bbc hyd roller lifter problems
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Coquitlam British Columbia
bbc hyd roller lifter problems
I was wondering if someone can confirm what I fear that my NEW Comp Cams roller lifters are screwed. Some where along the line of checking for pushrod length on my engine stand, I noticed my lifters were compressed to far, in that the spring inside the lifter does not move the pushrod seat up against the retaining lock to the neutral position and the plungers are bottomed out with no pushrod installed.They are all like this except one set. Yikes!
Thanks
Ken
Thanks
Ken
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Coquitlam British Columbia
No and I did so on purpose, I followed Comp Cams procedure, see the second sentence below in their instructions. Anyway the lifter plunger spring should hold the plunger up against the top of the clip without any oil pressure and thats how they should come from the factory, so not sure why that would matter in this case, thanks anyway.
Comps instructions,
"Lifter Preparation: Remove your new COMP Cams® lifters from the packaging, and clean the lifters thoroughly in mineral spirits or an equivalent solvent. It is not necessary to “pre-pump” hydraulic lifters full of engine oil prior to installation and valve adjustment. It is actually undesirable to do so as the “pumped up” lifters will cause the valves
to open during the adjustment process, rather than positioning the lifter plunger in its operating position as it is supposed to do. “Pre-soaking” hydraulic lifters in a bath of engine oil is a good idea, but not mandatory. Doing so ensures that the lifters are adequately lubricated on their outer surfaces prior to installation. It may also result in a quieter engine start up as the oil in the bath may displace some air from the lifter’s plunger reservoir."
Ken
Comps instructions,
"Lifter Preparation: Remove your new COMP Cams® lifters from the packaging, and clean the lifters thoroughly in mineral spirits or an equivalent solvent. It is not necessary to “pre-pump” hydraulic lifters full of engine oil prior to installation and valve adjustment. It is actually undesirable to do so as the “pumped up” lifters will cause the valves
to open during the adjustment process, rather than positioning the lifter plunger in its operating position as it is supposed to do. “Pre-soaking” hydraulic lifters in a bath of engine oil is a good idea, but not mandatory. Doing so ensures that the lifters are adequately lubricated on their outer surfaces prior to installation. It may also result in a quieter engine start up as the oil in the bath may displace some air from the lifter’s plunger reservoir."
Ken
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From: Coquitlam British Columbia
I think I am going to try and soak the lifters in a solvent, as all I can think that would keep the springs from returning the plunger is that the plungers still have some of the hardened assembly grease holding the plunger down or else the springs have collapsed 
. The rollers did not roll when I first took them out of the box and had dry assembly grease keeping them from rolling before I soaked them and they roll great now, so maybe I will get lucky.
Ken
. The rollers did not roll when I first took them out of the box and had dry assembly grease keeping them from rolling before I soaked them and they roll great now, so maybe I will get lucky. Ken
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From: Crossville TN
Well...that's all very interesting. But how do you set the valves to anything near proper position if the valve train geometry isn't right? That procedure might sound nice to some mis-informed tech assistant Comp Cams just hired, but do you think it will work? Now, if you already had Comp Cams stuff in your car and you developed a bad lifter, you might get away with using that procedure as long as you didn't re-adjust anything. Personally, I think they're 'looney'. 
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Coquitlam British Columbia
I have the problem resolved after reading some old posts from another board on the subject and working on the lifter. Looks like the problem was pretty much some old Comp Cams stock that was sold to me that the assembly grease had gone rock hard in.
As for the geometry I don't expect to have a problem, as long as I get the plungers moving again and returning to a neutral position.
Mods you can close out this thread anytime.
Ken
As for the geometry I don't expect to have a problem, as long as I get the plungers moving again and returning to a neutral position.
Mods you can close out this thread anytime.
Ken
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
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From: Crossville TN
That is the 'geometry' I was referring to.... If the lifters aren't 'pumped up' or at their "full" position, there's no way to set the valve clearance to begin with.
If they are packed with grease [which I did not know that Comp Cams did], you certainly don't need to soak them in oil or pump them up.
If they are packed with grease [which I did not know that Comp Cams did], you certainly don't need to soak them in oil or pump them up.
