Coesn't it just saw to submerge them in oil ( clean oil I'd think ! ) and
pump them up and down until they get oil into them ? .
that's what I do.
the really nice thing on a rebuild is brand new lifters.   ( And
,............there is the old thing about never putting new or different
lifters on a cam or more specifically each cam lobe..............so that
might encourage some people to religeously stay with the same lifter on the
same lobe in a used cam ) ..........
but if that doesnt' bother you, new lifers are nice.  I think they're like
25 to 30 bucks each .

What I find is that old ones get sticky.........
I've had it take months of treating the oil, and driving the van to get old
used lifters back to full health so that they never get clicky.
My own 2.1 engine in my 85 Wolfsburg Weekender is like that ......
The lifters getting noisyh  from very short periods of operation where an
issue for months..........and once one or two got noisy, it would take af
few hours of operation for them to quite down again.
now. a year later.............they are never an issue. Must've gotten well
cleaned out finally.

I use, btw........for non-synthetic oil ...........Chevron Delo 15W40 , and
only that oil........plus hydrualic lifter cleaners, when needd, like CD-2 -
is one brand.
scott
turbovvans.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 1:59 PM
Subject: Any advice on bleeding lifters (2.1)

> Bentley offers the usual rain dance for getting oil in the lifters. Mine
> have been sitting for months as I've slooooooowly rebuilt the rest of the
> engine, but the day is coming (hopefully soon) when I will be reinstalling
> them. I seem to remember hearing a simplified method.
> Anyone?
>
> Jim