Thread: can someone explain a "bad lifter"

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here's a question for the engine guru's

why is it that my lifters would be quite one minute then one starts to clack and quit for a but again and start cklcking again, is it becuase there's something restricting the oil flow to it. I have already replaced one lifter as it would stop clacking, and now the new one seems fine in that slot, but now like i said, i have another one acting up.

thanks in advance

IMnuts

I had a ford van that did that, except it was more than one or two. Eventually they all started making noise because they where shot. I did rod that van pretty hard! Of course the valve springs were pretty weak too.

Excuse me, but lifters are a dime a dozen, plus are an integral part of the welfare of an engine. Why not replace all 16?

Why in the world are you on a hot rod forum? Maybe you should try a locating a web site that encourages replacing important parts with used parts, again, and again and again.

Originally posted by TyphoonZR
Excuse me, but lifters are a dime a dozen, plus are an integral part of the welfare of an engine. Why not replace all 16?

Why in the world are you on a hot rod forum? Maybe you should try a locating a web site that encourages replacing important parts with used parts, again, and again and again.

first off Baboon err Typhoon before you shoot you mouth off about why i posted here, ask a few questions and don't assume.
all lifters were just replaced. i have had the engine running maybe 15 minutes and in that time frame one lifter failed to pumpup. So i replaced that one. Reassmebled the engine and all was fine for about 10 minutes and now i got this other lifter now that seems to go flat then pumpup and run good for a minute or two and then go flat again. I'm assuming there's some sort of resistriction in the oil passage.

Typhoon you don't need to post an answer to my quetion, as you have an attitute i can live without.


IMnuts

don't see you , replying to typhoon's post either tho. Sorry i don't fit into your "group" here, not like this is real rocket science. All he had to do was ask if had had recently replaced all of them or if i had just replaced the bad one. really hope he doesn't work in a shop somewhere, as he is exactly the type of person i try to evoid. As far as asnswering your question, I didn't get a chance to but, by my last post you can tell they are flat, haven't run the engine long enough for any damage. Now i see you have posted "ignore this member". Do me a big favor and remove me from your membership. I all was looking for was for an opinion from ppl on my problem, but like i said, it's not rocket science, and with reply's like i have gotten here, now i know why i don't trust mechanics. Sorry for using up bandwidth, but seems some of the members here have an iq level of a 20 watt light bulb

Have a good day

IMnuts

Geez, touchy, touchy, touchy.

Wow! Alot of ruffled feathers here! I guess thats a lifter problem that will solve itself seeing how it sounds like the cam is flat! Of course what do us "Untrustworthy 20 watt Mechanics" know anyway.

Originally posted by brickman
Wow! Alot of ruffled feathers here! I guess thats a lifter problem that will solve itself seeing how it sounds like the cam is flat! Of course what do us "Untrustworthy 20 watt Mechanics" know anyway.

Yeap, Brickman, and he probably flattened by improper break in to boot.

yeh and my muffler bearings were installed wrong to. Cam has got nothing to do with it boys, i said nothing about the cam!!!!!!
shit maybe i should check the the water pump while i'm at it. Guys forget it, don't need your condisending asshole remarks, i'll just go back into my hole and fix it myself. thanks for the most idiotic answers i could get on the net. was looking for constructive help not stupid amswers. Guess that's why i didn't go to school to learn this shit, cause if you guys did, you would have flunk the practical

IMnuts

If it's not "rocket science", then figure it out for yourself.....asshole.

The guys here may screw around a bit, but thats part of belonging.

I was going to give my 2 bits about your oiling system, which is not pumping up your lifters, but not now...........

Cam has nothing to do with it boys.

If you can't figure out that the oil hole in the side of the lifter is there for a reason and that the lifter has to raise high enough to get the right amount of oil, then you shouldn't be working on it.

When a cam lobe wears (wipes out) the lifter won't go high enough to get enough oil after the motor has warmed up and the oil has thinned out to normal operating temperature.

We were actually trying to help you, but your anger won't allow you to see. I don't know why you've got the attitude but it doesn't belong here.

ok first off let me start this post by saying I'm Sorry for the atitude. The reason i got pissed was from Typhoo's post.

Originally posted by TyphoonZR
Why in the world are you on a hot rod forum? Maybe you should try a locating a web site that encourages replacing important parts with used parts, again, and again and again.

But never the less let me explain fully what has happened. I have installed a new cam and lifters in my engine. and the prob i stated in my first post is happening. I know the cam is good and the lifters are all new. I have had to tear the engine down already for one lifter that wouldn't pump up at all. And now i have another that is cklicking and then quite and then will start to click again. Now i have know way of knowing the oil pressure as i have an idiot light not a guage at this point. So.......... my question is. Would it be possible to have a grain of dirt in the lifter that would move around allowing it to pump up and then go flat cause it is starved fopr oil?
or should i just get another lifter and replace this one yet again?

Get a guage hooked up and check the oil pressure. I have a feeling that it is low and not pumping up the lifters. A number of things could cause this, bad oil pump, too much clearance in bearings, relief valve in filter stuck, dirt....etc.

poncho62 thanks for the tips, will checkinto them. As for did i use moly grease, yes i have done a few cam and lifters for others so i'm familar with the procedure on how to do it, the only reason i replaced my cam and lifters was the fact that i had the top off the engine to replace the heads and had a look at the original lifters and found them to be concaved so thught i might as well replace them and the cam while i had the opertunity. It's just odd that i would have 2 new lifters that would pump up and then go flat on me never had that happen before and was just wondering why.

UPDATE
i have taken the intake off and this is what i found, the one lifter in question not only isn't pumping up but was stuck down in the case, almost as if the spring couldn't psh it back up. I disassembled it and found nothing stuck in it but when i put it back together you now can fell the spring pushing back, so i can now pump it back up, what would make it stick down in the case?

IMnuts

lol, well that may very well be