M62: Solid Lifter Conversion. What material for pins?

[Mykk]

Question: What material should I use to make "Solid Lifter" pins/dowels to replace the hydraulic lifter in the M62 lifter housing? I was thinking of using O1 Drill Rod (8mm diameter? I haven't measure lifter housings yet). Unless you suggest a better material to use that I can still cut and grind to size.




The Long Story: A few years ago I picked up a set of solid conversion lifters, I thought they were for the M60 heads but turned out to be the smaller lifter diameter for the M62 heads. Really they are VW INA take-out lifter housings with made pins. Now I am putting together an M62B44 with M60 timing components to replace my original M60B44 build.




I spent an entire day grinding pins and got only the Bank 2 intake sides to .003"-.004" cold lash with the cam sitting in the journals without cam caps. Once I installed the cam caps my hours and hours worth of grinding, installing, measuring, removing, grinding, repeat took the .003-.004" lash all the way up to .012"-.014". So what's the big deal, .012"-.014" are acceptable valve lash specs.... while hot. Aluminum heads will expand a presumed .008"-.012" while hot, thus the tight cold lash as to not keep the valves off the seats in very cold conditions but also allow for the expansion.

I learned my lesson, grind the pins and measure lash with the cam caps in place.

I can't find the seller of the pins anymore so I'm just going to start over and make my own for all 32 lifters.

[Mykk]

Measured the OD of the pins today, 11mm. Ordered a 36" stick of Oil Hardened Tool Steel O-1 Drill Rod and I'll give it a shot.