In Lieu Of Lube

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.