Lifter/push rod ticking

[cam98aro]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

Well I just started going to college around the corner. My commute is only about a mile and a half...and not much further for work. I probably caused the sludge myself.

How many miles did your car have on it when you had the problems with your lifters?

Mine is 2001 with 58k on it.

mine had around 125,000 miles on it, but im almost certain my ticking was caused by something getting in my oil when i changed my clutch/rear main

it started 3 days after i got my clutch done, i lived with it for a day or two, then changed the oil, and it was there for about 3 more days then it started to gradually stop ticking and hasnt come back since.. even starting it on 5F days

[ViperRider]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

Seems like mostly lifters go at very high mileage. Just my luck...

[steddy]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

Honestly, I don't think racing caused sludge. I would say that increased viscosity of an oil additive could cause the lifters not to leak down and providing for a lot of damage, say, to the bolts holding the rockers. I'm guessing the Motor Silk is something like Motor Honey, which generally needs to get spooned in (red flag number one). These motors have pretty tight tolerances to them and don't fancy great thickness.

On top of it, you may have head gasket issues, but I would definitely take it somewhere (if you haven't the means) that can look at the lifters and the valve train with the valve covers and intake off (and not charge double the price of a good used motor). The ticking on startup sounds similar the infamous "Chevy tick". On startup, some just have a small tick until the oil circulates and builds pressure (most times, heard on cold mornings).

You could also check for any traces of oil (chocolate milk) in the radiator or during an oil change. You may be able to take a finger full and give it the sniff test for a sweet smell.

On thinking and reading a little more, it could be because you're gas-washing it when running and not letting it warm up to help dissipate the gas/oil mix. What happens is that it's cold, the fuel flows heavier to help warm up the engine and overcome the lack of atomization. During this, some wasted gas will mix with the oil. After time, the gas/oil mix (if not heated up and purged from the oil) may start to wear on bearings and such. Honestly, $1400 to replace lifters is probably the shop saying they REALLY don't want to do it. There should be an honest shop that will help you out around you. Just my .02.

[ViperRider]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

Honestly, I don't think racing caused sludge. I would say that increased viscosity of an oil additive could cause the lifters not to leak down and providing for a lot of damage, say, to the bolts holding the rockers. I'm guessing the Motor Silk is something like Motor Honey, which generally needs to get spooned in (red flag number one). These motors have pretty tight tolerances to them and don't fancy great thickness.

On top of it, you may have head gasket issues, but I would definitely take it somewhere (if you haven't the means) that can look at the lifters and the valve train with the valve covers and intake off (and not charge double the price of a good used motor). The ticking on startup sounds similar the infamous "Chevy tick". On startup, some just have a small tick until the oil circulates and builds pressure (most times, heard on cold mornings).

You could also check for any traces of oil (chocolate milk) in the radiator or during an oil change. You may be able to take a finger full and give it the sniff test for a sweet smell.

On thinking and reading a little more, it could be because you're gas-washing it when running and not letting it warm up to help dissipate the gas/oil mix. What happens is that it's cold, the fuel flows heavier to help warm up the engine and overcome the lack of atomization. During this, some wasted gas will mix with the oil. After time, the gas/oil mix (if not heated up and purged from the oil) may start to wear on bearings and such. Honestly, $1400 to replace lifters is probably the shop saying they REALLY don't want to do it. There should be an honest shop that will help you out around you. Just my .02.

Well I went ahead and gave the shop the go ahead to do the job. They are going to clean up all the carbon buildup and sludge, and replace all the lifters. Also replace thermostat and flush the coolant.

On reading the last paragraph I assume you are talking about driving short distances without letting the car fully warm up. Would this be solved by letting the car idle and warm up for a while before I drive?

[steddy]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

If there's a way to do so, yes. Let her warm up and maybe hit the freeway every now and then to help blow carbon and such out.

Worst case, you could change the oil at sooner intervals to bring down the chance of contaminating the oil, but that will get expensive over time, though not as much as having to do the lifter change.

[Moses]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

I would like to put in a word in this...kind've old and yet young thread.

My firebird had a heavy top end ticking noise, and upon removal of everything down to the heads, I noticed one of my pushrods is scarred...from hitting the heads on the inside. If it's warm out today I'm about to pull the lifters and pull the head off ( 220-230k miles with the Original head gaskets...yeah I'm changing them while I'm at it. )

I'm just hoping this is exactly what it is. My motor is clean overall ( I love Royal Purple ), except down around the lifter guides...I assume it's from where I let it sit for a while and didn't really drive it very much at all over the winter.

Everything else seems fine in the motor so far...

[cam98aro]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

since you will be doing all of that stuff, take your lifters out and see if any are collapsed.. also get some compressed air and blow the oil holes out, it might free anything that is clogged in there.. or dip them into some seafoam

is this for a 3.8 or 3.4?.. im assuming a 3.8 since you mentioned lifter guides

[Moses]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

If directed to me...

Yeah it's a 3.8, a '98 firebird to be exact. =)

I just removed the lifters and I found 3 clogged but not too bad, and I found a really bad clogged one.

I relieved. Now I just need to finish getting the heads off for the headgaskets..like said, they're not broken but with the original headgaskets and 220-230k I'm replacing them now while I'm at it. lol.

I was thinking of draining rest of the oil out of the motor and blowing what I can out of it like you said, and cleaning the rest up. of course there will be some fresh oil put on the parts before reassembly. =)

But I'm happy I found the stupid problem! I was wondering why my pushrods were acting funny...and why I could feel the vibrations through the intake manifolds only.

[firebirddrvr]

Re: Lifter/push rod ticking

yeah i had collapsed lifters in mine too. thats what led to my full rebuild. was gonna be 1200 to replace so i did a full rebuild with custom cam, bored, milled, decked, honed, three angle valve job, etc. why not right?!