I have an 88 IROC 350 TPI. As if the coolant issues haven't been enough headache, this morning, I went to start her up and I heard this loud click click clicking coming from the engine bay. It sounded a heck of a lot louder than the typical clicking of the fuel injectors, so I opened the hood to get a closer listen. It sounded like the clicking was coming from the left valve cover. I got in the car and drove down the street and as the car got warmer the clicking went away. It had done this a few times, but only at the first start of the day after the car has been sitting overnight. The last few times it did this, it stopped before I drove the car. This time it took a bit of driving for it to stop. When I would rev the car before I drove it this morning the clicking would get faster. My guess is that I have a sticky lifter or something. I was just wondering what you guys thought this might be and how I can remedy it. Is it an expensive fix??
Thanks
JCRULZ

 

Your analysis may be correct. Oil flow may not be adequate to at least one of the lifters. That is frequently a symptom of excessive varnish and sludge accumulation in the engine. It could also be a sticking lifter plunger, but that is also a sign of excessive varnish. Low-quality multi-grade mineral oils are known for that (Read: Quaker State, Pennzoil, Castrol) since the polymers added to these soups are the first things to fail and create ash, sludge, and varnish. Neglected and/or overheated oil will aggrevate the condition. Try a high quality mineral oil, or better yet, switch to a pure PAO synthetic, and allow it to clean up the varnish and sludge. If you're lucky, you won't have to pull the intake and lifter for a manual cleaning.