Lifter Tapping? and how do I quiet it?
Thread Starter
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
Lifter Tapping? and how do I quiet it?
first off this is not my vette...thank god...lol...but my 3.1 V6 sunbird seems to now be doing it....motor has 65,000 on it (or so I think but can't be sure) I bought the motor from a junkyard 1 yr ago and was told it had only 50,000 on it....so who knows....since then I have put 15,000 on it...
With the cold weather I have noticed a tapping noise from the engine and can't determine what it is...lifter, fuel injector or something else....tough to determine....especially since this noise has no effect on performance at all except for maybe a little rougher idle....no biggie though....
any ideas how to attempt to rid the car of it....
so far this weekend my plans are:
1. fuel injector cleaner and clean the throttlebody
2. motor flush the engine
3. oil change with new filter (gonna continue to use Castrol GTX dino oil 5W30)
we'll see what this does....
feel free to give me ideas if I forgot something
thanks
With the cold weather I have noticed a tapping noise from the engine and can't determine what it is...lifter, fuel injector or something else....tough to determine....especially since this noise has no effect on performance at all except for maybe a little rougher idle....no biggie though....
any ideas how to attempt to rid the car of it....
so far this weekend my plans are:
1. fuel injector cleaner and clean the throttlebody
2. motor flush the engine
3. oil change with new filter (gonna continue to use Castrol GTX dino oil 5W30)
we'll see what this does....
feel free to give me ideas if I forgot something
thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
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Re: Lifter Tapping? and how do I quiet it? (XtremeVette)
Usually a weak lifter can be quieted by adding oil/changing oil.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego, Ca
Re: Lifter Tapping? and how do I quiet it? (XtremeVette)
The problem with the 3.1 is the intake manifold gaskets which in GM speak "takes a compression set after numerous heat cycles" causing it to suck a ton of oil into the combustion chamber - which from the factory was usually within 18,000 to 20,000 miles. The gaskets form a hump over the intake or exhaust pushrods (I can't remember which ones) and when you replace the gaskets, you have to remove the applicable rockers. Upon reinstall, the removed rockers are preloaded to 19 ft/lbs. My guess is someone did a reinstall wrong and really cranked down on a rocker or left it too loose. Try to pinpoint it with a stethoscope and then remove the valve cover. Loosen and retorgue the rockers in that area to 19ft/lbs. If that doesn't cure it, it's probably a collapsed lifter.
[Modified by SunCr, 3:57 PM 10/7/2003]
[Modified by SunCr, 3:57 PM 10/7/2003]
Instructor
Joined: May 2001
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From: Raleigh NC
Re: Lifter Tapping? and how do I quiet it? (SunCr)
Years ago I had a noisey lifter in a junker 350 chevy truck I had. Had over 100K miles. The lazy butt I was wasn't going to tear it apart. Changing oil didn't help, adjsting th rocker disn't help. A pint of marvel mystery oil added to the oil cured the problem. Every time I changed the oil the click came back. Marvel to the rescue cured it every time. You might try it and if it cures the problem then decide if you want to fix the problem the right way.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,858
Likes: 2
Re: Lifter Tapping? and how do I quiet it? (DaveD)
A pint of marvel mystery oil added to the oil cured the problem. Every time I changed the oil the click came back. Marvel to the rescue cured it every time. You might try it and if it cures the problem then decide if you want to fix the problem the right way.
Also, make sure you're not using a FRAM oil filter or any filter made by Allied Signal. FRAM filters seem to cause more valvetrain noise, plus they just plain suck.
