Can you test lifters

flmont · 09-30-2010, 09:17 PM

before I start to re-assemble can you test for bad lifters 86' 944 N/A

KEV951 · KEV951's Garage

nope. just soak them in oil for a few hours prior to install and make sure they fit nicely in their bores, they are hardened steel.

John_AZ · 10-01-2010, 11:49 AM

Yes,
Bennington Motorsports

and
Dissecting 944S lifters

John

julahti · julahti's Garage

I have a set of old lifters from 2.5 and started to wonder today it they are still ok.

When the lifters came out of car I was wondering if they are fine as they were really stiff, as far as I can remember. I thought this was some kind of problem and I got the greatest idea ever (or maybe not...) and heated them with a heat gun until the oil came pouring out....man was I proud of myself, finding such a solution to empty them for no reason really.

Now the lifters have been sitting in oil, and they feel guite soft. If I keep the lifter in one hand I can push the piston all the way down with the thumb of the same hand down quite easily. I think I could repeat it 5-10 times before it would start hurting the thumb.

I can not figure out if the force is about right, but on the other hand, the 4.5 pound force to get it moving as suggested, does not sound very much.

I guess my lifters are now empty, and too soft? I tried to pump them in the oil with my fingers, but had not change in softness so far. I did not try too long, though, and I used regural 10W-30.

Are my lifters still ok to use later, what do you think?

Jrboulder · 01-10-2011, 12:44 PM

That sounds like something I would do.

John_AZ · 01-10-2011, 03:21 PM

Did you remember to keep the lifters in order? Recommended.
Did you soak them in oil with the "air escape" pin hole facing up?

John

julahti · julahti's Garage

Thanks for replies.

I have certainly done all the mistakes in handling the lifters. I bough a used set to replace these and I did not soake them with the air hole up. In fact they were sitting dry for quite some time. Since I never though they might have a chance to back to my car, I didn't care about the order, either.

After reading today some posts about how these old lifters can be well worth saving I became interested again. My car is running bad, nr. 1 cylinder got tested 7,5 compression today and I wonder if it can be a bad lifter causing it. I need to check it again with oil drop to see if it is a bad ring, and eventually do an air by-pass test (or whatever you call it). Just too late (and cold !) to do it any more today here in scandinavia

Anyway; back to my question: do these lifters sound like they are too soft and could not be used any more?

wild man · 01-14-2011, 05:12 AM

From what I understand, there is an inner hole exactly opposite of the outer hole, that the air must escape from first. Then it needs to make it's way around to the outer hole, on the opposite side, in order to escape. I haven't tried it, but a better technique to bleed the air out might be to alternately turn the lifter so it is hole-down (for inner hole to be up), pumping it while under the oil, and then turning it hole up for while, repeating the process as many times as necessary.

Also, I think there is very good chance that they would pump up completely if installed, after the engine idles for like 15-30 minutes. So I would NOT throw them away. I have a set myself, but they are rusty now, so I don't think would ever be usable again.

julahti · julahti's Garage

Took the cam tower out today and 6 lifters are rock solid, but 2 of them I can press with my thumb a bit, they are kind of soft. These soft lifters were cyl. 2 exhaust and cyl. 3 intake.

I guess those 2 lifters are bad? What did they to the engine, it was running bad, but with 2 or 3, but number 4. Cyl. 4 has compression, gets fuel, gets spark, but is not running well, actually seems to be out of game most of the time.

Just wondering here if I should take the head off as well since I have the cam tower off already.

kfanazini · 10-26-2011, 08:49 AM

A question I need clarification on, as I am going to removing my lifters soon.

When soaking the lifters is the entire lifter supposed to be submerged in oil, or should the air escape hole be above the level of oil?

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_AZ

Did you remember to keep the lifters in order? Recommended.
Did you soak them in oil with the "air escape" pin hole facing up?

John

NoTheOtherMikey · NoTheOtherMikey's Garage

I managed to dump all mine out when I pulled the cam tower. So i don't know which goes in which bore hole.

How bad is that? All are now soaking in oil and based on how long it's going to take to get my rebuilt head in, will probably soak for a couple of weeks.

kfanazini · 10-26-2011, 10:57 AM

How do you get them out without this happening?

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoTheOtherMikey

I managed to dump all mine out when I pulled the cam tower. So i don't know which goes in which bore hole.

How bad is that? All are now soaking in oil and based on how long it's going to take to get my rebuilt head in, will probably soak for a couple of weeks.

John_AZ · 10-26-2011, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfanazini

How do you get them out without this happening?

You take a piece of flat steel--sheet metal and slide it under the cam housing between the lifters and head, the lifters will NOT FALL OUT of the bores if you hold on to the sheet metal and lift up.

Mixing the old lifters in the cam housing can cause binding and wear. Porsche in the WSM wants the lifters to stay in the same bore. But if you have to replace "soft" lifters, you have no choice. YMMV

If you need to get a couple of lifters because yours are "soft", get good used.

New INA lifters have a bad reputation.

GL
John

John_AZ · 10-26-2011, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoTheOtherMikey

I managed to dump all mine out when I pulled the cam tower. So i don't know which goes in which bore hole.

How bad is that? All are now soaking in oil and based on how long it's going to take to get my rebuilt head in, will probably soak for a couple of weeks.

Fill the lifters with a needle syringe in the tiny hole on the side. Keep the tiny hole UP. A solution of 10% Seafoam and conventional oil is good.

GL
John

John_AZ · 10-26-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfanazini

A question I need clarification on, as I am going to removing my lifters soon.

When soaking the lifters is the entire lifter supposed to be submerged in oil, or should the air escape hole be above the level of oil?

Air hole up. Lifters filled with oil using a needle syringe. lifters laying on the side with the air hole up ^. Hole covered with oil --- over the top of the lifters (aka cam followers).

GL
John

John_AZ · 10-26-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by julahti

Took the cam tower out today and 6 lifters are rock solid, but 2 of them I can press with my thumb a bit, they are kind of soft. These soft lifters were cyl. 2 exhaust and cyl. 3 intake.

I guess those 2 lifters are bad? What did they to the engine, it was running bad, but with 2 or 3, but number 4. Cyl. 4 has compression, gets fuel, gets spark, but is not running well, actually seems to be out of game most of the time.

Just wondering here if I should take the head off as well since I have the cam tower off already.

If you did a complete compression test and a leak down test before you took the cam housing off, you would have the answer.

Doing it now would not be difficult---just more money to get the head machined.

GL
John