Noisy Lifters Just An Annoyance?

[Subaru_Nation555]

My lifters have started their "ticking" until the engine is warm. It's annoying but is it a problem beyond that? Just wanted to make sure there were no long-term issues. Thanks.

[93forestpearl]

That usually tells me I need to change my oil.

[ChesterKV]

My lifters have started their "ticking" until the engine is warm. It's annoying but is it a problem beyond that? Just wanted to make sure there were no long-term issues. Thanks.

If you haven't already, try using synthetic oil at your next oil change. You could also use a not-too-strong engine cleaner such as seafoam followed by an oil change.

Lifter ticking not "bad" for the motor but it isn't "normal" either.




- Chester

[Matt Monson]

It's really a pretty simple process to remove and clean the HLA's on our engines. If your valve covers are leaky (as most of them are) there's really no excuse to avoid pulling the covers off, replacing the seals, and manually cleaning and servicing the HLA's at the same time. Shouldn't take much more than a couple of hours per side.

I've posted the procedure here several times, so if you search for it using me as the poster, you should find it.

One other thing I will mention is that on my Ej18, for example, which is a leaker and oil eater at almost 200k ticking lifters alert me to the fact that I need to top off my oil. It only happens at start up when it's cold, but EVERY time it's a quart low and I top it off and it goes away. That is one instance where ticking lifters could "harm" the engine. However it's not the lifter themselves, but the fact that they won't fully pressurize because the oil is low that would cause the harm from improper lubrication throughout the engine.

[Bdub]

I replaced/refilled my HLA's and the noise just came back a month or two later. I replaced a few and serviced the others I could sacrifice, the damn things are like $20 a piece.

I found what really got rid of the tick was running diesel grade oil in the engine. I used Valvoline super blue or something of that nature. The noise was gone shortly after the change.

[ChesterKV]

I replaced/refilled my HLA's and the noise just came back a month or two later. I replaced a few and serviced the others I could sacrifice, the damn things are like $20 a piece.

I found what really got rid of the tick was running diesel grade oil in the engine. I used Valvoline super blue or something of that nature. The noise was gone shortly after the change.

I agree with this approach since it's not enough to simply clean/replace/refurbish the lifters if the engine internals remain dirty. The gunk that's in the motor will eventually clog up the lifters again as well as the rockers and you're back to the original problem.


- Chester

[Subaru_Nation555]

I've been using Mobile 1 10W-30 every 3,000-5,000 miles for the last 45,000 miles and all was well until a couple of weeks ago. I checked the oil level and it was a tiny bit low.

Just picked up some Sea Foam and oil change stuff to see it that helps any.

[Matt Monson]

I replaced/refilled my HLA's and the noise just came back a month or two later. I replaced a few and serviced the others I could sacrifice, the damn things are like $20 a piece.

I found what really got rid of the tick was running diesel grade oil in the engine. I used Valvoline super blue or something of that nature. The noise was gone shortly after the change.

I agree with this approach since it's not enough to simply clean/replace/refurbish the lifters if the engine internals remain dirty. The gunk that's in the motor will eventually clog up the lifters again as well as the rockers and you're back to the original problem.


- Chester

I have NEVER had a lifter get dirty and clogged on me and start ticking again after a proper cleaning. Not a single time.

However, I am totally anal and if once I fill the lifter and try to compress it by hand on the bench and it fails, it goes in the trash, not back in my engine. I suspect you guys are trying to force worn out HLA's back into your engines and then blaming the junk for making them fail.

People always complain about the cost of lifters. However, you frequently see people here in the for sale forum listing complete sets of Ej22 and ej18 heads for FREE or next to free with pretty much freight only being charged. I shouldn't tell you my secrets, but I am the guy who picks up those heads. That's where I get replacement lifters from. $20 in freight gets me 16 HLA's with usually about 80% of them good useable HLA's. I also pull the cams out, send them off to Delta for a regrind and sell them off. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

[farin3]

cleaned mine in the winter and and had no tick since, mine was pretty loud could hear them driving down the highway.
replaced two and cleaned the rest. i do think cleaning the supply holes on the rocker arms helped. i used my old guitar wires to clean the channels out. knew they would come in handy!