How to Get Rid of Varnish in a Hydraulic Lifter

Lifters are designed to run in sync with an engine's camshaft and valves, causing the lifter to open and close the intake and exhaust valves, allowing fuel to enter the combustion chamber and exhaust to exit, all at the proper time. Because they operate using oil pressure, hydraulic lifters differ from solid lifters, which use push rods operating in sync with turning camshaft lobes. Varnish deposits build up on a number of engine components, including carburetors and valve lifters. Varnish is dried-out gasoline; removing it from hydraulic lifters improves engine performance.

Instructions

1

Sort the hydraulic lifters being cleaned. Keep each lifter assembly together. Each lifter body and its related components are matched individually as a set. Mixing them up with the others may cause the lifters to operate improperly. Hydraulic lifters have up to nine different components, all housed in the lifter body.

2

Soak the lifters in carburetor cleaning solvent. Carburetor cleaning solvent comes in a one-gallon metal container and is reusable. One-gallon containers of solvent usually include a parts basket, allowing you to pull the basket out of the solvent without losing the parts. Soak the lifters for at least 20 minutes, longer or overnight if possible.

3

Lift the basket out of the solvent. Remove the lifters and associated parts from the basket and scrub them under running water using a toothbrush. Wipe the lifters off with a dry rag and spray them lightly with a lubricant, such as WD-40.