I recently installed new rocker arms and been getting a ticking so I pulled the cover and used the oil pump priming tool and found no oil was coming from #3 cylinder. I figured no problem as I was not turning the engine while using the priming tool. I then started the engine and kept an eye on #3. Oil started coming from the intake but not the exhaust. I just pulled the rocker and push rod, no blockage in either the rocker or the pushrod. Reinstalled being sure it’s seated in the lifter. Applied preload and restarted the engine, still no oil after letting it run for a few minutes.

With that said, all signs are pointing to a bad lifter, correct? I checked the passenger side and all have oil there. Anything else I can do to remedy or do I just need to replace the cam and lifters?

 

Just to clarify, you had no ticking, and then you changed the rocker arms and now you have ticking? If so I would double and triple check your valve lash first.
If it’s been a while since you replaced the rocker arms and you now have ticking, with no oiling through the pushrod, I would think you have a clogged lifter.
I personally would check the “no oiling” condition with the motor hot and at 1500 or so rpm. Sometimes at idle with cold oil, it’s not easy to get oil all the way to the top.
has the motor had frequent oil changes? Is there sludge under the valve covers? These would make a clogged lifter more likely.

You can use new lifters on old cam, so a cam replacement is not 100% required. Although not a bad idea if you’re looking for power.
if you want to gamble, they do make engine solvents, marvel mystery, snake oil products that supposedly can clear a clogged lifter. I personally have never used any “fix-it-in-a-bottle” products before so I can’t speak to how successful they’d be.

 

About 6 months or so ago I replaced the valve stem seals. After that I noticed a ticking and attributed it to not having the lash and preload set properly. I figured that when I installed new rockers that I would go ahead and diagnose and resolve the ticking issue. I pulled the valve cover, got a stethoscope and began poking around. Found the ticking coming from that cylinder and rockers. I then started up the engine with the valve covers off and watched as oil started to flow through each of the rocker arms and that one is the only one that does not have oil flowing out of it. I have not yet let it warm up and run it at 1500 RPM and observe but I certainly will do that.

As for oil changes, It has new oil in it now and was last changed probably 1,500 miles ago. I just swapped it a week ago after replacing a few other parts including a new oil pump. No sludge or anything like that under the valve covers.

 

Why the new Oil pump?
Why the new lifters?
Does the nut on #3 exhaust look lower than the others?

Take some white nail polish and put a dab on the pushrods for #3 and #1 and run it...Do the rods spin? and at similar rates?
If the #3 exhaust is not spinning, loosen the nut while running until it just taps a little, did the rod start spinning and oil flow?

It could be you have the lash too tight on #3, or a clogged or collapsed lifter, or cam issue....If it's spinning your cam is likely OK...If not after loosening it a little you'll have to did deeper.

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Klturi,

The lifters are fed oil thru galleries from the rear of the block, then to the front. Having said that, not likely an oil blockage in the gallery because the issue is # 3 cyl.
( I take it #1 cyl is getting oil pressure)

Other possibilities of a "click" is a broken valve spring.

Odd that this all started after a new rocker arm install. I believe the dry pushrod was happening all along and just now witnessed.

Very good chance you have a "pinhole" in the bottom of that lifter. It will bleed-off and never pump-up. I have witnessed just one lifter wear a hole all the way thru, while the other 15 are getting close to it. Why just one? IDK Maybe lack of oil.
If that is the case, pulling the Intake and installing new lifters is one route to go.

If you go that route, Comp Cams has a new lifter with a diamond-like coating. The base of the lifter is black, and they claim tough as nails (diamonds)
They are a little more money, and the part number contains ^D.L.C.^ in the inscription.

 

I would be tempted to spend a few bucks on Marvel Mystery Oil and give it a try before spending many more bucks. Ive never used it ti free a lifter but I have squirted it into cylinders on engines that haven't been started for a few years.

 

If the issue has been going on for more than a couple hundred miles then you likely have damaged/destroyed the rocker arm by keeping the oil from getting to it and lubricating the parts.

Many years ago we rebuilt my 427 and everything was checked and double checked before buttoning it up. About 150 miles after startup I noticed a ticking on the #6 cylinder and the rocker was getting noisy. These are the double roller rockers that need lubrication or they will fail. After pulling the rocker arm we noticed the pushrod had become clogged up and was the cause of the lack of oil to that rocker arm. The rocker and the pushrod were both replaced and have been fine since then. I know we checked the push rods before installing them because we flushed them with brake cleaner before using them and they all blew threw the push rods indicating they were clear.

