Lifter cleaning Solution.....

[IslandTSI]

Why does everyone go through so much work to clean out there lifters. There is a much much simpler process. The lifters themselves come apart in about 5 seconds. Simply pry up the taps on the ring that holds the lifter together. You can then pull the two main pieces of the lifter apart and give them the thorough cleaning they deserve.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ryantsi/DSC00276.jpg

Easy as pie and easy to get perfectly clean.

 

[eboy0]

What did you use to pry up the ring? I tried this since i saw they were 2 pieces, but couldn't get the ring off.

 

[IslandTSI]

I used a butter knife. Only thing I am worried about now is getting the ring to go back on like it was before. I'm not gonna pull any more of them apart until I can get this one back together perfectly.

The reason I took it apart was that I had broken off a piece of a paper clip inside the lifter and had to take it apart to get it out.

 

[eboy0]

Good luck, keep us informed.

 

[NN4S]

Was there ever any success putting this lifter back together? I've flushed a set out 3 times now with various cleaning fluids and am still getting trash, dirt & metallic bits out of around half of them even after an overnight stay in the ultrasonic cleaner. If taking them apart & reassembling them worked, then it may well be worth it to me to just give that a try. At least then I would have the peace of mind of knowing that I got all of the crud out of them...

 

[kenamond]

Was there ever any success putting this lifter back together? I've flushed a set out 3 times now with various cleaning fluids and am still getting trash, dirt & metallic bits out of around half of them even after an overnight stay in the ultrasonic cleaner. If taking them apart & reassembling them worked, then it may well be worth it to me to just give that a try. At least then I would have the peace of mind of knowing that I got all of the crud out of them...

Since you obviously have the lifters out, why not buy a set of revised lifters for $120 and be done with it? If you can part with $120 and wait a week for it to ship, that'd be one solution.

 

[NN4S]

Since you obviously have the lifters out, why not buy a set of revised lifters for $120 and be done with it? If you can part with $120 and wait a week for it to ship, that'd be one solution.

Because the lifters that I'm trying to clean out ARE a set of the revised lifters; they were in an engine that ate it's bearings and I'm in the process of cleaning the residual crap out of the head & lifters before putting them back into use. You wouldn't toss out a ported head that just needed a good cleaning, so why toss a set of the revised lifters when that's all that's needed to reuse them?

I was just wondering if he had success trying that approach... I don't want to disassemble one of these things if I can't put it back together & I don't have any of the old small-hole lifters to try it on.

 

[kenamond]

Because the lifters that I'm trying to clean out ARE a set of the revised lifters; they were in an engine that ate it's bearings and I'm in the process of cleaning the residual crap out of the head & lifters before putting them back into use. You wouldn't toss out a ported head that just needed a good cleaning, so why toss a set of the revised lifters when that's all that's needed to reuse them?

I was just wondering if he had success trying that approach... I don't want to disassemble one of these things if I can't put it back together & I don't have any of the old small-hole lifters to try it on.

I see.

Well, you could try it on one and if you can't get it back together, buy another box of 4 for $30. My TopLine lifters looked crimped around the top almost like a beer bottle cap. I don't know if you can get them to seal properly. If not, it may not hold pressure and might compress when the valve is open. I dunno. Have you tried to PM the OP?

 

[NN4S]

That's the interesting thing; I also have a couple of new sets of the Topline lifters that have the "beer bottle cap" look to them but these particular lifters (Mitsu?) don't have that outer cap. Let me see if I can't get a picture of the two types side by side to better show the difference between them. I'm half tempted to take one of the new ones apart to see if the "cap" is even necessary or not. If I do, I'll post it up. I just really need to finish getting this batch & head cleaned out so that I can get this car back on the road and pull another project or five in to work on!

 

[NN4S]

Spoke with IslandTSI about his success with this method; he said he did finally get it back together after much struggle & that it's held up for a good while now. He also said that he wouldn't do it again given the option; that's enough for me to throw them into the ultrasonic at least one more time to try 7 flush the remainder of the crud out of them.

I've still got one that's really spewing bits, the others are finally starting to flow clear after 4 overnight soakings in it (the latest being in diesel fuel). Maybe tomorow...