gta_knight

Hi all,

Ive got a 5.7 TPI which was stripped, new valve stem seals done, new oil pump, new head gaskets etc. the engine runs absolutely spot on. however there is a slightly ticking which i suspect is a hydraulic lifter as they werent replaced. kind of wishing i had them done when the engine was apart but never mind.

I saw on a facebook group that a sure way (allegedly) is to add a certain amount of transmission fluid to the engine oil and its supposed to be a fantastic lubricant and stops the ticking / tapping noise ? i wasnt so sure of this method so i thought id ask.

Im sort of thinking the only way to get the engine super quiet is to change all the lifters for brand new ones.

valicswarrior

iTrader: (1)

You can try Lucas, I have used it in a blazer for a lifter tick but are you sure its not your injectors making the tick sound which would be normal?

Vader

Knight - Is this running with a stock camshaft grind? Stock rocker arms?

As for the root cause of the noise, if the lifters are not adjusting properly (hydraulically) there will be excessive lash and thus noise. With roller lifters a slight amount of noise is usually expected. With any cam profile which has more aggressive ramps, noise can also be unavoidable. Sludge in the lifter galleries, lifter plungers or check valves, insufficient oil pressure, and mechanical wear can lead to lash and valve train noise. Bent push rods, sticking valves, and damaged springs can also contribute to noise.

Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) can be used to clean the lubrication system. It has a relatively low viscosity, so it can be pumped easily and flow into areas where sludge has accumulated to help break them up. It also contains detergent properties to keep particles in suspension. However, as a lubricant it may be adequate for a transmission but may be insufficient for an engine. For example, there are no points in an automatic transmission which have anything like the loading of a piston pin or rod bearing. For that reason alone (regardless of the viscosity differences) it is best to use ATF only as a cleaner, and to avoid running the engine under load while ATF is present. It can be beneficial to operate the engine at various RPMs during the cleaning period, but unloaded. If the process can be done without driving the vehicle at all it would be preferable. In any case, the engine and oil should be hot for best cleaning results.

Having done this in the past, I can advise that with a stock valve train it can be helpful to remove the rocker covers, operate the engine, and back off the rocker lash adjustment to allow oil pressure to force the lifter plunger to its fully extended position to break up any varnish "gluing" the plunger in place. After operation at full extension, slowly adjusting lash to the full compression position will force the lifter plunger to its limits, helping to clean out any accumulated varnish. After all of this, final adjustment to the zero lash point with an additional 1/2-3/4 turn of the nuts should have the valve trains set properly.

If the valve train is not stock the adjustment may be quite different.

gta_knight

Its all stock yeah. I put new Bosch 3 injectors on which do tick, i will have to double check its not just them but it is quite loud and you can hear it over the exhaust and motor all the time.

First problem i had when i initially started it after the rebuild was that it ran like crap. the engine place had tightened them a little too much as they went off a guide on the internet whereas it should of been 1 and 1/4 turn i think so a friend who owns a garage came down and adjusted all the lash for me and the car started first time and idled perfect.

Im kind of hoping it is just the injectors now then ! i will report back

valicswarrior

iTrader: (1)

If not the injectors try to do a lucas oil/motor oil mix just follow the directions on the bottle and it should shut it up for now and keep it safe until you can fix the problem.

gta_knight

Im in the UK so not sure if i can get this lucas stuff here.

Ive already tried a bottle of Wynns hydraulic lifter treatment but it didnt do anything. I will be in the garage so i need to have a proper listen. If it is indeed the injectros then i will feel like a right idiot