Lifter/ticking noise???

**kind153** · 11-13-2010

1998 GP, 140k

This noise started yesterday (11/12/2010) when weather got cold.
It started in the morning, I drove a mile, disappeared. (about 9:00)

Around 1:00pm, it wasn’t there when I started, drove to work, no noise. (1:40pm)
It rained VERY hard while I was working inside. When I got off work, 4:00pm, it was worse. That’s when this video was recorded.

Took it to a shop on my way home(30mi, 4:45pm), it was still there. I thought it was somehow related to raining because it was raining on my way home. They added BG MOA, hoping to clean lifters, I was also told that this won’t harm anything.. (hmm?)

So I did some googling last night, and I found a suggestion to rev to 3000rpm for 15 seconds, idle for 15 seconds, repeat.

Tried that this morning(11/13/2010), and it went away after doing it about 5 minutes. So it seems to go away when enough oil pressures builds up? I guess?

I tried driving anyway with the noise, it doesn’t seem to affect its drivability, but if I don’t get rid of the noise with revving up, it will follow me to my destination. ::

Here’s some records that’re done recently.
11/9/2010 had a coolant leak. Replaced: hose fitting, t-stat, upper radiator hose, water outlet(L elbow I think), upper intake plenum, EVAP solenoid.
10/25/2010 regular oil change. Changed brand from Quakerstate to Valvoline.

I read somewhere Valvoline can cause this..but I can’t find it again.

Here’s the video:
YouTube - lifter noise when cold

Any suggestion is appreciated.

PS - disregard my low coolant light.. bad sensor.

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 11-13-2010

it could be a lifter or maybe you broke a spring. im not really sure

**kind153** · 11-14-2010

update: the noise seems to go away in shorter period of time today. getting better ??

**kind153** · 11-15-2010

update: it's back.. sounds still same amplitude. any help???

**Dtrick22** · 11-15-2010

I would just have someone take a look at it...They probably need an adjustment, one might be a little loose or have some gunk in it that needs to be cleaned out. If a lifter needs replacement it can be expensive sometimes. I know on a lot of cars you need to remove the timing belt and cam to replace one. Not quite sure about if it would be a lot of labor on one of our cars since I've never had to do mine...wouldn't hurt to take a look or if you can't have someone you trust do it

**kind153** · 11-16-2010

thinking of running seafoam....good idea?

**Dtrick22** · 11-16-2010

I would go ahead and give it a shot....Just don't run it in there for too long, it thins the oil a lot....there are also a lot of people that advise against it for the fear of eating away at the seals, but just don't leave it in there for a month and you wont have a problem.

**kind153** · 11-17-2010

Originally Posted by Dtrick22

I would go ahead and give it a shot....Just don't run it in there for too long, it thins the oil a lot....there are also a lot of people that advise against it for the fear of eating away at the seals, but just don't leave it in there for a month and you wont have a problem.

yeah that's what I hear; before 100 miles of oil change. gonna update soon!

**Dtrick22** · 11-17-2010

It probably wont fix the problem, but might dampen it a little bit. It's pretty loud so I would bet it needs an adjustment or has a broken spring, but at the cost of a can of seafoam, its worth a try first.

**Dtrick22** · 11-23-2010

Any luck?

**kind153** · 11-24-2010

sorry for the late.. I only did seafoaming through vacuum line, and I'm not sure either it or driving 'agressively' did, but it hasn't been back since last week. Considering BG MOA was in crankcase, I can't tell if it did it or not..

Anyway, it is gone!

**matt5112** · 11-24-2010

Originally Posted by Dtrick22

I would just have someone take a look at it...They probably need an adjustment, one might be a little loose or have some gunk in it that needs to be cleaned out. If a lifter needs replacement it can be expensive sometimes. I know on a lot of cars you need to remove the timing belt and cam to replace one. Not quite sure about if it would be a lot of labor on one of our cars since I've never had to do mine...wouldn't hurt to take a look or if you can't have someone you trust do it

Thats OHC.

Welcome to the fun of owning a pushrod car.

Take off the fuel rail, take off the intake mani, take off the lower intake mani, take off the valve cover and associated rocker and the lifter retainer and boom its out.

Still time consuming, but you cant nuke your engine because you're not messing with the cam timing.

Glad the op got this solved somehow.

Through the vacuum line would only touch the valves, not the lifters though. Oh well...