What direction does the oil hole go on the lifters 3800-2 engine

FIREMNTED

MEMBER
1996 BUICK REGAL
175,600 MILES

I have a lifter tap and I rebuilt the engine about 4000 miles age Does it matter what way the oil hole on the lifters faces? I had the engine apart for 9 months and I forgot what way they were originally! Thanks

Saturday, July 14th, 2012 AT 3:17 AM

5 Replies

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Yes it matters and you should only be able to put them in one way with the hole facing up. It will not only ruen the lifter it will ruen the cam too if it were in upside down. Now if all it good I would get a can of sea foam and put 1/2 a bottle in the engine and see if it quiets the lifters.

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Saturday, July 14th, 2012 AT 3:29 AM

FIREMNTED

MEMBER
81 POSTS

The lifters are Hydraulic rollers! I reused the lifters when I rebuilt the engine and just had problems last saturday so I replaced them Thursday night as I found 5 of them collapsed. I still have a lifter tap so I was just wondering if I could have put the oil hole on the side of the lifters in the wrong direction! Sorry If I wasn't clear!

Thanks

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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 12:31 AM

RACEFAN966

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5,029 POSTS

No if the roller is on the cam side then no there is no wrong way you could have have put them in. I would drop in a 1 2 can of sea foam to see if something plug one.

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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 4:00 PM

FIREMNTED

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81 POSTS

How long do I let it run with the sea foam I let it idle for about 10 min last night and no change! Do you think it could have spun a cam bearing?

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Sunday, July 15th, 2012 AT 5:43 PM

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Cam bearings make a squalling sound not ticking. I would say you may have recieved a bad lifter or have a loose rocker arm. You can leave the seafoam in the engine till you next due oil change.