I am not sure about the Marvel Mystery oil application but I would warm the engine up and drain the oil before going much further. I like magnets attached to the oil filter to try and catch any metal flakes and have a good one that goes around 2/3 of the oil filter and is a total PIA to remove from the filter. Cutting the oil filter and inspecting the pleats of paper is one of the better ways to know if there is loose metal inside your engine. Better safe than sorry!

 

I misspoke, I got new rocker arms, switched out to 1.6 rollers. New oil pump was just out of caution. Figured why not while I was replacing the oil pan, gasket, and rear main seal.

I'll have to test out the nail polish and spinning method to see if it is spinning.

I'll look into those lifters if I end up needing to go that route. As for when this all started, it's entirely possible the issue was occurring before I replaced the stem seals and was just exacerbated by the recent work on it.

I do not believe it to be a broken valve spring as I just replaced valve springs as well with the new rocker arms. Not ruling it out but not leaning towards that way.

As for oil, the cyl #1 is getting oil on both the intake and exhaust rockers. Just the #3 exhaust.

I also pulled the valve cover for the passenger side and found that the intake for #6 is not getting oil as well.

I think I am going to start off by getting some Marvel Mystery Oil or Seafoam and see if I can put some on those lifters and let them soak a bit then also run the cleaner through the whole engine and give it a change after a bit. If that doesn't work then I'll likely dig into the intake to pull those lifters (one at a time of course, don't want to get them mixed up) to clean and inspect and, if necessary, replace.

That's what I'm tempted to do as well.

Luckily since swapping out the rocker arms to rollers I have not yet put any miles on it, just under an hour of idling in the garage off and on while checking everything out. I still have the oil filter from before the work I did so I think I'll cut into that one to see if I can spot any metal flakes. I know for sure the push rods are clear as I've pulled those just last night to inspect.

 

Did you pull the pushrod and make sure it's not plugged ? Same as making sure the hole in the rocker is open ?

 

Read post # 1. Yes he did.

 

Not sure I would want to put "hardcoat'" lifters on my camshaft. The lifters are supposed to be the 'sacrificial' component...NOT the cam.

 

Shouldn't be anything sacrificial in the valvetrain. If the lifters are worn down with a pinhole, 99% chance the cam lobes are toast anyway. Seldom do the lifters wear-out long before the cam lobes do. Usually equal. And I have seen where the lifters were "ok," but the cam was shot.

A hard coating (DLC) on the lifters base sounds like a good step in the right direction. Better than nothing.
Its a fairly new process and may take years to see results.

And for what it's worth, several cam companies did offer and maybe still do, a process called nitrating the lobes for an additional $100 (years ago)
I see no reason why the lifters couldn't receive the same "hard coating" also.
Few people ordered the nitrating option due to extra costs.

Who knows? Maybe the diamond like coating will end wiped lobes & lifters once and for all.

 

I marked the push rod with paint and watched as it spun while the engine was running. I have run Marvel Mystery Oil in it for around 3-4 cycles of 20-30 minutes each and so far no change in sound or oil production. I'm likely going to run it 2-3 more times and then pull the intake and lifters if I don't hear/see an improvement. I am also going to attempt adjusting the preload. I have it currently set to 1/2 turn but will set to 3/4 and see if there is any improvement prior to the next 2/3 runs. I'm also going to mark the remaining pushrods just to verify they're spinning as well.

As for setting the preload, I've seen mixed procedures and would like some clarification (where possible) to make sure that I am setting it correctly. Currently, I am moving the push rod up and down while tightening the nut until there is no movement of the pushrod (zero lash). I'm then turning the ratchet 1/2 turn (preload). I have seen somewhere mentioned that I should be able to spin the pushrod at zero-lash and then I've also seen where it's not supposed to spin, not sure if this maters at all so I haven't been paying that much attention to it.

Any other pointers will be great as I continue on this adventure.

 

I've got some news for you. EVERYTHING in an engine has sacrificial components. The lifters are 'sacrificial' to the camshaft. The lifters are supposed to wear before the camshaft is damaged. THEY are easier and less expensive to change. Do they wear quickly? No. They should last a good long life. But I don't want everlasting lifters and have a worn camshaft. With ANY two metal parts in motion, working against one another, ONE is designed to be the sacrificial element. True with any mechanical device.

