Howard’s solid roller lifters-no oil up top

Installed new lifters. Tried priming system manually and getting nothing up top. Not sure that this matters but the link bar is facing toward the center of the motor not the cylinder. I did read some lifters needing the engine to be cranking/running to get oil up top. Might this be my only issue? I have 78 lbs off the port in the back and this motor had no issues getting oil to the top before with a mechanical solid setup. Lifter bore are not bushed.

ifucan wrote:Installed new lifters.  Tried priming system manually and getting nothing up top.  Not sure that this matters but the link bar is facing toward the center of the motor not the cylinder.  I did read some lifters needing the engine to be cranking/running to get oil up top.  Might this be my only issue?  I have 78 lbs off the port in the back and this motor had no issues getting oil to the top before with a mechanical solid setup.  Lifter bore are not bushed.

Edge orifice lifters will pass almost no oil to the top end unless the engine is running.
They rely upon the rapid up & down movement when running.

rmcomprandy wrote:

ifucan wrote:Installed new lifters.  Tried priming system manually and getting nothing up top.  Not sure that this matters but the link bar is facing toward the center of the motor not the cylinder.  I did read some lifters needing the engine to be cranking/running to get oil up top.  Might this be my only issue?  I have 78 lbs off the port in the back and this motor had no issues getting oil to the top before with a mechanical solid setup.  Lifter bore are not bushed.

Edge orifice lifters will pass almost no oil to the top end unless the engine is running.
They rely upon the rapid up & down movement when running.

doesnt sound like a lifter I would like

rmcomprandy wrote:

ifucan wrote:Installed new lifters.  Tried priming system manually and getting nothing up top.  Not sure that this matters but the link bar is facing toward the center of the motor not the cylinder.  I did read some lifters needing the engine to be cranking/running to get oil up top.  Might this be my only issue?  I have 78 lbs off the port in the back and this motor had no issues getting oil to the top before with a mechanical solid setup.  Lifter bore are not bushed.

Edge orifice lifters will pass almost no oil to the top end unless the engine is running.
They rely upon the rapid up & down movement when running.

That's not true of the Crower & Comp lifters that have the orifice on the non thrust sides.

Lem Evans wrote:

rmcomprandy wrote:

ifucan wrote:Installed new lifters.  Tried priming system manually and getting nothing up top.  Not sure that this matters but the link bar is facing toward the center of the motor not the cylinder.  I did read some lifters needing the engine to be cranking/running to get oil up top.  Might this be my only issue?  I have 78 lbs off the port in the back and this motor had no issues getting oil to the top before with a mechanical solid setup.  Lifter bore are not bushed.

Edge orifice lifters will pass almost no oil to the top end unless the engine is running.
They rely upon the rapid up & down movement when running.

That's not true of the Crower & Comp lifters that have the orifice on the non thrust sides.

I was under the impression that Howard's lifters were being questioned ... that has been my experience when someone wanted me to use those lifters in his build.

At any rate.....not all lifters are a pain in the ass to get to oil.

Just to be clear, I am specifically interested in experiences with the Howard’s lifters as this is what I have. Lem, point taken, next year I will step up to a better lifter in hopes of averting these issues. I was apprehensive in firing the motor when I saw a lack of oil up top. Randy when running did the Howard’s oil well or did you need to modify them as some others have done by scribing a line from the orfice down? Just trying to figure out if I should try to start it or tear back into it to remedy. Alternatively on the recommendation of another member I may try cranking the engine while manually priming which may enable me to confirm what you state about it needing to essentially be running to put oil up top without adding any heat in the motor by actually running it.

ifucan wrote:Just to be clear, I am specifically interested in experiences with the Howard’s lifters as this is what I have.  Lem, point taken, next year I will step up to a better lifter in hopes of averting these issues.  I was apprehensive in firing the motor when I saw a lack of oil up top.  Randy when running did the Howard’s oil well or did you need to modify them as some others have done by scribing a line from the orfice down?  Just trying to figure out if I should try to start it or tear back into it to remedy.  Alternatively on the recommendation of another member I may try cranking the engine while manually priming which may enable me to confirm what you state about it needing to essentially be running to put oil up top without adding any heat in the motor by actually running it.

Be sure NOT to restrict the oil to the lifter galleries when using those lifters out of the box.
Those lifters will not reciprocate fast enough for consistent oiling when just cranking.

Using a flat carbide file to file a small flat just a few thousandths depth, (no deeper), between the edge orifice hole and the annulus band will allow full time oiling when priming, if desired.

Thank you for clarifying. One final question, unmodified, do these in your opinion provide enough oiling while the engine is running for a street/strip car. Just trying to evaluate if I should pull the intake to modify as you prescribed or if they will provide sufficient oiling box stock when running. Thanks again

Oh and the car cruises at 2500. Rpm if that matters, loose 5k converter

BOSS 429 wrote:

rmcomprandy wrote:

ifucan wrote:Installed new lifters.  Tried priming system manually and getting nothing up top.  Not sure that this matters but the link bar is facing toward the center of the motor not the cylinder.  I did read some lifters needing the engine to be cranking/running to get oil up top.  Might this be my only issue?  I have 78 lbs off the port in the back and this motor had no issues getting oil to the top before with a mechanical solid setup.  Lifter bore are not bushed.

Edge orifice lifters will pass almost no oil to the top end unless the engine is running.
They rely upon the rapid up & down movement when running.

doesnt sound like a lifter I would like

They can be handy as a drop in to get good oil control in a block where some bozo has honed the lifter bores too big.

Kinda wishing that was my situation

ifucan wrote:Kinda wishing that was my situation

Not a big deal to fix/adjust them but if you don't it can burn up the pushrod balls on a cold start. I have a set in a small Ford road racing engine that I was able to put in the block with no modifications AND run a .075 restrictor to feed the entire valvetrain. It has nice oil control now when before it didn't with a set of Comps in the same bores. Had they not been honed too much the Comp lifters would have been fine with the .125 that was in the engine originally.

ifucan wrote:Thank you for clarifying.  One final question, unmodified, do these in your opinion provide enough oiling while the engine is running for a street/strip car.  Just trying to evaluate if I should pull the intake to modify as you prescribed or if they will provide sufficient oiling box stock when running.  Thanks again

Because those lifters are meant to be run will FULL oil pressure and volume, (unrestricted), in the lifter gallery, most of that oil will go down over the lifter wheel and camshaft.
Not so good for racing but, a really good thing for street running.