What does a collapsed lifter or lifter going bad sound like?
What does a collapsed lifter or lifter going bad sound like? If a lifter collapses, what does the motor sound like? (kinda like when i first did my cam and the startup waiting for them to prime?)
Also, what does it sound like before it's dead, but on it's way out?
Also, what does it sound like before it's dead, but on it's way out?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Vacaville, CA
well ive got my engine apart right now, theres nothing i can do to check my lifters to see if they are bad is there? I have a tick thats comes out of the drivers side every once in awhile, i still have good oil pressure. But, I wish there was something I could do to check my lifters to see if any of them are dead. thanks
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Hrm, that does not make me feel so good 
So the ticking will increase the amount of ticks as the rpm's rise or will it remain steady? I have a tick, from the drivers side, sounds more like from the top, I checked the header bolts and they are snug, and let me guess, the only real way to find out is pull the head right? :\ If I rev the car it seems to go away, who knows, it may be drown out by the sound?
Oil pressure seems to be good, but I am close to my 3k mile change, so it may just need a change.
Welp, worst case here, let's say it IS in fact a lifter, should i replace it with stock or what can I upgrade to?
-Steve
So the ticking will increase the amount of ticks as the rpm's rise or will it remain steady? I have a tick, from the drivers side, sounds more like from the top, I checked the header bolts and they are snug, and let me guess, the only real way to find out is pull the head right? :\ If I rev the car it seems to go away, who knows, it may be drown out by the sound?
Oil pressure seems to be good, but I am close to my 3k mile change, so it may just need a change.
Welp, worst case here, let's say it IS in fact a lifter, should i replace it with stock or what can I upgrade to?
-Steve
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Verdad Gallardo Bad lifter will usually increase the ticks with increasing RPMs. You'll hear it with increasing revs if it's bad, it'll tick even louder and quicker.
Only way to check a lifter is to pull the head. The lifters are under the heads. There is no other way to gain access to them.
Only way to check a lifter is to pull the head. The lifters are under the heads. There is no other way to gain access to them.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Vacaville, CA
Cannibal, how do you check a lifter once you get it out? Ive got all mine layed out on my table in the order they came out. How do I check to make sure they are all OK. Before I tore my engine apart, I had a little tick that cam from the driver's side that Im pretty sure was valvetrain. thanks
Hrm, it doesn't get louder on my car when I rev it, that makes me think it's an injector or maybe a bent pushrod? but i find that hard to belive since they are hardened...??
Thanks for the help, I will see what I can do, I knew where they were, I was just wondering if I could listen somewhere to truely know before I pull the head.
Thanks for the help, I will see what I can do, I knew where they were, I was just wondering if I could listen somewhere to truely know before I pull the head.
Teching In
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: B.C, MI
The ticking sound you hear is not the lifter itself. It is the valve slamming closed, missing the closing ramp and smacking the seat. Very common misconception that makes me bite my tongue everytime I hear someone call it a ticking lifter. A ticking sound at idle and then progressively quieter with increased engine speed is a "spongy" lifter/lash adjuster. This is result of trapped air in the lifter or fast leak down time. A collapsed lifter means the leakdown plunger inside the lifter is stuck down and the lifter is not functioning at all. This condition will cause very loud tick at idle to that increases with rpm.
Has anybody just replaced the lifters only & had the car run fine after that? I only drove my car maybe 3-5miles after work when it was ticking, I found a few little metal shavings after I did my oil change, a friend of mines removed the valve covers & in 10-15mins into the heads it ended up being a collapsed lifter.
You can stick your lifters one at a time in a metal soup can filled halfway with clean new oil and take a punch or screwdriver and push down on the plunger with the lifter submerged and see if the lifter will pump up. It will take quite a few pump strokes to get it pumped up. Probably around 10.
