Hydraulic lifters - troubleshooitng & tutorial sought
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From: Sleepy Hollow, NY
Hydraulic lifters - troubleshooitng & tutorial sought I am trying to figure out whether some of my engine ticking noises
are coming from some of my lifters.
Is there a way to test if the lifter pre-load is correct? I have the
stock rockers currently (no adjustments possible, stock pushrods as well) but used to have the Crane 1.8 gold rockers on the engine. Maybe I screwed something up (had their lifters also on the car at the time).
Also, it would help me to understand hydraulic lifter operation better
if there were a clear tutorial. How exactly does the hydraulic part work?
Any test which are possible without having to pull the heads would be appreciated a lot,
Thanks,
Gert
are coming from some of my lifters.
Is there a way to test if the lifter pre-load is correct? I have the
stock rockers currently (no adjustments possible, stock pushrods as well) but used to have the Crane 1.8 gold rockers on the engine. Maybe I screwed something up (had their lifters also on the car at the time).
Also, it would help me to understand hydraulic lifter operation better
if there were a clear tutorial. How exactly does the hydraulic part work?
Any test which are possible without having to pull the heads would be appreciated a lot,
Thanks,
Gert
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On The Tree
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From: Sleepy Hollow, NY
Just wanted to clarify that I am looking for is a detailed description
of how hydraulic lifters work. What is unclear to me is that if the car/engine
is not running for a long period, is there any reason for the plunger
inside the lifter to stay raised up? I think that the oil inside the lifter
would leak out slowly and the plunger would drop to the lowest
point possible inside the lifter body. Then it would not be possible
to pre-load the lifter - however, instructions call for pre-loading the lifter
just when the lifter sits on the heal of the cam. That is the time
when it could easily leak down prior to the adjustment for pre-loading.
Or is there also a spring at the bottom of the lifter inside the lifter body bottom and the plunger which holds the plunger up when it sits
on the heal of the cam?
Thanks,
Gert
of how hydraulic lifters work. What is unclear to me is that if the car/engine
is not running for a long period, is there any reason for the plunger
inside the lifter to stay raised up? I think that the oil inside the lifter
would leak out slowly and the plunger would drop to the lowest
point possible inside the lifter body. Then it would not be possible
to pre-load the lifter - however, instructions call for pre-loading the lifter
just when the lifter sits on the heal of the cam. That is the time
when it could easily leak down prior to the adjustment for pre-loading.
Or is there also a spring at the bottom of the lifter inside the lifter body bottom and the plunger which holds the plunger up when it sits
on the heal of the cam?
Thanks,
Gert
Yes there is a spring in all hydraulic lifters with a plunger machined with tight tolorences preventing fast lifter bleed down and allowing fast lifter pump up with healthy oil pressure. The spring makes preload adjustment possible by taking slack out of valvetrain.
I have never witnessed a bad hydraulic lifter but I assume it would tick verybad. Much like when you remove preload from a lifter while engine is running. tick tick tick tick. You should be able to tell wich one it is with an engine stethoscope while engine is running. You can even use a broom handle held tightly to your ear while touching different areas of the engine
with opposite end of handle.
I have heard lifters make noise from low oil pressure. Is your oil pressure healthy?
I have never witnessed a bad hydraulic lifter but I assume it would tick verybad. Much like when you remove preload from a lifter while engine is running. tick tick tick tick. You should be able to tell wich one it is with an engine stethoscope while engine is running. You can even use a broom handle held tightly to your ear while touching different areas of the engine
with opposite end of handle.
I have heard lifters make noise from low oil pressure. Is your oil pressure healthy?
Last edited by gollum; Oct 25, 2004 at 08:52 PM.
Yeah I have a stupid question. When the lifter moves up in the lifter bore on the cam lobe, is the oil passage way still open from the block to the lifter? In other words, is there oil flowing through the lifter at all times or does the supply get cut off when the lifter moves up a certain distance.
Thread Starter
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From: Sleepy Hollow, NY
Originally Posted by P Mack
Yeah I have a stupid question. When the lifter moves up in the lifter bore on the cam lobe, is the oil passage way still open from the block to the lifter? In other words, is there oil flowing through the lifter at all times or does the supply get cut off when the lifter moves up a certain distance.
moves up on the lobe and this creates a "hydraulic lock." The oil is not compressible so once the oil under pressure is stuck inside the lifter it
pushes up the plunger against the stop ring and acts in the same way as a solid lifter for the duration of the ride on the lobe...
Gert
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Hmm, maybe this will help you out?
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/43418/index3.html
I changed my lifters a couple of weekends ago. The noise I was trying to diagnose hasn't returned, but I couldn't see anything physically wrong with my old lifters.
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/43418/index3.html
I changed my lifters a couple of weekends ago. The noise I was trying to diagnose hasn't returned, but I couldn't see anything physically wrong with my old lifters.
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