Maybe put them in a can of oil?  That's about the only thing I can think of.
Having done complete engine rebuilds, partial rebuilds, installation of new
engines and so forth, I think the whole issue of worrying about bleeding
lifters is overblown.   All these engines have clattered on startup, even if
the lifters were properly bled before installation.  On the new/complete
rebuilt engines the clattering has gone away - in every case - during the 20
minute break-in.  In the case of one partial rebuild, where the lifters were
re-used and not bled before installation, the clatter lasted maybe two or
three days, but went away.

My free advice - maybe worth every penny you paid for it - is to store then
upright, maybe in a can of oil if you want, put them back in the right
place, and don't sweat it.  Unless you get that engine up and running within
4 hours of installing the pushrods and rocker arms I'll bet you *will* have
clatter on startup, and it'll go away after a while.  And, while you have
your engine opened up remember: Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Young                       '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549         '82 Westfalia
---------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jake Beaulieu" <jake_beaulieu@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 3:02 PM
Subject: removing lifters

> 1982 air cooled Westy hydraulic lifters
>
> This weekend I am going to be dropping the engine and transmission out of
my van.  I will be pulling the heads and I have a question about the
lifters.  I assume that once the pushrods and pushrod tubes are removed I
better take out the lifters before they fall out.  The Bentley simply says
not to get them mixed up and to store them vertically.  This sound easy
enough, but I was wondering if anyone can recommend any extra precautions.
I would like to avoid having to go through the rigmarole of bleeding them.