toddkageals Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 I have a '96 Outback, 2.5L. I can't find any information in the Haynes or the Factory Manual (I bought a CD copy on ebay...disappointed in it) on the hydraulic valve lifters. I found info on the 2.2 with rocker arms and hydraulic lifters but not the 2.5 type. Basically, I have 3 lifters on which I can press the plunger on the inside of the lifter and oil will squirt out of the hole on the side of the lifter. On the other 5 (only one head is out right now), the plunger is rock solid. I tried submerging the three in oil and pumping the piston to fill them up but it does not change anything. Anybody know anything about this type of lifter? Which ones are bad? Will they work once they are under pressure? Thanks for the help. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 The solid ones are bad. The oil squirts out of the other three because the inlet hole is free of sludge. Try to carefully clean one of the solid lifters inlet. Start with a small diameter needle and work your way up... Soaking in petroleum og gasoline could help loosen things up, but be aware of the fire risk with open tubs of these chemicals. You MUST have a powder-type fire extinguisher nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddkageals Posted July 11, 2004 Author Share Posted July 11, 2004 Actually, that's what I thought. When I saw that five of them were solid, then I thought that the "pumpers" were the ones that were bad. I also read something about not being able to compress the hydraulic lifters on the 2.2L engine more than .5mm or they are bad. Are you SURE about what you said? If so, while experimenting on one of the solid ones, I was able to compress it (very slowly) in a vice which forced some sludge out of the oil hole (car had a crack in the block which created a light tan "GOO" in the oil system....very thick and sticky and the lifters are full of it. When I released it, sprang back and then got solid again (I guess I need to get all of it out and get some cleaner in there). Anyway....are you sure that they should all "pump" like the three that are not solid? It seems like the pumpers would not get compress the valves correctly because they effectively get shorter when the oil is pumped out the side of them. I tried submerging them in oil and pumping them to see if they would get solid they would just suck oil in and out of the hole on the side when I did that (after the air was out of them). Thanks for your help with this, I can't find any information in the manuals about this style of lifter. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 I personally don't recommend using gasoline as a solvent. I would go to the parts store and get some solvent or cleaner, let them soak for a while. Make sure you rinse them very well afterward with clean solvent, then pump them up with fresh oil. If they have o-rings make sure you replace them. If you can dissasemble them do so as you will be able to clean them better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 Installed in the engine, the oil system pressure keeps them from compressing, and allows them to act solid and open the valves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddkageals Posted July 12, 2004 Author Share Posted July 12, 2004 Installed in the engine, the oil system pressure keeps them from compressing, and allows them to act solid and open the valves. Thanks for the help with this. I put them in a vice and pumped all the GOO out of them (it took a LONG time to do all of them). Then I pumped them full of carburetor cleaner and let them set a while. Then I pumped the cleaner out and pumped them full of oil. They seem ready to go now. Thanks again for the help. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Happy re-assembling :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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