i simmered my lifters...

[michael_cini]

last night.

my machinist suggested i take my new lifters and simmer them on the stove in motor oil for 20 minutes to help break 'em in. he said they will expand a bit and not be so noisy on break in.

anyone else do this?

 

[Bort62]

Never heard of it...

 

[addo]

There is some theory in this. Basically, it is about driving oil into (and air out of) tiny porosities in the casting. I remember stories of people doing it with STP and moly-based additives. Either here or on AussieFrogs (got CRS this morning) there was discussion of it about two months back.

Regards, Adam.

 

[mjpchief]

I fried a clutch once!!

 

[ludwig]

I grilled a suspect one time.

 

[cobraguy]

I roast tires whenever possible but thats just me. Seroiusly never heard of this but I have heard of milking or pumping up lifters before installing them.

 

[addo]

OK, I went back and looked - it was on the other forum I haunt: http://www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51534 - look at posts 23 & 24.

The idea was to get a molybdenum disulfide based lube into the casting voids, as I had recalled.

 

[jahearne]

I heard of soaking them overnight in oil and seen a couple of people do that, but Mike's camshaft install tech sheet says not to. I always prime my engines like Mike suggests.

http://www.classicinlines.com/caminstall.asp

 

[wsa111]

not be so noisy on break in.

If you prime the engine before starting they will be pumped up & not noisy.
However cast iron is pourus & oil will be absorbed by the lifter. So maybe from a breakin lubrication deal this might help.
Can't hurt to simmer them, wonder what EMIRIL says???

 

[woodbutcher]

Emeril says:OLIVE OIL.
Leo

 

[pedal2themetal45]

I heard of soaking them overnight in oil and seen a couple of people do that, but Mike's camshaft install tech sheet says not to. I always prime my engines like Mike suggests.

http://www.classicinlines.com/caminstall.asp

Well it does say Don't soak lifters... but I couldn't see where of if it said Why??

 

[MustangSix]

If you pump the lifters full of oil or soak them to fill them up, they may not collapse to their preload height when installed. That will hold the valves off the seat and the engine will not start. If the engine does start, there is a risk of burnt valves because they are not seating. Valves are cooled thru contact with the seat.

Best procedure is to liberally use a good assembly lube, add some of the GM breakin additive to your oil, and prelube the system by cranking the pump before you start the engine.

 

[66 Fastback]

I have heard of doing that with old motorcycle chains to help get grease into the links of the chain.
Doug

 

[addo]

My grandfather used to do that. Didn't make him popular in the kitchen.

 

[simon]

nothing automotive will add to one's popularity with she who must be obeyed, when it's performed in her territory... :roll:

 

[michael_cini]

to keep the wife happy i did it on the camping stove in the back yard! hey, come to think of it, i had better put that stove away. it's been 2 days!

My grandfather used to do that. Didn't make him popular in the kitchen.

 

[Anonymous]

I haven't heard of simmering them, but soaking for sure. I was told years ago (like 30 years ago) to put them in a coffee can with oil to cover the lifters, then take a pushrod and pump each one a time or two to get oil into them.

Worked great then, maybe the current thinking is different. MustandSix sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

 

[addo]

The soaking vs heating approaches are achieving different things.

Soaking is primarily to fill the lifter's internal working spaces with oil, which many of us feel is a step backwards.

Heating in or with an oil additive is to fill the intrinsic "pores" of the lifter material with a compound that has high lubricity, and will aid initial breakin of the cam. A bit like the way waxing actually fills microscopic defects in your paintwork...

I just had an ex-race geezer aged 82 (still 100% on the ball) tell me that they used to run light springs for the first 2500 miles on a street motor, and avoid RPM that would induce valve bounce. The reason was, that it allowed more even mating of the cam lobes to the lifters.