Hey guys I'm about to yank the engine out of my 89 gl. I bought new lifters for it a while ago and I'm gonna put those in while the motor Is out. Am I supposed to soak them in motor oil for a day or so prior to installation? I had to do that with my camaro lifters, I just don't know if these require it also.

I believe it’s a little more involved than just soaking them, you’ll need to bleed the air out of them - basically pump the HLA in a bath of oil (the little hole on the side needs to be covered) to swap the air that’s in there now for oil. They should go solid once they’re full of oil. Then install. 

Cheers 

Bennie

Ok. Any special tool I should use to keep the top side from getting buggered up?

Ok, I misread that. I can squeeze them by hand right now. They're still in the plastic bags they came in. I'll get a small container and get on that.

Thank you for the info.

Prime them but don’t sweat it. If they’re new and the engine is good they should self prime in the engine too. What you want to avoid is seized/failed ones or one so flat the rocker arm falls out when you first start the car. Otherwise bleeding the HLAs is rather benign and unimportant. You can install them without bleeding and they’re fine 99% or the time if they’ve been sitting in oil. Cars that sat for 10 have loud HLAs then pump up and are fine.  When removed from soaking for install air can easily be introduced and no one has had any issues in 40 years. They’re very forgiving.  Besides problematic old engines and HLAs.

Prime them of course but don’t think they’re sensitive like some systems. Like burping an EJ25 or bleeding brakes. This isn’t like that. 

So when you start the car and it still ticks you just rev the pee out of it until that last lifter in the oil trail gets filled. 
 

Don’t panic upon initial start ticking. 
 

Others have traveled your path. 
 

and so be sure to have a good, well sealed oil pump. Best of luck ! 

Edited August 28, 20223 yr by moosens

I have primed some in a bath, others not. No difference - i still needed to drive around the streets quietly (apart from tick, tick, tickety, tick) for about 20 minutes to get to temp, heat soak, and air bleed I suppose. Been nice ever since

I primed mine using a drill press literally as an arbor press. I placed each lifter upright in a can of oil and then pressed into the dimple firmly for 20-30 seconds using a rounded rod chucked in the drill collet. I watched tiny air bubbles being forced out the bleed hole along with some old oil on each stroke. I did this until no more air was coming out. Maybe 5-6 strokes. This is a very slow process but it 100% assures that you have no air in the lifter and even better, you get a bit of a feel for a defect if one lifter bleeds down way too fast compared to others. I did this process on used HLAs that had been sitting for 14 years in the engine. I've not heard a single tick since the day I fired up the engine. I did new oil pump seals and other common lifter anti-tick tips too.

16 hours ago, azdave said:

I primed mine using a drill press literally as an arbor press. I placed each lifter upright in a can of oil and then pressed into the dimple firmly for 20-30 seconds using a rounded rod chucked in the drill collet. I watched tiny air bubbles being forced out the bleed hole along with some old oil on each stroke. I did this until no more air was coming out. Maybe 5-6 strokes. This is a very slow process but it 100% assures that you have no air in the lifter and even better, you get a bit of a feel for a defect if one lifter bleeds down way too fast compared to others. I did this process on used HLAs that had been sitting for 14 years in the engine. I've not heard a single tick since the day I fired up the engine. I did new oil pump seals and other common lifter anti-tick tips too.

What a genius idea that is !! I wonder if an EA81 push rod mounted in the chuck would be a perfect fit on the EA82 HVLA ?

You need to get your post count up Dave with more great tips

That's a great idea. I currently have the motor out and the driver cam tower off for cleaning and new seals. 

This is off topic, but one of my pcv hoses going to the valve covers has a fat crack in it right at the cover. Any ideas on what I should use to replace it? I couldn't find them on rockauto. 

You’ll need an oil resistant hose to replace it with. I’ve got no idea where to get that stuff over your way.

Cheers 

Bennie

oil resistant ...pfft ! Heater hose will do until next time    I now use silicone heater hose, but plain old rubber has done me OK for years. Just realised EA82 HVLA have a knob on top, not a depression, so a push rod won't do as I suggested above