Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter

Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/13/11 09:24 PM

For too long I've had a noisy hyd lifter in the old boat anchor (LA 318), and it's about time to swap it out. Seems to be coming from bank one, sounds like cyl 3 or 5.

What is your best method for picking out the faulty lifter? I have a full set of brand new lifters here I can choose from, but I'd rather be certain I find the culprit while I am in there. I do get some noise on cold starts, once it's warm it sings like a bird.

Thanks

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/13/11 10:04 PM

Take off the valve cover. Have assistant fire the engine, quickly insert a .010 feeler gauge tween valve stem and rocker--when you do it to the collapsed lifter the clack clack will immediately stop.

Messy though!

I think you can fish lifters out with a magnet on a SB (I know you can on a BB) so changing them isn't much work.

Posted By: Leadfoot

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/13/11 10:06 PM

I honestly don't know. But why the hesitation on replacing them all since you have full a set(of lifters)?

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/13/11 10:27 PM

While idling push straight down on each rocker arm w a wooden hammer handle on the pushrod end & it'll quiet the offender. Your psi is good right?

Posted By: GARAGEMAN

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/13/11 10:43 PM

You wiil have the top apart.Change them all not that more money. Who knows you may change one and in a week you may have another one clacking.Then you got it to do all over again. thats my luck

Posted By: buildanother

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 12:47 AM

First, check for any rockers that have alot of clearance between shaft and upper pivot area of rocker itself. There are many that have a fair amount of clearance when new, but there are also some that wear out. If the rockers are worn bad, it would be a waste of time and dough to replace lifters then. I have been known to replace a questionable lone noisy lifter with one out of a used box of goodies under the bench.

You did say old 318 right?

Posted By: GoodysGotaCuda

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 01:03 AM

Quote:

I honestly don't know. But why the hesitation on replacing them all since you have full a set(of lifters)?

Fear of wiping the cam out really..

I'm in no hurry to do anything. If I change two at a time on that bank it's fine with me, assuming they can be fished out? I don't recall..or at most one bank at a time.

The motor has low oil pressure. Hot idle is 15, max hot is 40 (from 3000+). It's about had enough of me driving it, but the thing keeps on going. I'm looking to just keep it as is but lose the lifter noise. I have another short block here, but I really rather keep the 318 running until I'm through with it.

Thats the hesitation for all of them, tick is not worth the engine going south (..."right now")

Posted By: Leadfoot

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 02:29 AM

I don't think you're going to be able to fish them out. Grab a wrench and a 12 pack. Once inside it's a lot easier to tell which one is clicking.

Posted By: wally426ci

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 02:48 AM

Use an extendable Magnet. works great to get them out once the rocker shaft is out of the way.

I thought that I heard that its ok to switch to new lifters, just not old lifters on new cam?

Posted By: GoodysGotaCuda

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 03:16 AM

Alright, I went ahead and pulled the intake . I have one that is downright dead. Another is pretty easy to give up.

I have four that I can move about an 1/8" just by pushing down on it. Figuring those should go as well, the motor last ran about 3 hours ago and they've let up that much. Yes?

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 03:30 AM

Any that you would replace you'd want to go thru the cam breakin procedure so If you're planning on doing all of them but only several at a time if I'm reading that right

you might consider doing all of em at the same time & therefore 1 breakin & unless it's on it's last leg I'd toss in a Summitt cam along w em

Posted By: GoodysGotaCuda

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/14/11 09:59 PM

After further review I'm going to go ahead and swap them all out.

Waiting on some intake gaskets, apparently nobody out here works on a LA Chrysler engine. According to parts store inventory.

Posted By: donbarnes

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/15/11 02:37 AM

It takes patience, but on LA you can actually swap them out by snaking them out the distributor hole with a magnet. Had just done new paint and detail on my motor and ended up changing out a whole set of new Comp lifters

that failed immediately because the inside bores were too tight and the plungers stuck- all without pulling the intake

Posted By: GoodysGotaCuda

Re: Best method for isolating a noisy hydraulic lifter - 02/15/11 02:39 AM

Quote:

It takes patience, but on LA you can actually swap them out by snaking them out the distributor hole with a magnet. Had just done new paint and detail on my motor and ended up changing out a whole set of new Comp lifters that failed immediately because the inside bores were too tight and the plungers stuck- all without pulling the intake

Yeesh! That would be a pain alright!

Hopefully this is my last set of flat tappets for a little while. If I can ever get to my magnum 360 and my set of roller hyd lifters...it'd be nice (not to say they won't fail though)