OT..."stuck" lifter ticking...sometimes...?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Okeechobee Florida
OT..."stuck" lifter ticking...sometimes...?
i have an 84 Dodge work truck with a slant six engine with 55,000 miles on it...
the thing runs great but sometimes when i start it, one lifter seems to "stick" and clatter for a mile or so and then stops...
sometimes when it does this on start up i can shut it down and imediatly start it back up and it wont clatter...
im thinking it needs to be "washed out" and i remember some fixes by adding things to the oil temporarily such as...
Marvel Mystery Oil...
auto trany fluid...
Sea Foam...
not to mention a few other products available...
what have you guys used with success that will not damage the engine???
thanx...
the thing runs great but sometimes when i start it, one lifter seems to "stick" and clatter for a mile or so and then stops...
sometimes when it does this on start up i can shut it down and imediatly start it back up and it wont clatter...
im thinking it needs to be "washed out" and i remember some fixes by adding things to the oil temporarily such as...
Marvel Mystery Oil...
auto trany fluid...
Sea Foam...
not to mention a few other products available...
what have you guys used with success that will not damage the engine???
thanx...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
When a lifter does that the seals on the lifter is allowing the oil to drain out of the lifter. The rattling you hear is the lifter slapping until the engine pumps oil into the lifter and the hydraulic action of the lifter works again. There are several products out there that are supposed to help this, but why not replace the lifters? There are cheap and easy to replace and you don't have to worry with them anymore. This is the best fix, unless you just want to get by for awhile.
Bernie
Bernie
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
I have used Marvel Mystery Oil successfully on a Subaru with a similar problem. It seems to work for a few months, then when the lifter starts sticking again I put in another can of Marvel.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 837
Likes: 3
From: Texas
I had exactly the same symptoms on my old pickup....after adding Rizlone I had 2 more noisy starts and that was that.
I've never used it but for a serious engine flush I've heard nothing but good about this stuff.
http://www.auto-rx.com/ Can't get it at the local auto parts though.
I've never used it but for a serious engine flush I've heard nothing but good about this stuff.
http://www.auto-rx.com/ Can't get it at the local auto parts though.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i say use the least corrosive stuff first...and then go to the stronger stuff....like wash it out with a high detergent low weight oil first and then on to the other stuff....
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
BTW, That Slant 6 will probably be still running in the year 3000. We had one in a '60 Plymouth, and aside from the carb linkage falling apart and and throwing the engine into full throttle (that was exciting!) it ran like a champ.
The car sat for a year out in a field, and when a new battery was put in it started right up.
Rick B.
The car sat for a year out in a field, and when a new battery was put in it started right up.
Rick B.
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by Blair Winch Project
I have used Marvel Mystery Oil successfully on a Subaru with a similar problem. It seems to work for a few months, then when the lifter starts sticking again I put in another can of Marvel.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,442
Likes: 2
From: Flanders NJ
Originally Posted by Blair Winch Project
BTW, That Slant 6 will probably be still running in the year 3000.
Rick B.
Rick B.
I know 2 people that have that engine and both have over 250K miles without any major work done on it. Can't beat that. 
