C3 Tech/Performance V8 Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Basic Tech and Maintenance for the C3 Corvette
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

noisy lifter.... damage???

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 25, 2007 | 11:05 PM
  #1  
shmoky's Avatar
shmoky
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,187
Likes: 7
From: Chetwynd B.C.
Default noisy lifter.... damage???

I have a fairly noisy lifter. How much damage can I do to the motor if I continue to drive the car for awhile before I get around to fixing it? I need to go on a 400 mi. round trip and would like to take the Vette.

shmoky
Reply
Old Jul 25, 2007 | 11:16 PM
  #2  
Crab's Avatar
Crab
Burning Brakes
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 829
Likes: 2
From: Scottdale Pa
Default

I had what I thought was just a noisey lifter, turned out to be a bad cam lobe.
Reply
Old Jul 25, 2007 | 11:35 PM
  #3  
...Roger...'s Avatar
...Roger...
Race Director
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Default

Originally Posted by shmoky
I have a fairly noisy lifter. How much damage can I do to the motor if I continue to drive the car for awhile before I get around to fixing it? I need to go on a 400 mi. round trip and would like to take the Vette.

shmoky
Wow thats a loaded question!!! Do you feel lucky,well do you?
I wouldnt chance it.
Reply
Old Jul 25, 2007 | 11:43 PM
  #4  
Artsvette73's Avatar
Artsvette73
Drifting
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
Default

Too risky.
Reply
Old Jul 25, 2007 | 11:49 PM
  #5  
45ACP's Avatar
45ACP
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,341
Likes: 6
Default

Originally Posted by shmoky
How much damage can I do to the motor if I continue to drive the car for awhile before I get around to fixing it?
Enough to make you cry like a little girl + have people on this site expressing sincere and profound sympathy for you when you post about the carnage here.

Don't drive it another foot. Don't run it except maybe for a few moments to assist with the diagnosis of the problem.

Not joking here, not even a little!
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2007 | 11:17 AM
  #6  
1980 blue L48's Avatar
1980 blue L48
Racer
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 264
Likes: 1
From: west central INDIANA
Default

I just found a flat cam, that started as a niosy lifter. Find out which side, then remove that valve cover. You should be able to see a rocker that is not moving like the others. I ran mine for only 30 seconds.
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2007 | 11:47 AM
  #7  
Lon Wayne's Avatar
Lon Wayne
Drifting
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 2
From: Circleville Ohio
Default Vader vette

Take off the valve covers, cover everthing close ,start the engine if one lifter does not move you have a wiped lobe in which case put the covers back on and go for your ride. if its not the cam stay home .My 77 needed one(A cam) and I did not know it and still raced it at Mid Ohio Race track. I swapped it out later and it ran alot smoother (duh)
New lifters, old push rods new cam 4or so nights 4or so cases of beer done.
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2007 | 09:22 PM
  #8  
blue70ray's Avatar
blue70ray
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Collingswood NJ
Default

I wouldn't chance it. On my 78, I just had to replace the cam, lifters, timing chain and timing gear. It wasn't the lifter at all.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Jul 26, 2007 | 09:57 PM
  #9  
Brooklinite's Avatar
Brooklinite
Burning Brakes
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 23
From: Kawartha Lakes and PEC, Ontario
Default

So...what does a noisy lifter sound like?
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2007 | 10:13 PM
  #10  
Avette4me's Avatar
Avette4me
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,575
Likes: 1
From: Tuttle OK
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Default

Originally Posted by Brooklinite
So...what does a noisy lifter sound like?

clack, clack, clack ... and so on
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To noisy lifter.... damage???





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:29 PM.

story-0
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-2
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE