Installing heads

[yeol1]

Solid I think. How exactly do I tell?

 

[paratrooper307]

Solid I think. How exactly do I tell?

Unless someone has been modifying that engine, odds are in favor of them being hydraulic. To tell, pop a lifter out and take a look. A hydraulic lifter will have an adjustable plunger with a snap ring, and holes for oil to enter and exit. A solid lifter by definition, does not have this mechanism.

Solid lifters are typically only used on performance motors where their better valvetrain control at high lift/high rpms outweighs the need to periodically adjust them.

Hydraulic lifters are self adjusting, and set up based on preload. Methods vary, and some disagree on just how much preload, but since they are self-adjusting, there is some wiggle room. The way I was taught is when the valves are bottomed out, tighten the adjusting nut while turning the pushrod until it starts to drag, and then one-half turn after that, then rotate the engine and set the other valves. An alternative method is while the engine is running, and tighten the nut one-half turn after the ticking stops. Typically messier, but it works. Like I said, everyone's got a method.

Solid lifters are set up based on valve lash, which is the amount of clearance between the cam lobe and the valve stem. This is done using a feeler gauge. These have to be adjusted periodically. On what sounds like a relatively stock 350, it's doubtful this is what you have

 

[yeol1]

Yeah the truck is stock except for a mild cam and headers
Thanks for the info ill check one of the lifters out after work

 

[wage92]

Unless someone has been modifying that engine, odds are in favor of them being hydraulic. To tell, pop a lifter out and take a look. A hydraulic lifter will have an adjustable plunger with a snap ring, and holes for oil to enter and exit. A solid lifter by definition, does not have this mechanism.

Solid lifters are typically only used on performance motors where their better valvetrain control at high lift/high rpms outweighs the need to periodically adjust them.

Hydraulic lifters are self adjusting, and set up based on preload. Methods vary, and some disagree on just how much preload, but since they are self-adjusting, there is some wiggle room. The way I was taught is when the valves are bottomed out, tighten the adjusting nut while turning the pushrod until it starts to drag, and then one-half turn after that, then rotate the engine and set the other valves. An alternative method is while the engine is running, and tighten the nut one-half turn after the ticking stops. Typically messier, but it works. Like I said, everyone's got a method.

Solid lifters are set up based on valve lash, which is the amount of clearance between the cam lobe and the valve stem. This is done using a feeler gauge. These have to be adjusted periodically. On what sounds like a relatively stock 350, it's doubtful this is what you have

agreed. i assume they are hydraulic but ya never know

If hydraulic, you turn the crank so the lifted is on the base circle of the cam (the part where its not contacting the lift lobe at all) and you tighten down til there is no play in the pushrod(or you feel it begin to drag if you are turning it), and then tighten another 1/2 a turn. So you are depressing the spring in the lifter so that it has travel in both directions.

An easy way to know you are on the base circle of the cam is, when the intake valve is closing adjust the exhaust and when the exhaust valve is opening exhaust the intake. Its a simple way to know that you are guaranteed to be on the base circle.