HLA Reacurring issue. Help me.

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 11:53 pm

I sprayed brake cleaner down mine then cleaned out with air hose. Check that main oil supply oil on the one end with the rectangle broached out of it.

Florin1 · Post by **Florin1** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 12:22 am

on the head or the shaft?

Post by **Legacy777** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:40 am

Yeah, cleaning out things with brake cleaner won't hurt anything.

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:54 am

on the shaft. it's a fairly tiny hole.

Florin1 · Post by **Florin1** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:35 am

Ok i did it this morning. See how long it takes before it comes back...

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:53 am

you find any blockages?

Florin1 · Post by **Florin1** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:25 pm

Buffman wrote:you find any blockages?

Not sure if i did. I pulled the rockers off the shaft and cleaned each one with brake cleaner/air hose, and same with the shaft. I bled every one of the lifters again. I also cleaned the oil passages on the head (just with air). I stuck the brake cleaner straw up the oil passage hole and it felt kind of "grabby" so i kept working it in and out. So if that was a restriction i hope to have broken it up... I'm on my second day of driving now and its still good, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed. Here is what a member from nasioc told me to do, maybe it will help somebody, although i dont have an oil pressure guage. "Florin,

I don't have a legacy central account, or i'd log in there and post for you, but, here's my answers:

The HLA's are controled and fed by hydraulic oil pressure. When they begin to make noise it is becuase of one of two reasons. They are either not getting enough oil pressure and thus fill with air, or are actually physically stuck down.

It sounds like you have replaced the HLAs with new/different ones, so that pretty well rules out the possibility of a physically stuck lifter.

The assumption now would be that you have an oil pressure supply issue to the lifters. This can come from several sources.

In the rocker shafts there are a series of small oil feed holes (it looks like you've had these apart already) and it is possible to get some material lodged in any one of those holes becuase they are so small. Just use some brake clean and some compressed air to blow through the holes to clean them out. They will re-pressureize with oil pretty quick after starting.

Another common issue is from the oil pump itself. There is a plate on the back of the oil pump that can begin to come loose, wich will limit the amount of oil pressure it can build, and will usually cause the lifters on the upper portions of the rocker arms to starve from oil. This is easy to identify with an oil pressure gauge. (You can tap an oil pressure gauge in at the front of the engine under the alternator, there is an oil pressure switch there you can remove and put the pressure gauge in there)

I think that covers your options. I'd start by checking your oil pressure.

After all is said and done, it will likely still tick for a short time. Drive it at high rpm for a mile or two (sometimes more) and it will keep the oil pressure high enough for long enough that the lifters will eventually pump up.

Good luck!
Dan"

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:12 am

You can always use some motor flush if you suspect any sludge. Gunk and Chemtool are safe flushes when used according to directions.

brweber352 · Post by **brweber352** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:01 pm

I've run seafoam in the crankcase oil before to help clean things up, i'd follow the instructions on the bottle. It's best to do it right before an oil change and only drive it for like 50-100miles because the oil will be thinner and not protect as well. If you had the rocker assembly off and cleaned it, it should be good to go.

Good luck, Brian

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:48 pm

seafoam is not that strong of a cleaner. It will burn off the oil well before it becomes an issue with thinning the oil. it has a relativel low flashpoint, that oil temps far exceed...

Here's teh hole on mine that was blocked.

ChickN · Post by **ChickN** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:13 am

Interesting....Now for the high jack... I believe that my 94 ls has developed the same problem....i just got a rocker arm assembly from the junk yard....now just to clear up some newbness...are the HL portion on the rockers supposed to be easy or impossible to press in by hand???...2 of my orig. HLA's on the left side are very soft....the rest are rock hard....I hate clicking!

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:44 pm

they're supposed to be easy to press in the rocker by hand or a tad bit of force. The little end on the HLA needs to be firm. If they're soft and spongy they need to be bleed.

ChickN · Post by **ChickN** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:30 pm

sorry guys...valve train is new to me...how do you bleed them?

ChickN · Post by **ChickN** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:42 pm

Never mind...i read and i found....amazing how that works...haha!!!...is there write up on this....seems like alot of people have the close to the same problem with their HLA's.....

Buffman · Post by **Buffman** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:36 pm

there's a quick write up somewhere, not sure where.

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HLA Reacurring issue. Help me.