Homemade PT Lifters

[Garret]

Sooo today I was bored and started looking at a set of stock lifters and figured... why not drill them out to make PT lifters.

So I strapped it in the drill press and took me 4 drill bits to make two of them but so far so good, once I finish all of them I'll let you guys know how it works. I am sure you are all like me and have more than one set of lifters kicking around so if this works it could be an UBER cheap proper height lifter setup. I think I am going to go buy a nice drill bit tommorow to see if they will do better than my cheapo multipack set I was using.

[mpgmike]

My biggest concern would be getting the metal filings on the inside of the lifter, which would make its way into the rest of the engine's oiling system. If you could disassemble the lifter first, drill, then THOROUGHLY CLEAN all the metal pieces out, then reassemble, that would definately be better. Those metal chips can come back and bite you later.

Mike
www.PowreHaus.com

[Frank]

Agreed! So what size drill bit are you using? Also what kind of oil pump are you using?

[Garret]

I believe it's a 3/64th not 100% I got a box of the bits in the Garage if it was a metric measurement I would remember for sure lol. What I have been doing to minimize the amount of shavings is to drill almost all the way through, stop clean off the lifter, then oil up the bit and drill the rest of the way through. I can't disassemble the lifter and hope to put it back together properly so my plan is blast it full of brake clean through the top hole. The oil pump that is in my car now is kind of wonky to begin with and gives me 90 psi of oil pressure about 3k RPM and 35 psi of warm idle pressure so I believe it will be able to cope with the holes well enough

[Frank]

Cool beans, ya that was what I was hinting at to see what you were starting with so we could correlate the results. I imagine that stuff is rough to drill into!!!


Frank

[Garret]

oh yeah it is rough, especially to start with... who would've thought hardened steel would be so tough LOL. The trick to not breaking bits however it to snug the bit up far into the chuck so you just have a little bit of drill bit sticking out so you can really push on it. AND Compress the lifter in a vice first to get all the oil out of it makes it tons easier to drill. I am going to to try and finish the rest up later today

[turbovanman²]

Why don't you find some old PT lifters and just swap the top. I believe that theres a valve/orifice in there so there isn't a constant bleed out of oil.

[Garret]

because if I could find some PT lifters for cheap I would just use them with washers :)
Can anyone with a set of PT lifters verify the orifice? cause I don't know if there is room for anything on the inside of them

[turbovanman²]

because if I could find some PT lifters for cheap I would just use them with washers :)
Can anyone with a set of PT lifters verify the orifice? cause I don't know if there is room for anything on the inside of them

Pickapart baby. Our has 3 DOHC engines that I am going to rob stuff from, :D

[Garret]

Well you go rob me a set of (16) PT style'd lifters and I'll pay you for them :)

None of the pull your own parts yards have anything newer than 98

[Garret]

Okay the bit I am using is a 3/32nd bit and it took me 12 lifters to make 8 good ones doh I broke 4 bits off in the lifters... I didn't bother getting a good bit. I would recommend one of those cobalt ones. I am waiting on a 314 cam to come in and when it does I'll put in the lifters as well and let you guys know how it goes

[mpgmike]

The tip of the PT lifter is shorter than the 2.2 lifter. I took pics and even took a lifter apart and have a pic of an exploded view, but I'm not allowed to post pics. If somebody would like to post the, I'll email them to you.

A #42 drill bit fit best in the hole of the PT lifter, which is about the same as the 3/32" bit. I'm going to try drilling one, but disassembled to see how it works out. I have a 1/16" cobalt bit I'll use. I think the smaller hole should work just fine.

Mike
www.PowreHaus.com

[JDAWG]

what do the lifters feel like? We had a set of 4.0 lifters that were taller but when i push on them they are real springy, not hard to push in like all my used ones

[turbovanman²]

The tip of the PT lifter is shorter than the 2.2 lifter. I took pics and even took a lifter apart and have a pic of an exploded view, but I'm not allowed to post pics. If somebody would like to post the, I'll email them to you.

A #42 drill bit fit best in the hole of the PT lifter, which is about the same as the 3/32" bit. I'm going to try drilling one, but disassembled to see how it works out. I have a 1/16" cobalt bit I'll use. I think the smaller hole should work just fine.

