Diagnosing a bad valve lifter

[flyingpenguin]

This could post in the 986, 996, 987 or 997 forum, but as I am rebuilding a '99 Boxster engine, this is where it'll go!

When checking the valve lifters one by one, some "compress" and some don't.

By "compress" I mean that the "nipple" at the bottom of the valvelifter (by my index finger in pic below) is easily compressed.

Question: Is a good (=reusable) valve lifter "compressable"? Or exactly the opposite; the nipple does not go in?

Upfront apologies for the graphic language...

Joost

Edited December 5, 2012 by flyingpenguin

[RFM]

The way you test the lifters is not acceptable, some are already empty and other there is still oil in it, therefore there may be some to be pressed and others not. They must all immersed in an oil bath and be inflated with oil, only after a long time standing in the oil, as they all are vented and thus full of oil, you can start testing.