Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
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From: Spokane
Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
I seem to have developed a pronounced lifter tap on the left side of my engine. It's a 429 in a 79 F250. She was full of oil at the time, but I changed it immediately and added a heavier weight oil, a 15W-40 Syn-blend. It didn't seem to help though. . It only taps when cold, and five minutes after taking off, it goes away. Does anyone have any suggestions about what to do about this or what is causing it? Would any particular additive fix it, or does the valve cover need to come off and the rockers inspected?? Or could it be an oil pressure problem. I just have the stock guages right now, so I'm not sure exactly what the pressure is. Guages are my next purchase. Any help would be excellent.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
Use some Rislone oil treatment according to directions. Then a day or two b4 you change your oil just add 1 quart of Rislone It may overfill but it wont hurt for a day or two unless you are racing or something. Do an oil/filter change and refill with the proper weight oil for the season. If you have some miles on the engine consider using Valvoline Max-Life oil, it seems to be good stuff.
There are other oil treatments. I have just had good luck with Rislone and it has been around a long time, -must work.
If this doesn't work you may need to pull the cover...
The standard guages are fine for normal use. The aftermarket ones just seem to be cheap looking, clutter the cab, and are also of questionable accuracy. Just make sure your std guage senders and connections are in good shape.
There are other oil treatments. I have just had good luck with Rislone and it has been around a long time, -must work.
If this doesn't work you may need to pull the cover...
The standard guages are fine for normal use. The aftermarket ones just seem to be cheap looking, clutter the cab, and are also of questionable accuracy. Just make sure your std guage senders and connections are in good shape.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 526
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From: USA
Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
go to the auto parts store, buy a can of motor flush, add it to the oil and then let the engine idle for five minutes then change the oil. if it still taps do ity again. mine did the same thing after it had been sitting for 7 years, the guy i bought it from hadnt been taking good care of it, and after i flushed the system a couple of times, its runs fine with no lifter noise at startup. the motor fluch is about 2 bucks a can.
1977 F250 460
C6 Hedman Headers
Dual 40 series
edelbrock performer
holley 4150
msd 6a and blaster coil
1977 F250 460
C6 Hedman Headers
Dual 40 series
edelbrock performer
holley 4150
msd 6a and blaster coil
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 55
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Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
do they need to be adjusted? if so go to the crane cams web
site, they have step by step instructions on how to do it.
glenb 77 f250 4x4
>I seem to have developed a pronounced lifter tap on the left
>side of my engine. It's a 429 in a 79 F250. She was full of
>oil at the time, but I changed it immediately and added a
>heavier weight oil, a 15W-40 Syn-blend. It didn't seem to
>help though. . It only taps when cold, and five minutes
>after taking off, it goes away. Does anyone have any
>suggestions about what to do about this or what is causing
>it? Would any particular additive fix it, or does the valve
>cover need to come off and the rockers inspected?? Or could
>it be an oil pressure problem. I just have the stock guages
>right now, so I'm not sure exactly what the pressure is.
>Guages are my next purchase. Any help would be excellent.
>
site, they have step by step instructions on how to do it.
glenb 77 f250 4x4
>I seem to have developed a pronounced lifter tap on the left
>side of my engine. It's a 429 in a 79 F250. She was full of
>oil at the time, but I changed it immediately and added a
>heavier weight oil, a 15W-40 Syn-blend. It didn't seem to
>help though. . It only taps when cold, and five minutes
>after taking off, it goes away. Does anyone have any
>suggestions about what to do about this or what is causing
>it? Would any particular additive fix it, or does the valve
>cover need to come off and the rockers inspected?? Or could
>it be an oil pressure problem. I just have the stock guages
>right now, so I'm not sure exactly what the pressure is.
>Guages are my next purchase. Any help would be excellent.
>
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,613
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From: Gainesville, FL
Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
D,
If you pull the valve cover in question, you can drip some automatic tranny fluid down the pushrod while its running and this can help free up your stuck lifter. Its old school and it works.
KingFisher
If you pull the valve cover in question, you can drip some automatic tranny fluid down the pushrod while its running and this can help free up your stuck lifter. Its old school and it works.
