Just curious if anyone can tell me how do tell the difference between solid and hydraulic lifters.

I am changing the lifters out in my car and the previous owner said they were Rhodes lifters. I bought new crane hydraulic lifters and the lifter is really easy to compress by hand. The lifter that are in the car (supposed to be Rhodes) I can only compress by tightening down the rocker arm and pushing down on the rocker. They will compress like that but it is really hard.

Nate

I'm pretty sure that you can't compress solid lifters at all. So they must both be hydraulic.

If it compresses at all its hydrallic

cool, thanks, just wanted to confirm before I destroy my cam.

nate

Once the lifters are used they "pump up" meaning they fill up with oil to take up the slack in the valve train. When they are new in the box there is only a weak spring holding up the piston so it is very easy to push down. What you are describing is totally normal.