VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 hydraulic valve lifters not pumping up

Any body have any experience with pumping up hydraulic lifters. New old stock lifters, have them installed in a 235 6 cyl but can't get them to pump up. Poured oil down pushrod channels while cranking over motor but to no avail. Am thinking of pulling them and soaking them in oil and trying to pump them up while submerged in the oil. I am also hoping somebody might have a solution to be able to do this while still installed in the motor. Would appreciate any help I can get...Thanks..C.J.

CJ, Others here can help you much better than I.

Are you sure your 235 had hydraulic lifters to start with? Some of 'em had "solid" lifters and didn't have oil galleries for Hydraulic lifters. Others will rescue you.

Gaither

To fill hydraulic lifter set lifter in a pan with kerosene in it or a real light oil. Oil level should be above the hole on the side of the lifter. No take a screw driver or rod and depress the cup on top of the lifter up and down. This is how the lifter fills it self with the engine running.
Did you remove Hyd. lifters from the engine?
On a 1953 Power Glide engine the lifters are fed from an oil passage connected to the rear cam bearing which is inturn getting oil from the rear main bearing. The passage then fills a long gallery that goes from the rear to the front of the block from sides of the lifter to side of next lifter etc. Does not require a lot of pressure just important that lifter is surronded with oil at all times.
If the engine is from a 1953 stick it has no oil getting to the lifters and can not use Hyd.. lifters

the 235 originally had hydraulic lifters,I changed over to solid lifters and never really liked the ticking sound so when I found these nos lifters thought I would convert back. A buddy has a 53 std tranny with hydraulics and it sounds real quiet.Just not able to get these guys pumping so far.

If you install solid lifters on a Hyd. cam they will be very noisy unless the rockers are adjusted to zero clearence. There is no quieting ramp on a Hyd. lifter camshaft and a solid lifter cam must be installed with solid lifters.
If your friends 1953 stick has Hyd. lifters it does not have a 1953 stick engine as they used solid lifters. If Hyd lifters are used on a solid lifter cam the engine will not idle due to the valves not closing properly.
The sticks up through 1955 had solid lifters. All Power Glide engines had Hyd. lifters.
et me know what happens.

Solid lifters don't have to make a lot of noise if they are set correctly, being set with the engine running, while the engine is at full operating temperature. With good smooth rocker arm faces, good valves and properly set up rocker shafts, a proper ground solid lifter camshaft, good straight pushrods and receiving enough lubrication. My 1953 with a replacement truck 235 and solid lifters may tap really low volume when cold but they quiet down at operating temp. Remember the valve lash INCREASES as the rocker arms and the valve stems wear in, this is countered because the valve seats wear in and decrease the valve lash. A well maintained 235 can idle so quietly you can't hear if run if the fan belt and generator are set up correctly.