What I do is loosen the pr till I can move it up and down and see it lift off of the lifter. Then I slowly extend the pushrod and keep checking the distance between the pr and lifter. When it starts to get close to no movement or Gap between the pr and lifter I turn 1 flat at a time till there is no slack between them. Sort of like how you set a SBC hydraulic lifter (where at that point you turn down 3/4 turn on the rocker nut and it's set) but in this case on 24 tpi 3 full turns and 2 flats.. = .138". If you're worried that the lifter is not pumping down put a little air in the cylinder and see if it's passing by.. intake would be back through the carb and exhuast well you know.. just try to lock the motor down so you don't spin it over with the shop air... But if you do have air passing by well then it's time for new lifters.

Don't take this the wrong way but are you sure that the lifter isn't already pumped down. Also A collapsed lifter could have a broken spring creating zero resistance to setting the lash properly. I like to visualize contact between the pr and lifter and also like to check plunger travel by just pushing the pr down in the lifter. This way I know it's pumped down..

 

Do you have travel limiters?

 

Good input guys. Thanks.

 

Chart attached for the 24 TPI, 3.5 turns would be close to what you want to set lifters for a Wood cam, 2 turns is going to be shy of OEM .100 setting, is the lifter piston seized in the bore?

 

If I understand your statement correctly, it is severely flawed. The line on the crank shows up in the window EVERY time the #1 piston is at TDC. It could be at the transition from exhaust to intake stroke or compression to power. You have to watch the lifters to make sure they are both fully closed.

 

I'm sure I'm not on the overlap. Anyway, to be real clear, I'm speaking of stock Evo 80" flywheels, which at TDC will have a vertical mark showing through the inspection hole. Aftermarket flywheels may have different markings.

Watching the lifter movement is a great way to tell if the lifter is on the base circle of the cam though.

 

98hotrodfatboy, you got it man. I was able to get back at it last night. Looked real close inside the tappet block at the front exhaust lifter. With the PR shortened an no pressure on the lifter, the piston was not coming up to where it would meet the retaining clip. Just to verify, I adjusted the intake PR and the lifter bled down just fine. I'm pulling all 4 lifters (Mid-USA) and replacing with Johnson. Just don't trust them, even though there's only 4K on them.

Thanks again.

 

glad to here you got it.. Nothing like a hydraulic turned solid... could have created quite the issue if you set a preload and turned it over...