What's inside a hydraulic lifter

[@sidecarbod1441]

My mate an I are working on a 944 with a noisy top end, your vid was very useful!

[@84reliantk]

Very cool! Interesting to see inside and see how it actually works!

[@FilterYT]

This was a fantastic explanation, thanks for taking the time.

[@nicke2307]

Very nice video!

[@nicke2307]

I had rebuilt a GM quad 4 engine on my mom's old 94 Buick skylark and it also used these

[@manuelmoody1981]

How can I truely tell if my lifters are good or not? I've read on the majority of the web that its if they are rock solid. 7/8 of mine are. Also, I've removed all of the oil out of the main cavity with a syringe. How do I get the oil out of the piston? Finally, would you recommend a dip in carb cleaner? Thanks!!!

[@ShakaLakaMTB]

Hey Van! Very good and informative video! I hear a ticking sound on my GT4 engine when it sits for a long time when it is cold. When engine is at operating temp, the ticking stops. So I assume it could be the oil sipping out of the lifter when sitting for a long time. The ticking sound is from the tiny piston tapping at the bottom of the bore you think, when lifter has no or little oil in it?

[@vsvenson]

When the lifter doesn't have oil pressure, the little piston gets compressed back into the lifter quickly, and that might be the ticking sound, or, when the cam lobe moves away from the lifter, the lifter might snap back and hit the camshaft. I'm not sure which part makes the noise, but it's probably one of those two. :)

[@ShakaLakaMTB]

Van Svenson thanks! Here is what my cold engine sounds like when I am not using the car for a long time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYuYdZh4d6eDmpI

[@ShakaLakaMTB]

Van Svenson now when it is at operating temperature, it sounds like that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYLGZ6dnj96ehKs

[@chrissalter989]

So could tapping also be a sign of low oil pressure?

[@vsvenson]

Low oil pressure could absolutely that could be a cause for lifter tapping. If oil pressure is good, then it's likely a lifter check-valve held open with debris.

[@chrissalter989]

Van Svenson Im getting symptoms that i can only describe a like having the handbrake half on, you can feel the engine wanting to go but somethings holding it back, ive put some liqui moly lifter treatment in it today just until i get chance to strip the head, lets see how it goes haha

[@ferrari250lm]

@@chrissalter989 What kind of car? Did you get it figured out?

[@seahorse5677]

Holy fingernails. WTF bro are you a vampire?

[@jarrettlonchar3662]

Nice, I've always wondered what went on inside a hydraulic lifter! Do you know what the advantages of hydraulic vs solid are? I always assumed it had something to do with damping of sorts, but I really have no clue...haha

[@vsvenson]

If a lifter is too close to a valve stem, it will hold the valve open a little bit, and the cylinder won't build full compression. If the lifter is too far away from the valve stem, you won't get full lift from the valve (and the valve train parts will "clatter" as they bang into each other). So, the little hydraulic piston is made to move to the point to "take up the gap" so the valve fully closes and opens with the movement of the lifter. Solid lifters are usually used in very high-RPM race engines where speed of the valve train movement and repeated impacts can cause a hydraulic lifter to lose some pressure and not be able to open the valve all the way. A solid lifter need some sort of physical shim or adjustment bolt to get the adjustment just right - which is labor intensive (and can change over time as parts wear and/or stretch). So hydraulic lifters are usually used in "normal" applications.

[@jarrettlonchar3662]

Gotcha. So it's sort of an adaptive system...As the engine builds oil pressure, the lifter finds that sweet spot and is then kept there with oil pressure? Cool! That would explain the constant clearance adjustments you have to do on motorcycles I'm guessing.

[@vsvenson]

***** Yes, you've got it exactly!

[@nicke2307]

What van said... the job of hydraulic lifters in a nutshell is to fill any slop or gaps in the valve train that develop due to wear so you do not need to do constant valve adjustments and you always have a smoother, quieter running valve train

[@COMB0RICO]

Thanks from Texas. May Jesus Christ bless you.

[@TranceFur]

It’s amazing that they can sell these things for only $10 each. I used to think they seemed overpriced, until I saw how work

[@normiejeanciriaco-jh1nb]

How to find serial number on hydraulic lifter

[@Verschlimmbesserung]

This lifter design is shared between Audi, Porsche and VW.

[@simonshapiro]

and saab, and volvo

[@realitycheque6529]

Great video. Another reason to change oil and filter regularly. All these little passages block up with bad oil.

[@thebatprince2398]

Why?

[@corvettekro818]

Good informative video...!

[@richardacol4777]

thats why oil changing is very important...to prevent sludge clogging! very helpful video...tnx n Godbless!

[@gregorywilliams427]

Fantastic video and illustration - Thank you !

[@Rennpanzer]

What I wonder is why the lifters for the 8V cars seem to cost TEN times as much as the ones for the 944S/S2 & 968. Anybody know?

[@vsvenson]

Supply and demand? I don't really know.

[@Rennpanzer]

@@vsvenson Probably. I spoke with one of the Lindsey Brothers who told me INA aftermarket ones went out of production after people complained about them and that the factory is probably the only $ource now after having to re-tool for another, limited, production run. In the meantime, I've gotten my problem one to quiet down with a 0W-20 & Marvel Mystery Oil treatment. Will switch to 10W-50 from the factory and hopefully make it through my smog check - of course it acts up with little time left to tear things apart before registration renewal, lol. Thanks for writing back, fingers crossed, knocking on wood . . . BTW, any idea why the idle would creep up on hot days?

[@BlackpoochRacing]

Hi Van...do you know how to get the lifter apart without damaging them for cleaning? I would like to clean a set I have that are a little noisy.

[@vsvenson]

No, unfortunately, I do not know a non-destructive way to take them apart.

[@josepeixoto3715]

@@vsvenson back to the future--- don't know about those,i see 4 steak marks, but others, you wack them **HARD** (don't get hurt) on a wood board; keep them in order,mark them, to return them to their bores (not because of the bore,BUT because of the wear pattern of the cam (THIS IS VERY IMP!!).

[@MrStroller4u]

Finally a good explanation