Hydraulic Lifters / Followers WBX

[matteochiochetta]

Hello everyone!
As I will try to describe on my engine thread, here is my problem with Hydraulic followers...

I got a lot of readings about hydraulic lifters on this forum and on Ratwell's website, but of course I think my problem is different so here's why I'm writing this thread:
I've just rebuilt my MV engine ("mechanic 1" did it) but we are now (me and "mechanic 2") taking it all apart because there was no power from it.

Engine rebuilt 1.0 was good, they rebuilt the camshaft because one cam was down to the bone. New cylinders and pistons, new gaskets, new oil pump.

The ticking problem known as vanagon syndrome was clear after an adjustment and after about 300 kms. We (me and "mechanic 2") then replaced the hydraulic lifters with telescopic pushrod tubes.
0.15 mm play done, but the ticking was still present. Engine power was ok.

We then did a 2 turns adjustment and drove the van for few kilometers (10/15). Ticking was disappeared... and engine power too. Valves were a little open...
I don't want to write down all the tests we did but we now have the engine opened up as a nut! Camshaft is gone. The previously rebuilted cam is alright but number 2 and 4 are nearly flat!

I will now rebuild engine with new gaskets and oil pump from TK Carparts and the camshaft from VW-Heritage. And because I want some extra HP I will buy DJ cylinder and pistons from TK Carparts even if my previous kit was ok and keep them as a spare.

My question is anyway about the followers... now we have some followers in the workshop that don't want to be squeezed even after I push them with a tool (like a big flat screwdriver) but some looks pretty soft to be squeezed.
Is it kind of alright? May I use them with my Engine 2.0 and see if they fill up properly or should I order a new set? Mr. Baxter doesn't have them and I thought about TK Carparts. Any advice about this?

I don't want to trash money but I don't even want to rebuilt engine every month!

We are rebuilding the engine in the workshop, it will be the first time for me, the mechanics has no practice on VW boxer / wbx but did well on some other petrol engines like Jeep.


Will try to do a thread about this.

Thanks for your time,

Matteo

[kevtherev]

You should be able to compress an empty or half empty lifter in a vice, even if the oil holes are not aligned
A full one cannot be compressed...that is how they work.
Lifters should be filled before fitting

[matteochiochetta]

Hi, thanks for your reply!
What do you mean filled before fitting?
Aren't they meant to fill up once the engine starts?

[kevtherev]

Hi, thanks for your reply!
What do you mean filled before fitting?
Aren't they meant to fill up once the engine starts?

If you fitted new or have them out of the van they should be filled with oil before fitting.
There is only 4mm of lifter piston travel so if empty it would fill eventually but it would take a long time to fill with thick cold oil, and the possibility of damage to the lifter/valve stem.

[matteochiochetta]

Uhm... how should I fill them?

[CJH]

Uhm... how should I fill them?

Here you go....

[matteochiochetta]

Thanks!

They were filled up when they came from the shop and there was no way to push them!

[kevtherev]

Thanks!

They were filled up when they came from the shop and there was no way to push them!

My question is anyway about the followers... now we have some followers in the workshop that don't want to be squeezed even after I push them with a tool (like a big flat screwdriver) but some looks pretty soft to be squeezed.
Is it kind of alright? ....

Well clearly some of them were not filled?

[silverbullet]

I prefer to work with the lifters empty and all the rocket adjusters backed off.
Working from one cylinder to the next, when one valve is fully "open" the other will be on the heel of the cam, so the pushrod can be settled into the lifter and the preload wound on.
All you need is a check sheet and the whole job takes 4 turns of the crank if you follow the firing order.
The lifters will soon fill up IF the engine is cranked over thoroughly with the plugs out and the coil disconnected, preferably not in arctic conditions...

[matteochiochetta]

Thanks!

They were filled up when they came from the shop and there was no way to push them!

My question is anyway about the followers... now we have some followers in the workshop that don't want to be squeezed even after I push them with a tool (like a big flat screwdriver) but some looks pretty soft to be squeezed.
Is it kind of alright? ....

Well clearly some of them were not filled?

They were all filled when I get them out of the box, and then in the engine.

When I got them out after few kilometers some of them where not filled and was easy to squeeze them. It's probably because of the oil and cammes mixture that kept the "sphere" inside them a bit dirty and incapable to keep the oil inside the lifter. So I will do a proper cleaning procedure and re use them in the engine once is done.

[matteochiochetta]

The lifters will soon fill up IF the engine is cranked over thoroughly with the plugs out and the coil disconnected, preferably not in arctic conditions...

This sounds interesting!

[123-jn]

Hi,
I fitted a full set of new lifters when I rebuilt my engine and have never been happy with them. They have always been a bit ticky and still are. I reckon it is two of them. After a few thousand miles I removed the one in cylinder 4 inlet as it kept going soft after just a day of no use and replaced it with a cleaned one of the old ones. That solved that problem !!! Now I have the inlet on cylinder 3 ticking louder. I discovered that it was only holding half a turn of preload so I adjusted it to 1.5. All the others were still correct at 1.5. It is a bit quieter now but still ticky. Any suggestions would be welcome but I am going to keep a close eye on it incase the valve seat is going for a walk!! i think I will just have to put up with it and hope no damage is being caused.