How do i know if used lifters are good without installing them? how do i know which ones on my car are bad?

i have a few extra lifters for my Mercedes with a M104 3.2 that i pulled from the junk yard. according to my mechanic my lifters in the car are still bad. is there any way of knowing which one are good by squeezing them before i install the junk yard ones? my mechanic showed me which ones he thinks are bad on the vehicle.