I had a shop do an engine swap on my 1999 firebird 3.8l II, it had a lifter that wudnt pump up, so they installed a new set, and its still got noise. Is that normal?

Hydraulic lifters get maximum oil system pressure with in 2 - 3 seconds after start up (primed). With the valve covers off oil should liberally run out of the push rods within 5 seconds after start up. If not, oil pressure is lacking being blocked in the lifter oil galleries or oil pump may be going bad (already bad) or clearances are opening up elsewhere in the motor, worn crank bearing ect. Clogged push rods maybe too or collapsed lifters. Hydraulic lifters are pumped up using the oil pressure from the pump, not enough sounds like.

To pump them up use a squirt oil can and pump it into the hole in the body of the lifter until plunger will not collapse.

Do Hydraulic Lifters Need to be Primed with Oil? Many people mistakenly believe that hydraulic lifters must be soaked in oil overnight and be hand pumped up with a push rod before installing into a new engine, however this is not necessary. In fact, this could cause the lifter to act as a solid and prevent obtaining proper pre-load. What is very necessary is the priming of the entire engine's oil system before starting up a new engine for the first time. This is done by turning the oil pump with a drill motor to force oil throughout the entire engine. Or like said above or stores like Crane Cams offers oil pump primers for some makes and models maybe yours too.

Comp Cams: Says: It is not necessary to "pre-pump" hydraulic lifters with engine oil prior to installation and valve adjustment. It is actually undesirable to do so, as the "pumped up" lifters will cause the valves to open during the adjustment process, rather than positioning the lifter plunger in its operating position as it is supposed to do.

I would be taking the car back to the mechanic who installed the engine. He never should have let it leave the shop.

I dont think the shop replaced the lifters at all- He wants me to drive it so either the lifter pumps up by itself and hes off the hook, or I blow this engine too, and he thinks Ill pay him to put another in. I'm thinking more like see ya in court, and I hope your corporate HQ yanks your franchise ownership.

Just have another shop look it over to see for sure its a lifter, it may be another issue or out of adjustment, bent push rod. rocker, loose ect. If the shop that worked on it will not fix it without charging to due it again like its more paid work for the shop instead of just finishing what they say they already did.

thanks,, EC, im grateful for the response, time, and interest. while youre in the hood, why would the oil press gauge bounce somewhat erratically, mostly but not ALWAYS, on decceleration/at idle? Only since this shop swapped engines. gauge worked fine up unto the demise of the oldmotor. Thank you sir.....

Drop the pan and check to see if your oil pickup is cracked. It sounds like either a broken oil pickup or bad oil sensor/sender. Bad rod bearings will drop oil pressure in spikes lower and lower the worse they get, with the lifter noise its possible that used motor is or will be toast soon. Pull the pan to look for oil pump issues and crank and rod bearing wear/scorching ect. If so rebuild it or the one that came out of it. Compared to most motors these are on the less costly to rebuild, compared to the most chevy v motors, its a basic motor nothing to run thr cost up like turbo ect.