The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Adjusting Hydraulic Lifters When Replacing The Set??

I am planning on replacing the entire set of hydraulic lifters in my 62 1/2 ton -235 c.i. engine. How do I adjust the lifters to get the engine started? Do I follow the procedures used for solids? If not how tight do I set each lifter to get the engine to start without damaging anything? Is it necessary to preload the lifters? Any suggestions will be appreciated. By the way the engine is a 55-57 truck engine that came with hydraulic lifters called a Blue Flame and is suspose to be adjusted 1 and 1/2 turns past zero clearance.

Edabbs,

We would always fill a coffee can with oil, put the new lifters in and let them sit overnight.

I understood this would fill them and make the rest of the adjustment more pain free.

We could always see little bubbles floating to the surface, so I assume it worked.

Stuart

I'd say to do as atomarc stated to pre-fill the lifters. Use the method for solids, but set them at 0, then re-adjust after warmup. The general concencus is that 1 1/2 turns is too much, usually 1/4-1/2 turn will suffice.
Also, I think you actually have a passenger car engine. The truck block wasn't drilled for hydraulics until '57, and even then they didn't have them until the '60s (though a few pass engines may have slipped out in trucks). The truck engines were refered to as TaskMaster, the Blue Flame was the passenger car designation.

Thanks for the help Guys!