight before assy, what does it hurt. Make when you prime the engine that you have oil flowing through all the push rods onto the rockers.

rustyroger

If the lifters fill with oil you'll find the valves wont close properly. If soaking doesn't make this happen oil hasn't got into the lifters.
Prime the engine in the normal way and you have lube round the lifters which will rapidly take in the oil they need to eliminate lash after startup.


Roger.

Fun71

Agreed. Soaking is the equivalent of gravity bleeding brakes whereas oil priming is akin to pressure bleeding the brakes. Ten seconds vs. overnight. Which sounds more efficient to you?

MDchanic

No need to soak 'em, but they should be all lubed up nicely with assembly lube.

As others have said, when you pre-lube the engine with your ½" drill, ¼" extension, and 5/16" socket, you will push oil into the lifters, then when you first crank the engine, the lifters will pump up.

Just like when you've got a momentary drop in oil pressure (surely you've had a car when you were younger where you knew it was time for a quart or two when you made a left turn and the lifters clattered...) and a lifter ticks, but then you get pressure back and the tick goes away in about two seconds. There's no harm in running the engine with the lifters not pumped up - the valves just don't open as far for a few seconds.

It won't hurt to soak them, if you want to, but it's an extra step that is not necessary.

- Eric

Lars

what really matters is cam lobe lube on the lifters, or cam breakin in lube on the lifters. did you grease the cam before you installed it with the propper breakin grease? the lifters will get filled when you prime the system. when your primeing the motor turn it over a few times.

olds 307 and 403

I always soak them, what does it hurt? What size cam did Mark spec you?

redoldsman

Maybe putting them in oil and priming them might work but I really don't see where soaking them will do any good. They are made of steel and the oil is not going to soak into the steel. This is not a turkey or piece of meat we are marinating over night. I just find it funny talking about marinating valve lifters. I think the cam lube is the most important thing.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY

380 Racer

When I had adjustable pushrods on my build(s) I used a gapping tool to set the lifters. I could not have any oil in the lifters when I set them so no soaking just cam lube and priming after they were set.

M-14

Soaking lifters in oil can make them act like solid lifters briefly, like when your trying to get a fresh engine started. This could be a problem on olds engines, the stock valvetrains that you just torque down the rocker nuts. It could cause the valves to hang open. If you soak them, it is a good idea to plunge the lifters a dozen times.

11971four4two

zip

captjim

You are the second person to suggest this, along with rusty roger. Not sure about this? Even if the lifter is full, once any pressure is applied, oil will go up the pushrod, won't it?? That would relieve the pressure, not open the valve??

All soaking the lifters does is make a mess. It also makes applying cam lube to the bottom of the lifter (as others stated, the most important part) more difficult and messy. IMHO.

jensenracing77

I quit soaking my lifters. I tried it several time and NEVER had them fill with oil. I just prime the engine with a drill now.

Macadoo

It took the entire packet of Joe Gibbs for the cam (which came with the cam), it wasn't very much. Do I have to use the exact same break-in lube on the lifters? I was looking at the Lucas break-in lube from Autozone because it's described as "tacky" like the Gibbs. Or should I order the Gibbs online and wait?

coppercutlass

The lucas stuff is in a little 6 oz 4oz bottle. the break in oil additive is in a 12 oz 14r oz bottle. If autozone does not have it I think napa stocks the permatex hightack red assembly lube. I have used the lucas stuff on all my builds. No flat cams yet. Although any assembly lube will work . I buy what's available on the shelf.

Macadoo

Thanks Copper, but can I mix them? One brand on the lobes and another on the bottom of the lifters? I think that's my real question?

coppercutlass

I did it before I see no harm . usually I use like 2 bottles between the bearings , and cam. And I dab a drop on the tips of the rockers. I once used red high tack and the lucas when the local napa was out that's actually how I found the lucas . I find it to be super tacky compared to others maybe I'm biased .

Macadoo

Permatex Ultra Slick Engine Assembly Lube? Advance has it.

coppercutlass

Yeah. I think we found out I'm not good with names but I give enough info lol. I forget names of little things like that lol.

Macadoo

Sounds good dude. You just saved my weekend. I didn't like the thought of spending my time off waiting for an internet order.

rustyroger

Full lifters won't squirt out excess oil in a few turns of the camshaft, they are designed to leak very slowly, if they didn't you would have lifter clatter every morning.
Oil will be round the cam & lifters almost immediately after startup, break in lube for your new cam & lifters is key to long life for them.


Roger.

Run to Rund

If you want to fill the lifter with oil, put it into a cup with the oil level above the top of the lifter, use a pushrod to depress the plunger several times.

Lars

I seen your other thred, if you want to soak, i like runs idea. And any cam brake in lube should be fine. Good luck

Macadoo

Thanks Lars...

jfb

just my 2 cents worth. I soaked mine used a additive for zinc and pre lubed my engine and had 0 problems afterwards.

Sampson

This is kinda on the same subject. Does anyone premix their oil additive with the oil before putting it in the engine? It seems to me that if you add it to the oil in the car there will be a period of time the engine will run before the additive and oil get mixed well.

coppercutlass

I usually do my 6 quarts then the additive from lucas as they instruct then pre lube.

Macadoo

So Copper, you feel the pre-lube mixes in the additive before you fire it up? How long do you pre-lube, just until you see oil at the rockers? Or longer?

coppercutlass

Once I see oil from the rockers I keep spinning it for a minute or two. It might take a while for the oil to get out of all the pushrods. On my last engine. That's currently in my 72 I pre lubed it but the lifters still ticked for like half a minute while they filled up but no harm no foul everything is good . Yes the lucas zddp additive specifies that druing break in you used your needed amount of oil them the additive. Then for everyday use include it to the needed amount of oil so that you don't run more oil than you need to if that makes sence.

Macadoo

Thanks for the info Copper.