Mike
www.PowreHaus.com

Why can't you show them? did someone from Dodge ask you not too? :lol:


what do the lifters feel like? We had a set of 4.0 lifters that were taller but when i push on them they are real springy, not hard to push in like all my used ones

Mine are rock hard when pumped up, if there empty then they will be spongy.

[BadFastGTC]

You should see how spongy they are when running. Unfreakin' believable... I had a clacking lifter when I put the 2.5 in my Lancer. The same lifters were quiet as could be in the other head. I ran the car a while hoping the noisey dudes would quiet down. Bzzzzt. I ran the car with the valve cover off and used a TBI curtain to watch them. Wow, what a dance these puppies do.

Steve M.





Why can't you show them? did someone from Dodge ask you not too? :lol:



Mine are rock hard when pumped up, if there empty then they will be spongy.

[turbovanman²]

You should see how spongy they are when running. Unfreakin' believable... I had a clacking lifter when I put the 2.5 in my Lancer. The same lifters were quiet as could be in the other head. I ran the car a while hoping the noisey dudes would quiet down. Bzzzzt. I ran the car with the valve cover off and used a TBI curtain to watch them. Wow, what a dance these puppies do.

Steve M.

I had a look once, or should I say tried to but the oil being flung around was enough. Didn't feel like shampooing my engine bay, :lol:

[Garret]

Mike email me the pictures I'll post them badachew at Hotmail.com

[glhs875]

You should see how spongy they are when running. Unfreakin' believable... I had a clacking lifter when I put the 2.5 in my Lancer. The same lifters were quiet as could be in the other head. I ran the car a while hoping the noisey dudes would quiet down. Bzzzzt. I ran the car with the valve cover off and used a TBI curtain to watch them. Wow, what a dance these puppies do.

Steve M.

Yea, I watched a 2.5 on a spin test dyno not HP dyno, run with the valve cover off. Alot of cam lift bleeding off looked like to me!!! That's one reason why I was, maybe still am going to solid lifters.

[Garret]

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h221/Badachew/ptvsstock.jpg
PT vs Stock Lifter

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h221/Badachew/explodedlifter1.jpg
Exploded Stock

Courtesy of Mike

[turbovanman²]

Theres something wrong with the side by side post, the PT lifter should be shorter, it appears taller???????

[Garret]

you need to adjust your eyes ;) it's clearly shorter ;)
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h221/Badachew/ptvsstock-1.jpg

[turbovanman²]

Fine, :o

Now someone should take apart a stocker for comparison.

[Garret]

that is a stocker taken apart... Simon put down the bottle LOL

[GLHNSLHT2]

I wanna see the PT taken apart :)

[Garret]

Hey hi-jack for a second, can you send me those pictures of your swaybar again ;)

[WVRampage]

Theres something wrong with the side by side post, the PT lifter should be shorter, it appears taller???????

The body is talled but over all it is shorter...

[turbovanman²]

that is a stocker taken apart... Simon put down the bottle LOL

I thought the PT was taken apart, grrrrrrrrrrr, :(


The body is talled but over all it is shorter...


Its been awhile since my has been apart, I could have sworn the body was shorter.

[zin]

I'm sorry to have to show my ignorance, but what's the attraction of the PT lifters? Do they just not "pump up" so easy at higher RPM? If so, how does drilling a hole make the stocker work like a PT?

Mike

[Frank]

No, people's infatuation with PT lifters is something of a mystery. Something about them self bleeding easier so they dont clank when you start up. However if they are clanking when you start up, then there is something wrong with the oiling system on the car. If there is alot of froth in the oil system at high rpm and these allow you to bleed that off, then again there is something wrong with the oil system. Oh and you have to buy PT lifters in sets of 16.

Other then that, they can be an ok replacement with the proper shims.


Frank

[turbovanman²]

No, people's infatuation with PT lifters is something of a mystery. Something about them self bleeding easier so they dont clank when you start up. However if they are clanking when you start up, then there is something wrong with the oiling system on the car. If there is alot of froth in the oil system at high rpm and these allow you to bleed that off, then again there is something wrong with the oil system. Oh and you have to buy PT lifters in sets of 16.

