Hydraulic Lifter Bleeding per Boston Bob Method w/Pics

[vwlover77]

I bled three of my hydraulic lifters yesterday using the Boston Bob method http://www.bostonengine.com/articles/hydraulicll.htm

and took some photos along the way that may be useful. First, here's what you're getting into:
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The lifter after removal from the engine...
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Removing the clip allows the top pushrod socket to rise up....
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I used the hooked end of the clip in the center hole to pull out the pushrod socket...
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Fill the lifter with oil and press down carefully and slowly on the check ball in the center of the plunger with a small diameter punch. This will remove all air from inside the lifter (you'll hear it come out and see bubbles) and the top of the plunger can be pushed down below the hole on the side of the lifter body.
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While holding the plunger down, place a second punch (or something similar) through the hole on the side of the lifter body to prevent the plunger from springing back up. Then remove the first punch. Refill the entire lifter with oil.
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Now put the pushrod socket back into the lifter, pressing it down as far as possible, which should be far enough allow reinstalling the clip. Do that.
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Submerse the lifter in oil and remove the punch, which will allow the plunger to rise up and make contact with the pushrod socket.
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Remove the lifter and try to press down on pushrod socket. If it cannot be pressed down, you have succeeded!

[mycoleptodiscus]

Thanks! I'll be doing this soon on my rebuild. I was just thinking about that article...

[Ryno]

Great write-up Don!....That will be handy when I tackle that pesky lifter of mine.

[steve74baywin]

Yes, thanks for that info..
I have thought of doing that to mine...Most of the time they work fine....
Here is a sequence of events that I have noted and can duplicate if needed...

If I start my vehicle and only let it run for a few minutes one of my lifters don't work for seconds to twenty minutes......Example, I come home and think I have to use it again so I don't pull it around back under it's canopy.
Later I start it up to park it after realizing I don't have to go anywhere else,,,or sometimes I'd move it from the work area to it's canopy...
Next time I start it a lifter is noisy.....Now, if it don't quiet down right away and I get some back firing, sometimes one of the back fires slides one of the sleeves that go where the intake tube meets the air plenum,,,this causes me to stop right away and fix the sleeve.....