ok i toasted a lifter, long story, anyways i bought a new one at work and with it in the engine, i noticed i can push on the pushrod and feel it plunge a little and of coarse come back up. is this the normal hyd part they speak of? cuz none of my other lifters i could push down on. but when i looked at the lifters, the plunger part was at the top and not sunk down.

 

If there's no oil in it, you'll be able to compress it.

 

oh ok thanks, so when it fires up it will become non compessable?

 

Que?

 

As soon as it gets filled with oil it should be hard to compress. Some people pump their lifters up in oil before installation.

 

Take the lifter out and soak it in oil for a while to get some oil in it. Put some assembly lube on the roller and where the pushrod goes. I don't know if it is necessarily required with roller parts, but I do it on all of mine anyways. Can't hurt any.

 

Yes, it can hurt.

The assembly lube is thicker than oil and can block the holes in pushrods. If oil can't get through then that valve spring may not get enough oil to lube it and keep it cool.

Also, the roller on the lifter needs a little friction to roll against. If the lube keeps it from rolling it could develope a flat spot.

 

There will be more than enough oil pressure to flush out any assembly lube in the pushrod. Assembly lube is also soluble in oil, after the few minutes of operation any assembly lube will be dissolved into the oil anyway. I can't see how it could keep the roller from turning on the lobe either.

 

Then use it that way and increase your chances of screwing something up. Doesn't matter to me either way.