Junkyard head: should I prime lifters?

[BigTyla]

I had to replace my old cylinder head with one from the junkyard. This head was in great shape and I have replaced the valve stem seals and just torqued it down on my car, but the cams and rocker arms are not on so everything is easily accessible. I never took the lifters out, so does this mean I don't need to service them? Should I just crank the engine over a few times with no fuel to prime them, or do I need to take them out to prime them as shown in the lifter install walkthroughs?

Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything before I put everything else on! Cylinder head servicing is not my forte.

[SmoochDarling]

I would definitely prime them. You don't want a rock hard lifter busting up anything, plus do it while they are accessible! It's worth the piece of mind

[JacksonAuto]

HLA's can't be primed outside of the engine. Even if it were possible, it would be counterproductive. Instead, they are to be bled down before installation to ensure that no valves are held open due to being over-extended.

[talontd92tsi]

Originally Posted by JacksonAuto

HLA's can't be primed outside of the engine. Even if it were possible, it would be counterproductive. Instead, they are to be bled down before installation to ensure that no valves are held open due to being over-extended.

^^ This.

I make it a habit that every time I have the HLA's out of the head, I let them soak in parts cleaner over night, and then make sure that they are completely bled EMPTY of fluid to make sure they compress for the initial start up. If you pump them full of oil before you start the car, you WILL bend valves, maybe worse.

[hhuricane]

Sure they can be bled outside the engine. In fact by the factory manual you are supposed to.

INSTALLATION SERVICE POINTS
"LASH ADJUSTER INSTALLATION
(1) Immerse the lash adjuster in clean diesel fuel.
(2) Using the special tool (MD998442), move the plunger
up and down 4 or 5 times while pushing down lightly
on the check ball to bleed out the air.

A thin piece of wire works fine for the special tool.

[bryanwheat]

Originally Posted by JacksonAuto

HLA's can't be primed outside of the engine. Even if it were possible, it would be counterproductive. Instead, they are to be bled down before installation to ensure that no valves are held open due to being over-extended.

You can most definitely prime them full of oil outside of the engine. Submerge the lifter in oil and pump it just like any other hydraulic lifter. It will push the air out and pull oil into the lifter. I do this will all new lifters and then bleed them down to get the lubed up prior to installation.