How can you tell if you have a bad lifter? Inside please.
02-17-2003, 10:16 AM
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How can you tell if you have a bad lifter? Inside please. Over the past couple of weeks my car's valvetrain has been getting more noisy. Almost like a rattle sound coming from one cylinder or valvetrain on one cylinder. I thought it may be valve springs getting weak. Now it has gotten worse. You can hear it outside the car while it's idling. The car still runs good and is not missing or stumbling.
The sound is hard to describe, almost like someone rubbing a rock on a chalk board. It makes the noise once with every revolution of the engine and increases frequency with engine rpm. It is not a ticking sound, not like a bent pushrod sounds. The car has constant 38 psi oil pressure at idle.
I thought it may be a lifter. How can I check without pulling the heads? What else can I check?
The engine has approx. 50k miles on it and 30k of those were with a T1 cam. Mostly street driving. I have been running MMS valve springs for about 25k and they have 150-160lbs seat pressure and 360-370 open pressure.
Your suggestions please.
Thanks.
<small>[ April 16, 2003, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Speed Demon ]</small>
The sound is hard to describe, almost like someone rubbing a rock on a chalk board. It makes the noise once with every revolution of the engine and increases frequency with engine rpm. It is not a ticking sound, not like a bent pushrod sounds. The car has constant 38 psi oil pressure at idle.
I thought it may be a lifter. How can I check without pulling the heads? What else can I check?
The engine has approx. 50k miles on it and 30k of those were with a T1 cam. Mostly street driving. I have been running MMS valve springs for about 25k and they have 150-160lbs seat pressure and 360-370 open pressure.
Your suggestions please.
Thanks.
<small>[ April 16, 2003, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Speed Demon ]</small>
02-17-2003, 11:19 AM
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Re: How can you tell if you have a bad lifter? Inside please. It sounds as if one of the lifters is not pumping up. I don't think there is any way to confirm other than sound, and misfire codes without pulling the head. I had a lifter go bad on my SS shortly after a b1 cam was installed, and it sounded exactly as you are describing. I went with the regular Comp-Cams lifters (not the R's, R's are noisy). So far so good.
02-22-2003, 03:49 PM
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Re: How can you tell if you have a bad lifter? Inside please. I Atapped it. No misfires once above idle.
I pulled all the rockers checked them and checked the springs. Pushrods are good too.
How else can I tell if it's a lifter?
Will it mess anything up driving it.
I pulled all the rockers checked them and checked the springs. Pushrods are good too.
How else can I tell if it's a lifter?
Will it mess anything up driving it.
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02-22-2003, 07:00 PM
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Re: How can you tell if you have a bad lifter? Inside please. Nah, I checked the oil. It sounds like only one lifter, or one something. I am not sure, but it's getting louder.
02-23-2003, 07:25 AM
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Re: How can you tell if you have a bad lifter? Inside please. Put each cylinder on tdc of compression stroke and check rockers for unusual play or give by pushing down on them. If you have a deflated lifter you should be able to feel it compared to others.