 

Klturi,

Yes, the pushrod should spin easily after lash is set. The only time it can not is when the valve is actually opening.

If you have five books on setting valvelash, you will get five different "final" adjustment opinions on torquing the rocker arm nut.
I have even seen two different methods in the same manual.
However, generally, the majority agree that a Half-a-Turn at zero lash places the lifters plunger in the center of its travel.

I hope you know what to look for when you start pulling lifters. Using a good flashlight inspect the cams lobe very carefully.
It should not show any gulling or wear marks beyond normal.

 

If your 82 is bone stock, this may help you out on adjusting the lifters. IMO, a 1/2 turn is not enough for a stock CFI motor. I'm surprised that the knock sensor is not going crazy and pulling timing, or is it? This is a VERY simple way to adjust the valves and with stock heads, you have a 3/8" x 34 nut. Good luck.

Adjusting the Zero-lash setting of the lifter:

1. Using the firing order to set the valves. Put the engine on TDC #1 cylinder, both valves closed.
2. What we want is the Intake and Exhaust to be on the base circle of the camshaft and adjust both Int and Exh.
3. Adjust the rocker until the push rod just starts to get tight while taking the pushrod and rolling it between your thumb and finger. Once you feel drag, this is what we call Zero-lash.
4. You are now ready to tighten down on the adjustment nut using the following method:

• It is important to know the thread pitch, in threads per inch, of the adjuster nut, because one complete turn of the nut will move a distance of one complete thread. Therefore, verify the thread pitch of the adjuster nut, because racing rocker manufactures use different nut sizes and thread pitches.
• If your adjuster nut is 7/16×20 threads per inch, then divide 1 inch by 20 threads per inch. One complete turn down on a 7/16 x 20 adjustment nut will move .050″
• Next, divide .050″ divide by 4 to calculate the distance for a quarter-turn of the adjuster nut (.050″ / 4 = .0125″)
• For a 3/8 x24 adjustment nut, the calculations are: 1″ / 24 TPI = .042″ per full turn and .042″ / 4 = .0105″ per quarter turn.
• Use the chart below to determine how many quarter turns to tighten the adjustment nut after Zero Lash

Cast Iron Block and Cast Iron Head = .020″-.025″
Cast Iron Block and Aluminum Heads = .030″-.035″
Aluminum Block and Aluminum head = .045″-.050″

 

Have you tried squirting PB Blaster or WD40 down the pushrod to try clear up whatever is blocking the oil hole in the lifter ? If the pushrod is turning the lifter is turning in my experience . you may have dislodged something when you were doing all the work earlier . You could always pull the intake and take the lifter apart and clean it out . Just put it back together in the same order . I have done this before a long time ago with a sludgy motor .

 

Since the pushrod spins the cam and lifter surfaces are likely OK. I would not bother running it for another set of 20 minute runs with no oil hitting the rocker. And before I tore into the motor again I'd try some other things. Like rigging something up to blow compressed air back through the oil hole in the top of the lifter, maybe switch the rocker and push rod with #5 and see if the issue moves with them. Looking at your past threads, you have done a bunch of stuff to this L43, not sure why the oil pump was changed or why you decided on the 1:6 rockers in a stock L43, the gain is so small you would never know it. Did you figure out what length push rods you need and change them? Unless you are really unlucky I think something stupid is cause the oiling issue, like a stray piece of RTV going in there and blocked things up...

60

 

Thank you for that guide! I will figure out the TPI but as far as I can tell the engine and heads are bone stock.

I have not tried PB Blaster or WD40 yet. I think at this point though I am going to go ahead and pull the intake and give the lifter a good cleaning.

If I'm not mistaken, the 82 has a L83 and not sure off hand what differences there are between the L43 and L83. As for the gains, sure they will be minimal for now, but with other planned upgrades that are also minimal, I am counting on them to add up in the long run. I do have a feeling that something is stuck in the lifter to which is why I believe I am going to go ahead and work to pull the intake and lifter this weekend.

 

Update:
Took a break from work and was able to pull the intake and pulled the lifter. Doesn’t appear to be any blockages or sludge. Even pulled it apart and it was mostly clean. Plunger and springs return as expected and intended.

Here are a few pics of the lifter and pushrod.