Cleaning lifters

You can soak them or pump them up with a pump type oil can. Lots of oil on the cam lobes is good too.

well, since you have taken the load off, i would sugest immersing them in a coffee can of oil( enough to cover the lifters) then use a push rod and depress each lifter until resistance is felt.
FWIW- you were only cleaning the outside? that is varnish. I would not suggest pulling the lifters apart.

lincolndriver said:

well, since you have taken the load off, i would sugest immersing them in a coffee can of oil( enough to cover the lifters) then use a push rod and depress each lifter until resistance is felt.
FWIW- you were only cleaning the outside? that is varnish. I would not suggest pulling the lifters apart.

Click to expand...

I will go along with you on this, but myself I like to use tramsmission fluid, over oil, higher detergent.

Bertha66, thanks,I never thought of using x-mission fluid. that is probably better to prime and help clean the internal parts. Great job!!

No I'm not tearing them apart. I'm getting all the carbon, sludge & dirt out of the engine. So far I've got about 70% of all the bad stuff out of the block... I've got 1 head all cleaned up except the rocker arms & still have to do the other head. I've had this van for 2 years & have done regular oil changes. So this build up is from the previous owners. I'm using diesel for the initial cleaning process & will be pouring oil down the block to get the residual loose dirt down to the oil pan.. Push rods look almost brand new again after cleaning them..

o-ok

printman31 said:

Ok I'm in the process of cleaning all the carbon off my lifters seeing that I got the heads off.. Now my question here is. Do I need to soak the lifters in oil before reinstalling them???

PS 98 Windstar 3.8

Click to expand...

printman31, your original post above looks like it says you are cleaning the carbon off the lifters, not trying to be picky but we can only go by what you tell us, but anyway,you will never get the water passages clean without at least boiling the block.
just tryin to be helpful.

Oh I know I'll never get those clean without a hot tank... I'm only cleaning all this stuff because the carbon is caked on & I had to change the head gaskets anyhow. So seeing that it's all apart. I might as well take the time & get the upper half all cleaned up. Later when it's all put back together I'll flush the cooling system to clean out as much as I can.. But that's about all I'll do with that. Besides getting all that oil & dirt off the heads & block will let the car run a little cooler in the summer...

MMM, pennzoil.