Lifter Noise.....Help!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,965
Likes: 2
From: North side of Houston Texas
Lifter Noise.....Help!
Hi everyone. I'm working on my '78 stock L48. The car sat for a year and a half before I bought it. When I brought it home, I drove it about 2 miles from where I picked it up, and although the motor ran bad, no strange noises came from it.
I tune the motor up, put in new plugs, wires, time the car, etc, and it starts making this tapping noise. It's been a little intermitent since then, but has, over time, gotten to where I can't hope it'll go away any more. In other words, overall, it's getting worse.
I have a mechanics stethescope (sp?), and the only place I can hear any tapping is off the center area of the exhaust manifold. I tried adjusting the valves, but it does no good. And the #6 valves make this strange noise when I tighten them down, at least they do until the engine rpm settles back down after tightening. The tapping noise is still there, but sounds different, and it only does this on this one cylinder.
What does a bad lifter even sound like? I've never even heard one. Any suggestions?
Cheers!
W
I tune the motor up, put in new plugs, wires, time the car, etc, and it starts making this tapping noise. It's been a little intermitent since then, but has, over time, gotten to where I can't hope it'll go away any more. In other words, overall, it's getting worse.
I have a mechanics stethescope (sp?), and the only place I can hear any tapping is off the center area of the exhaust manifold. I tried adjusting the valves, but it does no good. And the #6 valves make this strange noise when I tighten them down, at least they do until the engine rpm settles back down after tightening. The tapping noise is still there, but sounds different, and it only does this on this one cylinder.
What does a bad lifter even sound like? I've never even heard one. Any suggestions?
Cheers!
W
Last edited by Wendell Allen; May 25, 2006 at 08:20 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,965
Likes: 2
From: North side of Houston Texas
I didn't check the springs that close, so I'll do so tomorrow. I'm done with it for this evening. As for oil flow, it's as strong as any other small block I've worked on, meaning it would be slinging it all over the place if I didn't have these drilled out valve covers I use for adjusting the valves.
I'm still curious how anyone even knows when a lifters bad. Does it make a different sound? As if it doesn't hold oil and the insides are banging up and down inside the lifter because of it? Or does it even make any noise at all?
I'm still curious how anyone even knows when a lifters bad. Does it make a different sound? As if it doesn't hold oil and the insides are banging up and down inside the lifter because of it? Or does it even make any noise at all?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,545
Likes: 3
From: 406ci SB, AFR 180 Heads - 490 HP @5,600 RPM 529 lb-ft @ 4,100 RPM
Originally Posted by Wendell Allen
I'm still curious how anyone even knows when a lifters bad. Does it make a different sound? As if it doesn't hold oil and the insides are banging up and down inside the lifter because of it? Or does it even make any noise at all?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 764
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From: THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS! NORTHERN ONTARIO
I do nut usally recomend solutions in a can but....GM has a product called EOS (engine oil supliment) give it a try I have had success in older engines that sit for a while...NO other additive....it has to be EOS
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 221
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From: Middletown CT
took apart a 350 yesterday that had a nasty one cylinder tapping that wouldn't adjust out. Wristpin had all kind of slop in it and cracked the piston in two spots. Kinda nice to catch something cracked before it explodes.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
Did you check the rod? On mine the previous owner had replaced one rod but it wasn't the same length.
It could be a collapsed lifter. Use your drilled out covers. Start the engine. Use your hand...see if the tapped wiggles around on the problem one. See if the play is the same on the others.
Off chance you have excessive carbon build up...but not likey.Try decarbonizing the intake with a good cleaner. It will give the valves a good cleaning from below.
Jim
It could be a collapsed lifter. Use your drilled out covers. Start the engine. Use your hand...see if the tapped wiggles around on the problem one. See if the play is the same on the others.
Off chance you have excessive carbon build up...but not likey.Try decarbonizing the intake with a good cleaner. It will give the valves a good cleaning from below.
Jim
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I had what sounded like a lifter noise in my 68. It turned out to be the fuel pump. They can make a tapping noise that sounds just like a bad lifter. Also where your car sat so long a lifter could be sticking. Try some Marvel Mystery Oil for about 500 miles.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 763
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From: Loveland Colo
Had a chronic intermittant lifter tap in my '73 L-48 since the day I bought it, 3+ years ago. It would come and go over a period of minutes, worse when hot, but always present. Engine had 91,000 miles when I brought it home. When I tore it down in April, at 100,000 miles,that cam lobe (#5) was almost round. Several others were in varying states of worn down, but that one was worst. That lifter was so concaved it was almost a tube and half the others were concave and wasted as well. I'm surprised it ran as good as it did! I could have measured the lift at the pushrods to verify, but I knew I was going to tear into it anyway, so I figured as long as it didn't break or sieze, it didn't matter.
Not trying to scare you, just food for thought...
John
Not trying to scare you, just food for thought...
John
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Living in the Hartland
Originally Posted by rcread
It could be a leak at the exhaust manifold, that sounds like a ticking noise. You might check the torque of the exhaust manifold bolts and the nuts at the collector.
Chased a 'lifter tick' for about a month then used a hose as a stethescope to locate the real problem, exh manifold gasket change got rid of my 'lifter tick'.
