Lifters not pumping up 4.6 - Cars & Trucks

Seems either your oil pump is bad/broken or the oil channels carrying oil to the lifters are blocked. Check the oil pump and you will probably have to remove some lifters to inspect them for varnish. If there is heavy varnish on the lifter, there is probably lots of varnish in the oil channels and they will need to be cleaned out.

Before starting first put engine on #1 TDC compression stroke. Adjust #1 rockers such that you have zero lift (push rod will spin by hand but just barely), then tighten additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn in 1/4 turn increments with time for lifter to pump down between turns. A shop manual will tell you which others you can set at this same time (I forget). Then rotate engine one full turn and set the rest. I like to then run engine until warm and while at idle and using clips that cover the hole in each rocker arm where oil squirts out, I loosen each rocker one at a time (engine running) until rocker starts to click, then in 1/4 turn increments I tighten them for final preload depending on what lifters I am using--some need 3/4 turns to center lifter, some need total 1 turn. All this will be found in any cheap shop manual.

That is a ridiculously high price to replace lifters on a 4 or 6 cylinder engine. On the Mitsubishi 4 cylinder motor, the only thing that is needed to do is remove the valve cover and remove the rocker rod. (2 rods which hold the rocker assembly.) Next is remove the lifters from the bottoms of the rockers and pop in the new ones. Be sure to soak the new lifters in oil for 24-48hrs prior to install so they are pre-filled before install. Replace the rocker assembly and torque down to specs. replace valve cover and then start the vehicle. Check that there is no loud tapping noise and do not race the engine until the lifters have pumped up with engine oil. You should replace oil and filter for this engine work as well.

It technically does not matter because even though there is an oil hole to one side of the lifter, the oil gallery in the lifter valley pumps oil around the ridge in the lifter. Standard hydraulic lifters can spin anyways.

Roller lifters should be installed same lobe and roller direction. If not sure install with oil hole facing rear. (oil pressure from this direction)

Technically if reused, all lifters should be installed back on the same lobe...if possible. You'd probably be ok with couple unknowns if engine in overall good condition. It's just with a very worn engine and valve train combined with very low oil pressure, switching lifters around could create a condition that could "wipe" a lobe on the cam and a valve could cease to lift.

It's also a good idea to soak clean lifters briefly in oil (until air bubbles gone) to assist in initial valve train pump up.

Hope this helps.

check that you are putting the filter in the right way as you may be blocking the flow instead of filtering the flow.

look at ur old lifters u may have a flat,burnt or bad spot on cam also check valves may be carboned, burnt or even slight bend and push rods same can be clogged ,bent etc,it does take a few to prime lifters- usually u can prime them before install with an oil can

Hello, If this is a push rod engine I had an identical problem with an engine in my 1988-1989 Jeep Wagoneer. It was a Buick V-8 and behaved exactly like your Ford engine.

On my engine it was weak valve springs. You could take your thumb and push on the valve spring while the engine idled and the engine would miss out. Turn it off and start it up and it would idle smoothly, rev it up and let off the gas and it would miss out and shake. You could also have hydraulic lifters (check your model) and they could behave like this. At idle the lifters would pump up, but the lifters may not refill fast enough to work the valves smoothly.

If you have hydraulic lifters they must be centered in their travel to pump correctly. Even if you have solid lifters the valve adjustment can affect engine performance.

Typical lifter,they are worn,Make sure the oil level is correct. If it is and this noise happens its typical for worn lifter to loose the oil and drain out, After it sits for more than 5 hours the lifter get empty and as you start it up the oil pump/crankshaft builds pressure and fills the lifter right up,this allow the lifter to maintain compression. The valve portion of the engine work 2 to 4 times harder and faster than the bottom portion yes you can still drive it all day,but you can expect this to occur everytime it sit for more than 5 hours.

THERE IS NO TORQUE SPEC FOR HYDROLIQUE LIFTERS
YOU ADJUST VALVES PER SPECIFICATION USUALLY
TIGHTEN UNTIL NO FREEPLAY BETWEEN LIFTER AND PUSHROD
THEN 1/2 OR 3/4 TURN MORE SO HYDROLIQUE LIFTER CAN PUMP
OIL UP THE PUSHROD TO LUBRICATE TOP END
LOOK UP SPEC TO BE SHURE OF FINAL TURN

You have hydrolic lifters that pump up with oil pressure. With age, the lifters will leak down when not running and eventually not pump up at all. It is a fairly easy fix and rather than try to figure out which are the culprits, I recommend that you change all. They are not very expensive however there will be probably 4 or 5 hours of labor involved..Good luck! I hope you find this to be very helpful!