Lifter tick help

[pscmj84]

Hello,

I have a 98 Camaro auto with 172k on the original 3800. In just the last couple of days, then engine has developed a bad lifter tick when the engine is cold. If it's in the morning, the ticking can last over a minute. If it's in the middle of the day and I've already driven the car that day, it only lasts about 5-10 seconds. This just started happening suddenly, and I'm not sure why.

A lot has happened to the car in the last few weeks. Here is the timeline of events:
5 Weeks Ago: Car goes to dealer and gets oil change, fuel filter, tranny flush
4 Weeks Ago: Drive from FL to Chicago (over 2k miles round trip, 30 MPG!)
3 Weeks Ago: I do an oil change (5W-30)
2 Weeks Ago: I clean out the throttle body, not realizing how much coolant I leaked, the engine overheats a bit. It never gets over 210 on the gauge, but there was a bit of smoke coming from the engine bay. I replace the throttle body gasket and refill the coolant to the proper level with Dexcool 50/50.
1 Week Ago: Everything is good.

All that coolant stuff might have nothing to do with what's going now, and it just might be have just happened at nearly the same time as this lifter tick. Over the last couple of the years, as it was getting time for an oil change the lifters would tick ever so slightly sometimes, but never like this.

I've read that this is common on cars with hydraulic lifters since it takes time to pump them full of oil. If that was the case, then why didn't the lifters tick before? Is the 5W-30 oil I'm using on this car too thin anymore? I had a car before (old Acura Legend) that had a nasty lifter tick, but an oil additive made the tick go away (the stuff was called friction free). Has anybody had luck with oil additives in the 3800?

[cam98aro]

Re: Lifter tick help

dont use oil additives, they do absolutly nothing other than change the weight of your oil

as for the tick.. i have no idea, mine has made a lifter tick since the day i bought i and i have put almost 40k miles on the car

[benwin82]

Re: Lifter tick help

I have the same problem, I have a 99 with 120K. I replaced the lifters when I had to replace the lower intake manifold. The car ran great for a few weeks then the tick came back. Very irritating.

[ssms5411]

Re: Lifter tick help

I would make sure your balancer hasn't dry rotted out from the inside causing a Knocking sound. Mine did and it sounded like I blew out a rod at idle. When driving it would go away a bit. It was fine one day and then it came on quick the knocking sound. With that many miles I would look into replacing the balancer anyways, mine when out at about 170,000. They are about $110-120 and you will need a new bolt since it is TTY.

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: Lifter tick help

are you sure it's not the infamous 3800 ignition tick?

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: Lifter tick help

I would make sure your balancer hasn't dry rotted out from the inside causing a Knocking sound. Mine did and it sounded like I blew out a rod at idle. When driving it would go away a bit. It was fine one day and then it came on quick the knocking sound. With that many miles I would look into replacing the balancer anyways, mine when out at about 170,000. They are about $110-120 and you will need a new bolt since it is TTY.

As for that, that's the first I've ever heard of a balancer causing anything sounding like an engine knock.

and the knock is usually a rod bearing, not necessarily a rod.

[ssms5411]

Re: Lifter tick help

As for that, that's the first I've ever heard of a balancer causing anything sounding like an engine knock.

and the knock is usually a rod bearing, not necessarily a rod.

When the balancer dry rotts from the inside out and starts to wobble, you will know. Sounds like the engine is toast. Also when it does this, you need to replace it as soon as possible. As for the rod , just giving an example of how loud it is at idle when it needs to be replaced. I'm surprised you've haven't heard about balancers causing KR, it what turns the crankshaft and if that starts to wobble you get a loud knocking sound, which would cause alot of KR to the knock sensors

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: Lifter tick help

yeah, it sounds horrid, but i wouldnt refer to it as sounding like a rod knock.

i've heard of bad balancers causing kr, but because of the stator being off and the CPS reading a misfire.

i suppose if you're balancer was REALLY bad the knock sensor would mistake it and give it kr...

[benwin82]

Re: Lifter tick help

My mechanic friend told me about that. He said that it happens on all the models with the 3800, especially in the Alero. What is it and can it be fixed without rebuilding the engine.

[Den69RS96]

Re: Lifter tick help

172000 miles? probably time for new lifters. They do wear out over time. Sound like you have one or more bleeding down causing your lifter tick. changing oil may help, but its a temp solution to the real problem. Now if you don't want to put and $$ into you engine, try a different weight oil. However if you want to keep your engine for a while, change out the lifters. Don't forget, oil travels through the lifter up the pushrod and lubes the rocker. The longer you let it go, the more damage it will eventually cause.

[ssms5411]

Re: Lifter tick help

My mechanic friend told me about that. He said that it happens on all the models with the 3800, especially in the Alero. What is it and can it be fixed without rebuilding the engine.

It happens to all vehicles after awhile, It is the balancer(crank pulley) just need to buy a new one for your year of car and a new bolt for it since it is TTY. You first have to remove the old one taking out the bolt, using a puller to get the old balancer off then putting the new balancer on with a new bolt. Not a hard job but it can be tough getting the old one off. I know a new balancer ranges from $110-$120 something like that. I forget what the bolt was but not much.

[benwin82]

Re: Lifter tick help

Thanks for the info I will look into that and get started on that if that is the problem.

[pscmj84]

Re: Lifter tick help

Thanks, I probably need to start by trying a thicker oil. I used 5w-30 last time I changed the oil, but usually I used 10w-30. I might even try the high mileage oil to see if that does anything. Anybody have any luck with additives such as Auto-RX or lucas oil or anything like that?

On a separate topic, what is about the maximum mileage someone can expect out of a 3800 assuming the car has been properly maintained? At 10 years old and 172k miles, I'm somewhat on the fence about paying someone to do any lifter work since the car is not worth much.

172000 miles? probably time for new lifters. They do wear out over time. Sound like you have one or more bleeding down causing your lifter tick. changing oil may help, but its a temp solution to the real problem. Now if you don't want to put and $$ into you engine, try a different weight oil. However if you want to keep your engine for a while, change out the lifters. Don't forget, oil travels through the lifter up the pushrod and lubes the rocker. The longer you let it go, the more damage it will eventually cause.

[IICODECll]

Re: Lifter tick help

I had the very same problem after getting my oil changed at pepboys back in April. They used 5w-30. After speaking with my uncle he was like, check the oil, sometimes they screw you over. I check the oil and I was over a quart low. He then told me to add a thicker oil to the engine because he felt 5w-30 was too light/thin. I added high mileage 15w-30 (car as 120,000 miles on it -- also bought the thicker racing oil too just in case), and the tick went away. Now it just sounds like it did when I bought the car. =]

[pscmj84]

Re: Lifter tick help

are you sure it's not the infamous 3800 ignition tick?

I can't tell you for sure. Maybe you can help me determine if it is or not:

1. If the car has been sitting for 3 hours or so, the car will tick loudly on startup for about 5-10 seconds and then the tick will go away completely.
2. If the car has sat overnight, the car will tick loudly on startup for about 1-2 minutes before the tick goes away.
3. Once the engine warms up, the engine sounds, performs, and feels like it has for the last 50k miles.
4. Oil pressure gauge sits at a little bit below 60 at idle. Although, sometimes I think the gauge doesn't work correctly because the gauge likes to shake back and forth very quickly about 10 psi every now and then (usually while going from a coasting situation to a light acceleration situation).
5. I seafoamed the car for the first time ever about a month ago (I have changed the oil since then).