HLAs

[Mettler]

Yep, these little suckers.

What I want to know is, how long-a service life do these have, and how do I check the condition of each HLA?

When using steep lift cams, the last thing you want is the HLA not pumping up quick enough and being catapulted out of the assembly!! Fatal valvetrain destruction is not desirable.

I don't imagine having a problem, but since I have three engines worth of HLAs I may as well check them all and pick the best of the bunch!

[redtop91]

The general rule for HLAs is that when they get air in them they begin to tick because they are harder to compress and are needing to be bled. So I'd say the ones that are hardest to compress are the sucky ones. At least in the case of SR20DET's. You should give me some of your spares JK. Goin solid lifter.

[defrag010]

A HLA doesn't pump up quickly for anything, the only purpose it has is to take out the valvetrain lash. The check valve keeps the oil in the lifter body, and it uses the pressure of that oil to stay solid and keep the same position.. it doesn't move at all except to slightly take up the lash as the engine gets older and things get worn. Rockers pop off because of valve float and valve bounce.The VH lifter will be able to take as much as anyone can realistically put at it. They only go bad whenever the check valve gets dirt in it and causes the oil to leak. You can soak them in ATF and seafoam to "restore" them.

[SuperHatch]

A HLA doesn't pump up quickly for anything, the only purpose it has is to take out the valvetrain lash. The check valve keeps the oil in the lifter body, and it uses the pressure of that oil to stay solid and keep the same position.. it doesn't move at all except to slightly take up the lash as the engine gets older and things get worn. Rockers pop off because of valve float and valve bounce.The VH lifter will be able to take as much as anyone can realistically put at it. They only go bad whenever the check valve gets dirt in it and causes the oil to leak. You can soak them in ATF and seafoam to "restore" them.

All True!!! Great Info!!

[Mettler]

Yeh my concern was ensuring the check valve inside the HLA is working properly, rather than allowing the thing to compress during operation, which I imagined may be a symptom of an old/overused HLA.

Cheers defrag, sounds like I should have no worries!

[Q45tech]

We never seen problems at even 450,000 miles as long as the oil was changed every 90 days.

BG Quick clean for Engines is designed to clean the oil/lifters- HLA/lower rings of varnish which must be drained 15 miles after it gets hot at idle [under 2000 rpm].

Do an oil + filter change refill with $1 oil + BG cleaner, then idle to 176F then increase rpm to 2,000 for 3-5 minutes, then drain change filter and put in new good oil + filter. This works 90% of time if not repeat the same proceedure immediately.

Oil + filters are cheap compared to the labor of just changing 1 HLA.

The fit is so precise that you often need to strip the head and oven heat and do the work while head is 200F in an oil bath......not pretty.

[SuperHatch]

The fit is so precise that you often need to strip the head and oven heat and do the work while head is 200F in an oil bath......not pretty.

To change a lifter? You're joking, right?

[gs14racer]

they just pop right out in my experience.

[SuperHatch]

they just pop right out in my experience.

That's been my experience too... on every motor I've ever worked on... 3 Evo 4G63's, a number of DSM 4G63s, 2 VH45's... and a few others...

[Q45tech]

The stanard clearance can be as tight as 0.0003", if you are lucky and get some loosey ones....................otherwise.

[blownnissanv8]

"The fit is so precise that you often need to strip the head and oven heat and do the work while head is 200F in an oil bath......not pretty".Sorry but you must be joking right, the lifters just pop straight out. Just use a pair of pliers and a cloth to protect the end of the lifter from damage from the pliers and just pull them out

[defrag010]

You can use compressed air to pop them out also, but be careful because the lifter can shoot up and nail flourescent tube lights and shower you with glass shards and mercury........

with a mic and small dial bore gauge, I tested a lifter that came out of one of my old heads, and it had about .0010 to .0012" clearance depending on where you checked in the lifter hole.

[Mettler]

^ Rofl, I just pictured that happening. Got any other crackup work stories like that?

[gs14racer]

i did that to an SR20 head and it popped me in the face.

[defrag010]

^ Rofl, I just pictured that happening. Got any other crackup work stories like that?

I'm no mechanic, but it was like 3:30 and I was kind of taking it easy for the rest of the day.. and I was out in the install bay playing grab-*** with one of the mechanics who was working on this old nova. He had the valve covers off, and was bumping the motor over with a button to watch the valvetrain. I was leaning over the fender, with my arms crossed in front of me. I thought it would be funny to pull a plug wire off while he wasn't watching, and arc it to the frame so it zapped him. I'm sneaking a wire off, and RIGHT as I get it off and am going to put it on the frame, he bumps the motor over and I get zapped with 65k volts.. I was on the ground, and I couldn't feel my right arm, and of course everyone busted a gut for about 4 minutes. I didn't even notice that he was standing on a plastic milk crate, so I was the only thing grounded and I just happened to be holding the end of a plug wire.. lol

Back when I rebuilt heads, this guy brought in a 420A head.. and it was just your average head that was oil stained on the inside and had kind of a bronze-ish tint all around and on the cam caps and what not. Rebuilt the head, and when he came to pick it up, he INSISTED it wasn't his head!!! After explaining to him that it was the only neon head we had in the shop, the boss asked him why he thought it wasn't his head... he said, "The one I brought in had gold anondized cam caps"... LOL... no joke, either.. the guy seriously said that