solid lifters

ruthless_mx3 · Post by **ruthless_mx3** » January 1st, 2005, 7:41 pm

does anyone make solid lifters for our engines esp. klze

DavidOS · Post by **DavidOS** » January 1st, 2005, 8:06 pm

yes
millenia S in north america, goto a junk yard and rip em out and transplant everything.

i think Gro Harlem had some as well he found at the scrap yard...not sure if hes using them or selling them.

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » January 1st, 2005, 8:38 pm

You can also get new lifters if you ask for the proper make/model of car at the parts store. About $20 a piece new, though. Shimming them properly is up to you.

babyblueMX3 · Post by **babyblueMX3** » January 1st, 2005, 11:10 pm

yeah you can't just put new solid lifters there..You have to find to right shim size for them. I believe Gro was trying to find them last time I heard

bubbaflaat · Post by **bubbaflaat** » January 2nd, 2005, 12:18 am

What do you mean shimming them? I haven't really done anything with my valve train so I really don't know much about how our lifters work. But what do you use to shim them. And besides loosing the tick, is there any performace gains? I spose if you have a lifter that ticks, its prolly not opening the valve all the way so you will prolly get some performance BACK, but will you gain anything?

IanL · Post by **IanL** » January 2nd, 2005, 3:18 am

bubbaflaat wrote:What do you mean shimming them? I haven't really done anything with my valve train so I really don't know much about how our lifters work. But what do you use to shim them. And besides loosing the tick, is there any performace gains? I spose if you have a lifter that ticks, its prolly not opening the valve all the way so you will prolly get some performance BACK, but will you gain anything?

There are, I believe, three kinds of basic valve lifter (leaving aside the exotic stuff like desmodromic):

Hydraulic (like ours) which is self adjusting; mechanically adjustable (screw and locknut); and solid, where the clearance can only be altered by fitting shims. I may be biassed, but I think the latter are great for the dealers, but bad for the owners.

Typically, you measure the clearance, with the crankshaft at the correct position for the valve you are working on, using a feeler guage. You compare the measurement with the value in the manual for that engine, and, if it needs correction, you select the correct size shim (which is fine if you have access to a stock of the sizes, but a pain if you have to buy them). The shim will fit either between the camshaft and the lifter, or the lifter and the valve (depends on the design).

Fitting solid lifters instead of replacing defective hydraulic lifters will not alter performance, apart from Mazda dealers profits

bubbaflaat · Post by **bubbaflaat** » January 2nd, 2005, 3:54 am

Where can you get these shims and how much do they cost? Changing over to the solid lifter design will forever eliminate lifter tick correct? Ahhh just imagine it.... a quiet K-series valve train.... Also, why do the millinia S model engines have solid lifters and we don't?

IanL · Post by **IanL** » January 2nd, 2005, 5:14 am

bubbaflaat wrote:Where can you get these shims and how much do they cost?

I expect they are unique to the engine, so from the Mazda dealer.

Changing over to the solid lifter design will forever eliminate lifter tick correct?

As the valves bed in and the camshafts and lifters wear, the clearances will alter, so there will have to be periodic measurement and re-shimming where required. If this is done sufficiently frequently, there will be no noise.

Also, why do the millinia S model engines have solid lifters and we don't?

I'd guess its due to customer complaints about noisy valve lifters which can't be serviced till they start making a noise. With the manually adjustable (both types), you can periodically adjust to prevent the noise happening.

So you either fix the noise when it happens with hydraulic lifters, or you pay for additional service operations with manual lifters (or do it yourself). There is no such thing as a free lunch

babyblueMX3 · Post by **babyblueMX3** » January 2nd, 2005, 11:23 am

finding the correct size shims must be the hard part

ruthless_mx3 · Post by **ruthless_mx3** » January 2nd, 2005, 12:02 pm

from my understanding, hydraulic lifters have an rpm limit. They become "sloppy" and inconsistant at higher rpms (around 6000-7000 rpm)

does it matter what year millenia S they come out of? and must it be out of the millenia S and not just the regular millenia? cuz the millenia S is a totally different engine.
will these lifters work for all k series engines?

bmwm3guy · Post by **bmwm3guy** » January 2nd, 2005, 12:39 pm

Sam Baker · Post by **Sam Baker** » January 2nd, 2005, 4:22 pm

so if our hyrdolic lifters adjust the valve placements themselves.. why did i spent almost $300 to have my valves adjusted?

do they gradually get out of sync? cuz i noticed a major difference afterwards!

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » January 2nd, 2005, 5:34 pm

Sam Baker wrote:so if our hyrdolic lifters adjust the valve placements themselves.. why did i spent almost $300 to have my valves adjusted? do they gradually get out of sync? cuz i noticed a major difference afterwards!

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamned! You got done up the a--. I'd take that reciept to the dealer and try and get your money back. If not, go see a lawyer.

Sam Baker · Post by **Sam Baker** » January 2nd, 2005, 6:30 pm

are you serious?? cuz right after it was done, i felt a massive gain in power! like it was way more responsive, like it shoulda been.

that $300 included gaskets and stuff, but still you're saying that they dont need to be adjusted after a lotta miles??

IanL · Post by **IanL** » January 2nd, 2005, 6:49 pm

Sam Baker wrote:....but still you're saying that they dont need to be adjusted after a lotta miles??

It's not a matter of "don't need"; it is simply not possible to adjust valves fitted with hydraulic lifters.