Lifters Oil-Charge Question

[OK-944]

My engine is on a stand and I want to remove my cam cover first, prior to doing the head and then flipping over to do the bottom end.

This means that the lifters will be sitting out for awhile. With this in mind, would it be wise to keep them charged with oil the whole time? Or should I simply charge them shortly before they go back into the cam head?

More to the point...once I get the cam back onto engine, it will still be some time before I get the engine back into the car. Will the lifters keep their oil-charge during this interval, or should I do my best to make the lifter recharge be a last minute deal? But even then, once the engine goes into the car, I need to lift the rear of the car to do some stuff back there - so in any case it will be awhile between engine installation and actually starting up the car...so I'm thinking that keeping the lifters soaked in oil may be meaningless.

Any advice here? (sorry if I'm obsessing!) Thanks!

[944 Ecology]

No need to keep them in oil, but it may shorten the time to pump them back up. Once the engine gets warm and the lifters are working as designed, it will take only a couple of minutes for them to self adjust.

[John_AZ]

If you still are obsessing, here is a link from many944s on lifters.

In addition on how to store lifters if you decide to do so, it explains how to test for "soft" lifters. Now you can continue to worry...

Bennington Motorsports

When you take the cam housing off, slide a wide flat thin metal plate under the housing. You do not want the lifters to bounce on the ground.

Also keep the lifters in the same bore.

George ^ is a good place to get parts if needed.

GL
John