Other then that, they can be an ok replacement with the proper shims.


Frank


Theres a few benefits-

1)There supposed to not pump up at higher RPM's
2)They let oil under the rocker arm so less wear at the ball-thats my observation
3)There alot quieter than stock

I am sure theres more but thats a start.

Frank, you can buy them in sets of 4 thu MP aka the Dodge dealer, :nod: Corrected.

[Garret]

No, people's infatuation with PT lifters is something of a mystery. Something about them self bleeding easier so they dont clank when you start up. However if they are clanking when you start up, then there is something wrong with the oiling system on the car. If there is alot of froth in the oil system at high rpm and these allow you to bleed that off, then again there is something wrong with the oil system. Oh and you have to buy PT lifters in sets of 16.

Other then that, they can be an ok replacement with the proper shims.


Frank

I dunno Frank, none of my cars have clanked when started up but every single turbo dodges I have owned from stock log cars to healthy bolts ons and head work have all pumped up the lifters after more than one high RPM blast. One even had a baffled pan and it still did it, if someone would make a post on how to solve the oil frothing issue so as to not require the PT lifters or drilled lifters that would be awesome, but in my practical TD experince (owning over 10 different TDs with different mileage from 60k KM to 200k KM and probably around 15 different motors) All go soggy up top and clack...

As for getting them in sets of 16... I can buy singles:eyebrows:

And drilling them making them like PT lifters... well that's what I'll find out when my cam comes in :D

[t3rse]

mp actually sells them in packages of 4.

[turbovanman²]

mp actually sells them in packages of 4.

Dur, I was thinking of half of 16 when I should have been thinking half of 8, :D
Corrected.

[2.216VTurbo]

No, people's infatuation with PT lifters is something of a mystery. Something about them self bleeding easier so they dont clank when you start up. However if they are clanking when you start up, then there is something wrong with the oiling system on the car. If there is alot of froth in the oil system at high rpm and these allow you to bleed that off, then again there is something wrong with the oil system. Oh and you have to buy PT lifters in sets of 16.

Other then that, they can be an ok replacement with the proper shims.


Frank

A proper DOHC Chrysler motor don't need no stinkin lifters:p :lol: Another reson to love the Masi motors:amen:

[GLHNSLHT2]

Yeah Alan but were' talking SOHC here. Although if they had designed it better we wouldn't use lifters either. Audi doesn't on their old 2.2 5 cylinders :)

[turbovanman²]

A proper DOHC Chrysler motor don't need no stinkin lifters:p :lol: Another reson to love the Masi motors:amen:

Hahahaha, so true. Even the TIII motor uses a lifter of sorts.

I mean, VW 1.7, 1.8L motors used direct acting lifters and gasp, QUAD 4's, :eyebrows: :nod:

[Aries_Turbo]

now I heard that the issue with solid lifters is that it cracks the head.... where does it crack it? is it down low in the lifter bore?

could we possibly weld a sleeve in the lifter bore (weld at the top) or even machine the top of the lifter bore flat so that a solid lifter could ride in a different place spreading the load out differently?

just some thoughts

Brian

[Stinkbox]

um isn't there some sort of relief valve in the pt lifters so it isn't just a drilled hole with oil coming out of it at all times. you would loose oil pressure. they have like a one way valve just to bleed out air and some oil, right?

[GLHNSLHT2]

hehe I was waiting for someone to catch that.

[Speedeuphoria]

now I heard that the issue with solid lifters is that it cracks the head.... where does it crack it? is it down low in the lifter bore?

could we possibly weld a sleeve in the lifter bore (weld at the top) or even machine the top of the lifter bore flat so that a solid lifter could ride in a different place spreading the load out differently?

just some thoughts

Brian


DCR ran solid lifter in there cars but said it would spit out rocker arms(SRT4 motors), so they modified stockers(well PT/Srt stockers)
I know at least 1 person that has solids on there 2.4 w/ no probs so far

[Aries_Turbo]

no im talking the 8v head with solid lash adjusters.... i thought it cracked the head....

Brian