412 sifton

[shovpan]

I have a 412 sifton in the motor, unsure if solid or hydraulic. Got her fired up yesterday and have alot of valve train clatter. Questions are how do I determine a solid from hydraulic lifters and what is the proper adjustment after this is found out?

[james]

Some more details please.
What year is the engine?
Push rods, hydralic or solid?

jim

[Hog54]

If its a 50 its solids.

[cdndewey]

I have a 412 sifton in the motor, unsure if solid or hydraulic. Got her fired up yesterday and have alot of valve train clatter. Questions are how do I determine a solid from hydraulic lifters and what is the proper adjustment after this is found out?

You'll have to do a visual inspection. Remove the push rod clip and hold the pushrod tube in the up position with a piece of wire hooked on the bottom or a clothes pin on the pushrod. With the plugs removed turn the engine over until the exposed pushrod goes up all the way (valve open). Look at the top of the cam follower and you will be able to see if there is a hydraulic insert in it. If not, let the pushrod tube down, turn the engine over until the pushrod goes down then look at the top of the pushrod to see if it the same size all the way up. If it is the same (early panheads had the lifter built into the top of the pushrod so there is a noticeable difference) then you have solids, and obviously if you spotted an insert in the bottom you have hydraulics.

[58flh]

ALL good info the men gave you!-----Just incase If you change out the cam (I willtake it off your hands)--you probably will or alrady have been solicited for this item ----RICHIE

[shovpan]

Pulled the front exhaust pushrod out tonite and it's just an aluminum tube with steel balls on each end..solid cam probably? The motor is a 1950 but Lord only knows what's been forced into it. That's why I needed to know how to determine where the hydraulics were...in the pushrod or the lifter itself like a chevy. Assuming it is a solid how do I properly set the lash on it? Timing and point gap are about as close as I can get them. Points are soso but working for the time being.

[cdndewey]

If there's an adjustment on the pushrod itself it's hydraulic, if the adjustment is at the cam follower it's a solid. Can you post a picture and then we can be sure.

Adjustment of solids is by feel. Bring the piston up to TDC and watch the lifter as it goes to it's lowest point. Adjust until you can spin the pushrod slightly with your fingers and lock in place. Check again after locked...cause it's easy to change while locking. The exhaust should be just a little looser than the intake.

[RUBONE]

Your lifter and pushrods are solids. A '50 engine will not support hydraulics in the tappets. The required oil passages did not yet exist! They used hydraulic pushrods, which you do not have in your engine. The arrangement you have is adjusted to zero lash cold. The pushrods should spin with slight drag when adjusted correctly!
Robbie