Lifters?

[WS6ICK]

I am about to install a new cam in my LS1 and I went ahead and bought new stock GM hydraulic lifters. Should I soak them overnight in oil before installing them?

[LS2Tuner]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you do you will bend pushrods or break the lifter!!!!!!
THAT IS SOME 60's SHIT!!!!!!!

[vettenuts]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you do you will bend pushrods or break the lifter!!!!!!
THAT IS SOME 60's SHIT!!!!!!!

Please explain this, some manufacturers recommend it. Filling them with oil is more or less the same as those already in the car. How would you bend a pushrod?

When I did my Morels, Rick Morel recommended the lifter rollers be soaked and then rolled in oil so the roller bearings would work out some of the grease they use at the factory to protect them. I would also use Redline Assembly Lube on installation, it dissolves very quickly in oil and contains no solids. You should use this on top of your pushrod and on your valve stem as well to prevent a dry start.

[LS2Tuner]

If you soak a hyd. lifter before installation your making it a solid lifter!!!!!
It is made to be filled with oil pressure from engine WHILE RUNNING!!!!

It will bend a pushrod or even break it if it is stock junk with pressed in ball because something has to give........You now made the hyd. lifter solid!!!!
it is made to also be adj. out of the box thats why it has a spring under the pushrod plunger!

ANY "REAL" ENGINE BUILDER WOULD USE ASSEM. LUBE AND YOU PRIME THE OIL PUMP UNTIL YOU HAVE OIL IN ALL PUSHRODS!!!

I'VE ONLY SOLD LIFTERS AT THE SPEED SHOP FOR 8 YEARS SO I'VE SEEN PEOPLE DO ALL KINDS OF STUPID SHIT...

[DaddySS]

If you soak a hyd. lifter before installation your making it a solid lifter!!!!!
It is made to be filled with oil pressure from engine WHILE RUNNING!!!!

It will bend a pushrod or even break it if it is stock junk with pressed in ball because something has to give........You now made the hyd. lifter solid!!!!
it is made to also be adj. out of the box thats why it has a spring under the pushrod plunger!

ANY "REAL" ENGINE BUILDER WOULD USE ASSEM. LUBE AND YOU PRIME THE OIL PUMP UNTIL YOU HAVE OIL IN ALL PUSHRODS!!!

I'VE ONLY SOLD LIFTERS AT THE SPEED SHOP FOR 8 YEARS SO I'VE SEEN PEOPLE DO ALL KINDS OF STUPID SHIT...

Have to disagree. GM manual says to lubricate with oil and when I replaced mine with comp oem lifters the instructions said to soak them in oil to throroughly lubricate the bearings. I soaked mine for about an hour, worked great and nothing bent or broke.

[Hi-Po]

Some cam manufactures will send you thier moly lube. Moly is used for the first few mintues of engine running. You can stand the lifter upright so the hole is submerged. Apply moley lube to the lifter foot, smear oil on the sides and squirt some oil onto push rod seat. Maybe some people will disagree with some of that but it worked for me.

[LS2Tuner]

Have to disagree. GM manual says to lubricate with oil and when I replaced mine with comp oem lifters the instructions said to soak them in oil to throroughly lubricate the bearings. I soaked mine for about an hour, worked great and nothing bent or broke.

It says to lubricate BEARINGS thats the rollers NOT the whole body!!! There is NO need to "hydraulic" the lifter causing it to become solid. Also when GM says lubricate that doesn't mean SOAK!!!! A technician would dip in oil to lube.........ITS NOT CLOTH THAT NEEDS TO ABSORB OIL!!!!

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE ME CALL 1-800-999-0853 WHICH IS COMPS HELP LINE!!!
JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT LUCKY FORCING OIL OUT OF BLEED HOLE WHEN YOU ADJ. YOUR ROCKERS................I'VE SEEN 20 CUSTOMERS BRING IN BROKEN AND BENT SHIT OVER THE YEARS!!!!
WHEN YOU SELL THIS SHIT EVERYDAY AND WORK IN A MACHINE SHOP YOU SEE LOTS OF MISTAKES........AND THIS IS A OLD WIVES TALE THAT HAS CAUSED MANY PROBLEMS OVER THE YEARS!!!

[DaddySS]

It says to lubricate BEARINGS thats the rollers NOT the whole body!!! There is NO need to "hydraulic" the lifter causing it to become solid. Also when GM says lubricate that doesn't mean SOAK!!!! A technician would dip in oil to lube.........ITS NOT CLOTH THAT NEEDS TO ABSORB OIL!!!!

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE ME CALL 1-800-999-0853 WHICH IS COMPS HELP LINE!!!
JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT LUCKY FORCING OIL OUT OF BLEED HOLE WHEN YOU ADJ. YOUR ROCKERS................I'VE SEEN 20 CUSTOMERS BRING IN BROKEN AND BENT SHIT OVER THE YEARS!!!!
WHEN YOU SELL THIS SHIT EVERYDAY AND WORK IN A MACHINE SHOP YOU SEE LOTS OF MISTAKES........AND THIS IS A OLD WIVES TALE THAT HAS CAUSED MANY PROBLEMS OVER THE YEARS!!!

Here's the instructions from comp

Roller Lifter Installation Instructions
Thank you for choosing COMP Cams® products! We know you have options in valve train
component selection and we are proud to be your manufacturer of choice. Please read this instruction
sheet carefully before beginning installation and also take a moment to review the included Limited
Warranty information.

