I am finally putting my heads back together after they sat for almost a year. I wanted to make sure all my lifters were in good condition and the Haynes book says to put a paper clip down the oil hole and it should release the check ball and allow you to move the piston by hand. This is not working for me at all. I put a tiny Allen wrench in, a paper clip, tried a small gauge pick but nothing. Soaked it in acetone over night too, still won't move. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a trick to it? Or are these HLAs stuck and I should just get new ones?

 

Engine?

 

5.4 v8, 2 valve.

 

I'm dumb, I blew it out with compressed air, and then I was able to work the piston by hand. Some pretty nasty carbon goo came out.