KingFisher
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 378
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Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
Dave:
ive never tried risoline but i heard good things about it. I personally swear by a quart of marvel mystery mixed with the oil, the stuff is pretty potent cleaner. As for motor flush, id shy away from it because its too much a shock treatment. If the engine has a lot of miles on it, that stuff will loosen all the crud and clog the filter; then once that happens, unfiltered oil is bypassed to the bearings--NOT GOOD. I once put that stuff in an old 240 six. It was in a 67 f100...after i did it, i had this major knocking sound-----oops--lol--- so i sold it to this guy who needed a basic truck. He was gonna take it to fla--im in NJ--i often wonder if he made it with lil old betsy after *i think* I messed up the motor....
regards
Ben
ive never tried risoline but i heard good things about it. I personally swear by a quart of marvel mystery mixed with the oil, the stuff is pretty potent cleaner. As for motor flush, id shy away from it because its too much a shock treatment. If the engine has a lot of miles on it, that stuff will loosen all the crud and clog the filter; then once that happens, unfiltered oil is bypassed to the bearings--NOT GOOD. I once put that stuff in an old 240 six. It was in a 67 f100...after i did it, i had this major knocking sound-----oops--lol--- so i sold it to this guy who needed a basic truck. He was gonna take it to fla--im in NJ--i often wonder if he made it with lil old betsy after *i think* I messed up the motor....
regards
Ben
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Senior User
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From: Virginia
Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-Jul-02 AT 02:18 PM (EST)]Marvel Mystery Oil... Nothing like it for clearing up the tapping. I have a low mileage 360 that got about 1000 miles a year for the first 27 years of its life. It had a awful lifter tap when I got it but I did an oil change and added 1 qt of marvel and drove it about 200 mi. This quieted it some so I did it a second time. That shut it up completely. I now run Mobil 1 and it hasn't come back.
Mark
Mark
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Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
1-Varnish buildup that restricts the "pump up" or tolerance closing function of a hydraulic lifter. It restricts physical motion of the plunger in the lifter.
2-Varnish buildup that restricts the flow of oil into the lifter. This can be due to a piece of crud sticking to the varnish and blocking a hole or passage.
3-Loss of oil flow to the pushrod and rocker arm that causes accelerated wear. This type of tapping noise usually does not go away as the engine warms up. It can at go away at first due to expansion of the pushrod but it will eventually be continuous and gets worse with time. The only solution here is replacement parts. The loss of oil flow is usually caused by a piece of crud blocking the valve ports in the lifter.
A nice gentle disolving of the varnish is what is needed. That is why Rislone or the Marvel Mystery Oil is good for this problem. I have not used the MMO, from what I understand it is a very light oil with good solvent properties. Rislone seems to be a mixture of solvents and oils.
2-Varnish buildup that restricts the flow of oil into the lifter. This can be due to a piece of crud sticking to the varnish and blocking a hole or passage.
3-Loss of oil flow to the pushrod and rocker arm that causes accelerated wear. This type of tapping noise usually does not go away as the engine warms up. It can at go away at first due to expansion of the pushrod but it will eventually be continuous and gets worse with time. The only solution here is replacement parts. The loss of oil flow is usually caused by a piece of crud blocking the valve ports in the lifter.
A nice gentle disolving of the varnish is what is needed. That is why Rislone or the Marvel Mystery Oil is good for this problem. I have not used the MMO, from what I understand it is a very light oil with good solvent properties. Rislone seems to be a mixture of solvents and oils.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Spokane
Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
Thanks everyone, for all the great suggestions. I tried the risolene a couple of days ago, but it doesn't seem to have worked yet. I figure I'll run it for a week, then try another oil change, if it hasn't cleared up yet, probably with the MMO. thanks again for all the help. I'll let you all know what ends up working.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Lifter Tap.......Suggestions?
Give the Rislone a couple of weeks, don't forget it is disolving stuff all over the engine, nice and gentle, it takes time :-)
Of course that varnish didn't get there over night either!
What brand of oil were you using, and honestly, about how often was it changed?
My vehicles get changed every 3-5,000 depending on when I find that round object with TUIT on it. I shoot for 3K but it just doesn't get there all the time. I haven't had any go over 5K in a number of years. The last one that did was get close was my Isuzu Trooper when my daughter had it at school.
With my old 85 E150 with 300-6 I just checked the oil level. When it was down a quart it was time to change. Worked out to be around 3K every time:-)
Of course that varnish didn't get there over night either!
What brand of oil were you using, and honestly, about how often was it changed?
My vehicles get changed every 3-5,000 depending on when I find that round object with TUIT on it. I shoot for 3K but it just doesn't get there all the time. I haven't had any go over 5K in a number of years. The last one that did was get close was my Isuzu Trooper when my daughter had it at school.
With my old 85 E150 with 300-6 I just checked the oil level. When it was down a quart it was time to change. Worked out to be around 3K every time:-)
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