What is the best brand of lifter for the 6.5

[sctrailrider]

I have searched here and can't find a answer so here is the question....

When I got my GEP motor, I started the tear down process, the motor looked like it only had 5000 miles on it, I didn't think about making sure that I marked the lifters so I could reuse them, so now, I need another set because I don't want to put them back in and not knowing they will be rolling on the same cam lobe.

So, what brand of lifter is considered the best to use, I don't want the cheapo ones, but I don't want to over spend either. And maybe a good place to purchase them.

Some say just to reuse the old ones due to the low mileage but I don't think it is a good idea myself.

Chris

[DmaxMaverick]

Lifters are such a non-issue on these things, I don't think it really matters how you do it. Rollers are a LOT less picky when it comes to lobe match than flats. I've replaced a few over the years with new and used with no issues. If the lobe match was a concern, there would be problems. I've never heard of any. New lifters would have the same issue as replacing single/multiple lifters with a used or new cam, as well. I suggest using your old (good) lifters and move on. Save the cash.

[phantom309]

Exactly what dmaxmav said, roller lifters will run on any lobe just fine,.
these motors run at pretty low rpm for roller lifters too,.

Nick

[john8662]

I beg to differ!

Call up Peninsular and get some OEM lifters from them. They're rock solid.

They come PRE-PRIMED, plugers are already pumped up. Box lifters (tried Melling, Sealed Power and SBI), always had a few duds in the box.

I don't know if the lifters I've had problems with were because the oil system wasn't pre-primed before startup or what but I always had problems. Would get popping in the intake at startup that would stop pretty quick after start, but would make noise every time it started.

Once I saw the factory lifters were pre-primed I was onto something, maybe they HAVE to be pressured up for startup or they'll be damaged?

I just use OEM only now, no more issue, not taking the chance any more.

[DmaxMaverick]

Installing "dry" lifters isn't on the list of things to do, especially on a "dry" engine (new/rebuild). If you do, you get the results you have. It can take a long time for them to fully prime, and a lot longer on a dry engine, as you've found. Even when I get "primed" lifters, I always purge and hand prime them before they go in. SOP, I thought. Never gave it a thought that anyone with any experience would do it otherwise.

[phantom309]

I prime my engines on the stand before i put them in,.I bolt on a starter and roll them over with no injectors or glow plugs,. till oil is at the top end and soaking stuff,.and i,ve good pressure on the guage,.
If the motor has had something fail and it,s torn down for cleaning and shrapnel removal, i pull the plungers on the lifters and clean everything in clean varsol and reassamble.
Nick

[john8662]

Never gave it a thought that anyone with any experience would do it otherwise.

ouch, that's a s h i t t y comment.

You can't prime them by hand. You can only soak them where the rollers have oil, you don't get much air out by hand by pumping the plungers.

I always prime the oil system prior to starting, but the lifters won't be fully bled.

[sctrailrider]

I did put them in a clean bucket, just didn't label as to what hole they came out of, They are so new I think I will reuse them, and I do always prime the motor and spend some time hand turning it over so maybe everything will be fine.

[DmaxMaverick]

ouch, that's a s h i t t y comment.

You can't prime them by hand. You can only soak them where the rollers have oil, you don't get much air out by hand by pumping the plungers.

I always prime the oil system prior to starting, but the lifters won't be fully bled.

The post wasn't directed at you specifically, John. You said you install only pre-primed lifters.

[More Power]

Actually, the GM manuals indicate that you can hand-prime the lifters. Simply immerse a lifter in a container filled with enough light weight oil (like 10 or 20W) to completely cover the lifter, then use a pushrod to push against the cup some number of times till all air has been purged. I've done it....

Jim

[Robyn]

I always prime the lifters in the engine with an old vacuum pump thats had the gear teeth cut back.

Run the pump with an electric drill until all the rockers are seeing oil coming out and down over them.

Rotate the crank every so often to reposition the cam.

Using those lifters is a NON issue, just as long as they are clean and there are no WEIRD WEAR patterns showing.

The big issue with lifters is the standard NON roller lifters, either hydraulic or mechanical.
These wear to the particular lobe and must remain there.

The rollers are pretty forgiving.
PLUS the valve spring pressures are very low in these engines and so the pressure on the roller and cam lobe is low too.

Wipe them up well, grease them with lubriplate 105 or suitable white assembly grease and stuff them in.

******** CAUTION********
Be sure that the PUSH RODS are installed with the copper colored ball to the rockers.
Getting this mixed up will result in fast wear on the rockers and push rods and ultimate failure of both.

One end of the push rod will have a copper colored ball TO THE TOP

Pre priming the engine is always a good idea.

You can't do it without a modified vacuum pump or oil pump drive.

An old 6.2 vacuum pump works really well.

Just grind the teeth off the gear (flush with the tooth root)

Remove the top of the pump and cut back to expose the shaft.

Tack weld on a nut to drive it with.

Down in the anulus groove just above the gear (in the aluminum housing) there is a tiny hole that feeds oil into the pump drive.

Clean this well and peen it shut.
Not doing this will allow oil to squirt out the top when you crank the pump :eek: and its messy.

I like to get the thing primed (be sure to connect the cooler lines together then prime. Once the oil lines are all connected to the cooler, prime once more prior to firing.

The engine will be just like you had shut it off a day or so before and the entire system will be full of oil.

No clanky lifters and other such issues.

Missy

[sctrailrider]

Thanks for the info, I am going to use them, the motor doesn't look broke in yet, so I think things will be fine.