It makes sense to measure for your required pushrod length using a solid lifter, alot of the instructions I've read do not mention that, but one or two did since you want to check for the max lift travel while checking the geometery as you do not know just how much a hydraulic lifter will collaspe at high rpms...

So with that said....where can you buy just 1 solid roller lifter?? All I can find are entire sets and I sure don't need to buy a whole set of 16.

 

Get a hydro lifter, take it apart and shim it up so it wont collapse. You can easily do this with one of your good 16. I have even used a very light spring from the hardware store if the lifter is holding oil while turning the oil pump with a drill.

 

Yeah, do like WRD1972 says. You need to use the same kind of lifter that you're going to run in the engine to make sure the pushrod cup depth and all the other dimensions are the same.

 

Yes, I just use the checking spring that came with the degree wheel kit

 

Local machine shop should have plenty of junk lifters to play with.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll try the shimming idea with the old lifters that came out of it originally.

 

Just be sure that the old ones are the same as whatever new ones you are going to use. When I replaced the stock GM lifters with CC 850-16's, I found that there was quite a difference in the depth of the pushrod cups between the two.