perZ

Hi!


I have an 89' IrocZ 350 TPI and will take the oppurtunity to replace the lifters for new ones when head are off.


From what I've heard and read, new lifters should be soaked/filled with oil before installing. Apparently it's common to leave them in an oil bath over night. I've bought Edelbrock's replacement lifters 97384. The instruction however said not to saok the lifters but only to dip them briefly in oil before mounting. Is this correct?


Before I read the instruction (silly me) I already pumped one of the lifters full with oil and was about to continue with the rest but stopped when I read it. If I made a mistake, is there any problem with mounting the already soaked lifter?


Thanks for your help!

MSgt Luttrell

I personally always submerge each lifter one at a time in oil and use a push rod to pump the lifter up with oil, while submerged, before dropping it into the engine. After getting the engine back together, I then do an initial zero lash adjustment by turning the push rod while slowly tightening the rocker arm nut until I just start to feel drag.

After I get the engine together, I do an engine running (idle) valve lash adjustment, where I back off each rocker until it just starts to clatter. Slowly tighten the rocker arm until the clatter just stops, then slowly tighten the rocker arm nut another three quarters of a turn. It's important to tighten it slowly so the lifter has time to self adjust and not cause the valve to contact the piston.

cardo0

Always follow the mfr instructions. Why wouldnt u follow what the mfr says to do? Ok nothing wrong with the oil filled lifter.

GM lifters are shipped with some type of preservative. A lot of owners lit to soak those in mineral spirits before installing to remove the preservative but GM says dont.

BTW i hate using the noise method for adj lifters - to subjective. What if u have bad hearing?
Zero lash is when u can roll the p-rod side to side but not up and down. Then add your recommended pre-load (what ever Edelbrock says to use).

perZ

Hi!


Thanks for your replies guys, even though contradictory. From what I can tell, it doesn't matter if I fill them with oil or not?


When it comes to MFR instruction, it also says to change oil and oil filter before installation -which it not done (heads are off now). Does this in any way affect how to treat the lifters before installation? I'm thinking if it makes filling them with oil more necessairy?


Cheers,
Per

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

It doesn't really matter whether you fill them with oil or not. Only difference will be, if you DO fill them, the engine will be hard to start and will run real rough for the first few minutes until they self-adjust (by draining partially) and let the valves close all the way; or, if you DON'T fill them, it will start easy but will clatter and make all kinds of noise until they get filled to the correct level by oil pressure and take up the extra lash. (all this assuming of course that you get them adjusted correctly during assembly, which isn't all that likely anyway, they'll probably need to be re-adjusted after the motor has run for a few minutes and become fully hot)

ALWAYS put in new oil when replacing a cam & lifters. There shouldn't even be any question about that. No it doesn't affect the fill decision.

You should have roller lifters. Why do you think it's A Good Idea to replace them at all?

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Remove each individually.

If they have no sign of wear or damage, re-install them the same way they came out.

Yes, you'll be setting valve lash again.

perZ

Thank you sofakingdom and jmd!


First, let me answer sofakingdoms question. I replace the lifters because someone told me it was a good idea when taking the heads off for refurbishment. There was a slight "ticking" noise before, so figured it might be connected. Also to my knowledge they've never been replaced before so I thought it could be a good idea. Do you think it's unnecessairy?


Yes, I have the roller lifters. You mentioned "lifters and cam" -is it a bad idea only to replace the lifters? (I know that the pushrods have been replaced a few years agp though). Bummer if I spent the money for nothing...


This might be a stupid question but how to I go ahead changing/refilling oil in the already dismantled/headless engine? Just pour it in the gallery??

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

No need to replace the lifters; chances are, the "ticking" noise is something else. Poor rocker adjustment, valve spring damper rubbing against the spring, that sort of thing. NOT a lifter.

Which is of course, exactly why I asked that question; to find out what made you think you need to replace them. And at this point, it sounds like, you don't.

Yes you can just pour the oil into the lifter valley or a valve cover or whatever. You can drain it at any point in your work, and when you get it all the way back together, just put it in the normal way. Anything (just about) will work.

perZ

A big thank you once again, sofakingdom!


Of course I feel a bit sad that the lifters have been bought for no good reason but on the other hand, don't replace what works, right. Guess I was a bit to hasty wanting to change parts because of all the trouble. Don't want to put it back together just to realize I need to tear it all down again to replace the lifters!


I'll take exisiting lifters out one by one and inspect them, as previously recomended. If nothing appears faulty I guess I'll follow your advise and keep them. Not sure I completely understood if lifters/cam/pushrods always should be replaced at the same time though? Or can them be replaced individually?

perZ

Another question about head gaskets. Are they supposed to have such narrow holes for the coolant? The holes in the heads themselves are a lot wider. The pics show the old gaskets but the new ones (FelPro) look about the same.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Yes the gaskets are supposed to be like that.

They actually meter the coolant to the right places in the right amounts. Specifically, they direct the most coolant to the parts of the engine where the metal gets the hottest.

The place that requires the most coolant is actually the triangular hole between the 2 center cylinders, on the side toward the exhaust ports... notice that there are 2 exh valve, 2 exh ports, etc. right together at that place. About 1/3 of the total heat that goes into the coolant, does so in that area (the sum of both sides of the engine). So that place needs the most coolant. Very little heat needs to be carried away from over on the intake port side, so there are far fewer holes on that side, and those that are there, are smaller.

86LG4Bird

iTrader: (1)

I really think you should leave your present lifters in there, and return the new ones and get your money back. Less chance of ANYTHING going wrong that way. Honestly.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Incidentally, I posted this same sort of thing with a picture not too long ago...



This is a 400 gasket, so it has 3 sets of holes your 350 one lacks. Those are the ones in green, between each pair of cylinders. You can ignore those.

Gray is oil drainback from the rocker gallery, yellow is bolt holes (the bolts go into water, by the way... use "high temp thread sealer with Teflon" on all of their threads and under their heads), red is dowel pins, the rest are coolant metering holes. Note carefully that the greatest number of the largest ones, are right directly underneath exhaust ports. (Lay the gasket on a head and look at what's right above each hole) The 3 in magenta are the critical ones. Make sure the castings are completely free of obstructions there, both the block and the heads (lay the gaskets on the castings, and grind the holes out if necessary): inadequate coolant flow at that spot is one of the main causes of "mystery" overheating. It shows up most strongly as an exaggerated tendency toward pinging.

Paying attention to things like that - details - is part of the difference between "building" engines and merely "assembling" parts.

perZ

Thanks a lot guys! I really appreciate you sharing you knowledge.


I will leave the lifters in place if nothing looks bad. Might take them out for inspection though. (Brought them to Sweden from the US in October so returning is probably out of the question, per I'll sell them though )


Thanks for the education in head gaskets. I'll take it with me when mounting them. I guess that after cleaning out both coolant holes and bolt holes from obstructions and old thread sealant, I should flush the cooling system?

perZ

How do I flush the system in the best way? Possible to do at home or professional garage/equipment needed?

perZ

Another assenbly question: is there an easy way to make possible to run the oil pump with an electric drill or do I need another "distributor"?


Sorry for being a pain in the neck.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Yes you can run the pump with a drill.

However, the distributor housing goes RIGHT DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the oil passage that feeds the passenger side lifters. Without one, it is not possible to develop any oil pressure.

There are "tools" for that, and of course it's possible to modify a distributor to make one yourself. However, it really doesn't do any good; the engine will have oil pressure within the first few seconds of running, anyway. Not worth the bother.

perZ

Alright, thanks once again!