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Dear all. Asking for my 356 SU8 engine series 21.
I am thinking about replacing the hydraulic lifters as a preventive measure. Can anyone recommend replacing the lifters without replacing the tappets? Or is only the pairwise exchange advisable? And what reliable source of supply for the lifters there? It looks like there are a lot of sources for series 22 lifters. I emphasize reliable source, because in recent months have received a lot of bad replicated Packard parts. Many thanks in advance for the answer, many greetings
best regards Josef

Not necessary to replace the tappets unless they have pitting on the camshaft face.

Are your existing lifters making noise? If they are not making noise there is no need for a preventative measure. In my experience they only fail if they force open a stuck valve or if run for long periods with poor and dirty oil.

Here is a video I did on checking lifters that might be helpful:youtu.be/aWYycF-DpAA

Hello Ross, thank you for your reply. I like this video very much. I understand now much better.

Please let me ask you another question. My new fresh valve springs last only less than 100 mls. (photo) some broke. I will now use the old ones. Made by Packard. I guess they are much better quality.

But somthing makes me thinking in another direction too. In the manual i have read about some washers in cup shape ( attachement) used in series 22. They should work better with the springs. The manual propose to modify the series 21 engine with the 22 washers. Could the old washer shape, I am still using, be the reason for the early fail of my today springs?
please let me know what you are thinking about. Thank you very much, best regards Josef

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I think the springs were simply defective. The cup type washers center the springs a little better, but the flat type should not cause a failure.

Why is there - what appears to be - a starred washer on the valve with the broken spring? I don't see this on the other valves.

Good catch JW.

Breaking a spring is not "that" easy. Either over revving or temporary stiction. Opens the question; Masking some other problem?
If issue is confined to one cylinder then something's going on with that one. Usually, bad parts are not confined to one. Broken spring could be analyzed for failure mode. But defer to Ross, etc. Maybe known bad parts abound.
Seems odd to change springs and not other parts? Raises possibility same cylinder involved previous, and the extraneous washer new spring fix.
My guess, not going to get out with just exchanging lifters. Could be underlying lube, wear, etc. issue.
Usually more to these stories, and without a pull apart, can't say from afar.

The seemingly errant washer is the anti-rotation washer mentioned in the service counselor in post 3. You can see it because the spring has broken; normally they are tucked up in a recess at the top of the spring.

yes you can see the washer because the spring is broken. normaly the flat washer is hidden in the cast iron. all 16 springs are new. but some are broken now. because of that not all 8 cylinder are working. we start now disassembling. could anybody recomend a source for hydraulic lifters in good quality? i want to change them preventive.

Josef,
A year or so ago I purchased some lifters from Max Merritt.
They were rather expensive as I recall. Good Luck!
Mark