Is there anyone here? Guys, any ideas how to refill 2.9 hydro lifters? I took apart my engine for some repair and decided to clean the lifters also. As far as I know, it's better to assemble them back with oil inside. But in case there's oil inside the lifter, it's virtually impossible to assemble it back: the "piston" won't go inside the bore because there's oil. Any ideas? How to assemble these mothers back with oil inside?
Now I know! It was a big mistake for me to think, that the lifters are filled by oil pressure from the main gallery. No. Instead they fill themselves up just like a pump. This means one just has to submerge an assembled lifter in clean oil and pump the lifter several times. It' so easy!
Another thing I came up with - the pressure in the main oil gallery is not very important for Cologne 2.9.
Two things:
You do not have to fill the lifters before installation. As a matter of fact, the valves will not close completely if you do, so it will be hard to start until the lifters bleed down.
Secondly, you have to have pressure in the gallery or your cam bearings will seize.
The 2.9 is noted for noisy lifters and cam bearing failure. Both related to the lack of flow and pressure to the gallery you think you don't need.
Guess you'll find out whether your 'discovery' is true or not...
tom
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oops! meaning "the pressure in the main oil gallery is not very important for Cologne 2.9 lifter tapping cure" Of course for everything else it's imortant. The bearings, the thrust plate and the tentioner are fed from the main gallery - I know that
It doesn't take a lot of pressure to fill the lifters, as you have found out. The oil pressure is allowed in when the inner piston 'fill hole' is up high enough to line up with the hole in the side of the lifter. When the cam starts to push on the bottom of the lifter, it moves the lifter up, the inner piston pushes against the pushrod, etc, and closes off the hole, trapping the oil, which, is not compressible.
tom
__________________
It's not how hard you work, it's how much you get done. Simplificate and add lightness
I think that dismantling and cleaning the lifters when the engine is apart is a good idea. You probably know that it is important to keep the inner plunger and outer body together as they are a matched pair.
The last couple engines I did valve grinds on were 1.9L Escorts, but typical of Ford hydraulic roller lifters. I cleaned up the plunger and body with 600 grit emery paper in solvent to remove all of the varnish. The plunger and body should slide together smoothly and not stick anywhere.
When head work is done, it is likely that the valve train geometry will be altered at least a little bit, which will cause the lifter plungers to operate at a slightly different place than before. This will often move them into an area of the body that has varnish on it, causing binding, thus lifter noise. With properly cleaned lifters this shouldn't happen.
I assembled the lifters dry, with only a very light oil film. They clattered for a few seconds until they filled up but after that, nary a peep out of 'em.
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Guys, any ideas how to refill 2.9 hydro lifters? I took apart my engine for some repair and decided to clean the lifters also. As far as I know, it's better to assemble them back with oil inside. But in case there's oil inside the lifter, it's virtually impossible to assemble it back: the "piston" won't go inside the bore because there's oil. Any ideas? How to assemble these mothers back with oil inside?