Pre-Installation:
It is important for all new roller lifters to be washed thoroughly with mineral spirits or parts washing
solvent to remove all assembly grease. After the lifters are cleaned, it is recommended to soak them in
common engine oil to ensure bearing saturation.

[LS2Tuner]

Here's the instructions from comp

Roller Lifter Installation Instructions
Thank you for choosing COMP Cams® products! We know you have options in valve train
component selection and we are proud to be your manufacturer of choice. Please read this instruction
sheet carefully before beginning installation and also take a moment to review the included Limited
Warranty information.

Pre-Installation:
It is important for all new roller lifters to be washed thoroughly with mineral spirits or parts washing
solvent to remove all assembly grease. After the lifters are cleaned, it is recommended to soak them in
common engine oil to ensure bearing saturation.

bearing saturation..........NOT MAKING BEARING HYD. LIFTER SOLID!!!!!
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE THEM CALL AND SEE WHAT THEY TELL YOU.....Comp. that seeing that I'm watching the games with there rep. for AZ. right now..........!

I GUESS IT NEEDS TO BE MORE SIMPLE ENGLISH FOR DADDY TO UNDERSTAND.....THE BEARING IS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFTER THEY ARE REFERRING TO!!!!

The ? "daddy" was should I soak them in oil overnight!!!!!
NO!!!!!!
BETTER YET CALL JHONSON SINCE THEY ARE ONE OF THE 2 COMPANYS THAT MAKES LIFTERS FOR EVERYONE.......BUT YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY................

[Hi-Po]

We are getting a little heated arn't we?

[LS2Tuner]

We are getting a little heated arn't we?

Could care less!!!!! Just been doing this shit for a long time and seen MANY people Fu_k up there stuff be hearing a wives tale from the 60's.......

If you take it you do if not o'h well........I'll be at the track EVERY weekend eighther way!!!

[DaddySS]

bearing saturation..........NOT MAKING BEARING HYD. LIFTER SOLID!!!!!
WHY DON'T YOU GIVE THEM CALL AND SEE WHAT THEY TELL YOU.....Comp. that seeing that I'm watching the games with there rep. for AZ. right now..........!

I GUESS IT NEEDS TO BE MORE SIMPLE ENGLISH FOR DADDY TO UNDERSTAND.....THE BEARING IS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFTER THEY ARE REFERRING TO!!!!

The ? "daddy" was should I soak them in oil overnight!!!!!
NO!!!!!!
BETTER YET CALL JHONSON SINCE THEY ARE ONE OF THE 2 COMPANYS THAT MAKES LIFTERS FOR EVERYONE.......BUT YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY................

You really don't need to get personal, my english is actually pretty good and I venture to say my manners and temper appear to be better than some.

I did not say to soak them overnight, I said to soak them to thoroughly lubricate, and that in my case I did it for an hour since the instructions only say to soak them.

I'm only trying to help the poster, and disagreement is sometimes part of it. Unfortunately, sometimes personal digs are too.

[LS2Tuner]

You really don't need to get personal, my english is actually pretty good and I venture to say my manners and temper appear to be better than some.

I did not say to soak them overnight, I said to soak them to thoroughly lubricate, and that in my case I did it for an hour since the instructions only say to soak them.

I'm only trying to help the poster, and disagreement is sometimes part of it. Unfortunately, sometimes personal digs are too.

Sorry Papi............ Just letting you know what I see EVERYDAY in the speedshop..........My Major was in :slapboobies: NOT ENGLISH!!!! Between running 10's and slapping nipples I could care less about proper english!!!

[DaddySS]

I searched around and found this info.

So the consensus seems to be dip or soak but not for extended periods and definitely do not "pump them up". Most importantly - clean them thoroughly and lubricate the rollers well.

Hydraulic lifter oiling

From comp cams:

It is not necessary to “pre-pump” hydraulic lifters full of engine
oil prior to installation and valve adjustment. It is actually undesirable to do
so as the “pumped up” lifters will cause the valves to open during the
adjustment process, rather than positioning the valve lifter plunger in its
operating position as it is supposed to do. “Pre-soaking” hydraulic lifters
in a bath of engine oil is a good idea, but is not mandatory. It does ensure
that the lifters are adequately lubricated on their outer surfaces prior to
installation in the engine. It may also result in a quieter engine start up as
the oil in the bath may displace some air from
the lifters plunger reservoir.

Crane cams

When installing brand new Crane roller lifters, you must wash them thoroughly in fresh, clean solvent, allow them to dry and then soak them in the same oil that you?ll have in your engine.? The new needle bearing roller assembly found in any new roller lifters is coated with grease for assembly and rust prevention purposes.? This thick assembly grease can hinder needle movement and prevent the flow of fresh oil to this critical area upon initial start-up.? A few extra minutes to carefully wash these parts can increase the overall longevity of your roller lifters.

Also from Crane:

Prime a Hydraulic lifter? - Remember the guy who told you that you must ?prime? a hydraulic lifter prior to installation? The old story was that you should soak the lifters in oil overnight and be ?pumped up? with a pushrod by hand prior to installing. Don?t do it! This may cause the lifter to act as a ?solid? and actually prevent the obtaining of proper preload.

From Edelbrock:

Install the lifters using a high quality engine oil. Briefly
dip the lifters in fresh, clean oil just before installation.
Do not soak the lifters for a long period of time before
installation.

[LS2Tuner]

Well looks like your research brought you right back to my original answer.

I've been doing this for a long time like I stated and not going to throw out uneducated guidence.