In Lieu Of Lube

Rick, do you pre-oil Mopar hydraulic lifters before installation? I mean, filling the lifter itself with oil? I am sure I read in the M.P. Engine Manual not to do that as it could cause piston damage. What’s the score, E’Berg?


Correct. Do not pre‑oil them (except for obvious wear-surface break‑in lube). If you were to soak them, and the pushrods were typical production length (i.e., maybe 0.100˝ of lifter preload), there’s a good chance that the engine wouldn’t even start (no compression) and a lesser chance of valve‑to‑piston contact.