<VV> RE: [fastvair] Lifter Priming.

[mnoakes]

well, even the lifter fabricators now recommend not to prime...that did figure 
into my decision.  Anyway, everything appears to be fine.

Mark Noakes

>===== Original Message From Andy  Clark <slowboat at mindspring.com> =====
>Just as an FYI. An old trick for priming lifters is to chuck up an old
>pushrod in a drill press. Then place the lifter upright in a container of
>oil deep enough to cover said lifter. Place the container/lifter under the
>pushrod, and use it to "pump" the lifter by placing the end in the lifter
>dimple and, using the drill press down drive handle, move the pushrod up and
>down, alternately compressing and releasing the lifter plunger. Do this
>until no more bubbles exit the lifter and it's primed (both cavities) and
>ready to go. This also addresses the "trapped air" due to the lifter
>operating on its side, that someone mentioned as a possible problem.
>
>Personally, I don't like a new lifter clattering for 10 minutes or so until
>it gets pumped up. Where there's noise, there's wear.
>
>YMMV.
>
>Andy Clark
>Camano Island, WA.
>1966 140/4 Monza Sedan
>1966 140/4 Yenko Clone
>1966 180/4 Cord 8/10 #60
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "mnoakes" <mnoakes at utk.edu>
>To: "fastvair" <fastvair at yahoogroups.com>
>Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 3:02 PM
>Subject: [fastvair] lifters latest...
>
>
>> After all the counsel both ways between VV and fastvairs and noting that
>old
>> school and shop manual insisted that lifters should be primed but that the
>> lifter fabricator (besides Clarks) said that it was not necessary, I ended
>up
>> starting the lifter unprimed...one particular trustworthy fastvair builder
>> suggested it...and also because it turns out that I didn't really have a
>good
>> way to prime it anyway.
>>
>> I did find some moly assembly lube at a local speed shop...been looking
>for an
>> excuse to go visit their new building anyway.  My biggest concern wasn't
>the
>> priming issue; it was the new lifter on the old cam and potential wear
>damage
>> issues.  Lotus restorers have been reporting weird and fast cam lobe wear
>when
>> putting new flat tappet lifters on old cams when following factory
>> installation procedures that have been good forever, and no one seems to
>be
>> completely sure what it going on yet so I was a little spooked...something
>> appears to have changed in lubrication.
>>
>> I did put a generous amount of moly on the foot of the lifter and a film
>of it
>> on the lifter body before install. I also pulled the coil wire and did a
>> handful of short 20 second cranks but didn't pull the distributor or
>anything
>> to pump oil up into the engine...after all, this wasn't an engine
>rebuild...it
>> was just a lifter replacement. After starting which was pretty easy, per
>the
>> fastvair builder comments, the unprimed lifter settled down in about 10
>> minutes of idling...it did take longer than I was thinking it would
>though.
>>
>> Since I went ahead and adjusted all the valves while I was at it, it
>appears
>> that I will now need to readjust the timing...idle was quite a bit faster
>than
>> before with no other changes.
>>
>> By the way, the original lifter appear rather mangled internally; I have
>no
>> idea what happened to it, but it was the problem...if anyone rememebers me
>> stirring this up a while back.
>>
>> Lessons Learned
>>
>> 1--An anon engr saying that is a favorite comes to mind..."In theory,
>there is
>> no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, there is
>usually a
>> difference." Whatever the lifter theory says should be done, starting them
>(or
>> at least one) unprimed worked just fine though it was a bit noisy for a
>few
>> minutes...no big deal.  Apparently some major builders have been doing
>this
>> for years.
>>
>> 2--One five year old helping makes everything take twice as long.  Two
>five
>> year olds helping makes everything take ten times as long.
>>
>> 3--The rear deck of a vintage Lotus Europa adequately protected by a
>cardboard
>> tray makes a nice work table for light weight Corvair parts during minor
>> rebuilds.
>>
>> Thanks for the assistance,
>>
>> Mark Noakes