lifters

[1fast97gsx]

ready to start the car up in a few days for the first time on the new motor. Question about the lifters though. They sat dry for a few months and before I installed them back in the head ( 2 months ago ) I just let them soak in oil overnight. Everthing is back together and when I manualy turn the crank everything is ok. Timing is also right. Do I have to worry about anything going wrong with them before startup? I've heard of people bending valves because of lifters messing up so I'm paranoid about this because I know nothing about it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[pneumo]

They (lifters) sat dry for a few months..."

They will tick like mad until they fill with oil.

"Everthing is back together and when I manualy turn the crank everything is ok. Timing is also right."

You'll be OK. You turned the crank, nothing hit.

 

[1fast97gsx]

ok so if I can manual turn the crank without anything going wrong I will be fine? I'm just worried that once the valves start opening and closing really fast I might run into a problem with the lifters since they sat so long ... is it lifters with too much oil in them that cause problems ... or lifters with not enough? Also .. there was nothing I had to do to them .. like align them a certain way or anything right? Like I said .. it was my first time messing with lifters .. so far any headwork I have done was a same day job and not something that sat forever. Thanks.

 

[pneumo]

You did turn the crank at least two full turns, right? If nothing hit when you turn the crank, then nothing will hit when you start the engine. Speed won't throw the valves open.
Lifters with too much oil will cause problems, but you let yours sit for so long. Even if they were completely filled with oil they would return to the correct level since they sat in the head for so long.

Too little oil is OK too, but they will tick until they fill up

 

[1fast97gsx]

You did turn the crank at least two full turns, right? If nothing hit when you turn the crank, then nothing will hit when you start the engine. Speed won't throw the valves open.
Lifters with too much oil will cause problems, but you let yours sit for so long. Even if they were completely filled with oil they would return to the correct level since they sat in the head for so long.

Too little oil is OK too, but they will tick until they fill up

Ok cool thanks man. I will hand crank it again to make sure everything is ok before I fire it up in a few days. Thanks.

 

[x camaro owner]

i have replaced motors on a ton of cars and the lifters always tick like hell when you first start it. buy not having the lifters full of oil when you start it you will be fine no damage will be done just let it sit and idle for quite some time before you drive it. i usually let it sit idleing for a few hours when i install a motor before i take it out for a drive.

 

[1fast97gsx]

ok. Isn't the key to a new motor to fully let it warm up and then drive it to break it in instead of just letting it idle? I hear a "harder" break in is best...

 

[x camaro owner]

1-2 hours of idling is not breaking a motor in much beacuse there really isn't much of a load on any of the parts, so pretty much it is a long warm up period and gives you time to double check for leaks that may not pop out right away, or time to work on other cars. a full break in for a motor takes quite some amount of miles. and yes you are right by saying let the motor warm up before driving that is very important always new or old.

never boost a cold motor!!!!!!!!

when it comes to a hard break that every person preference and i am playing the politicans card on that and avoinding the topic completely.


my preference is long warm up periods with very gentle driving till about 2000miles then switching to synthetic