Question : Ticking ;ifter

[Fieroking]

So I was driving my Fiero to the dyno the other day (very warm out) I didn't know that cooling fan was inop. The car didn't overheat (boil over) but she was warm. However when I got there I could hear a lifter ticking. I did some tuning on the car and the ticking went away. Then I did an high rpm show off run to a fellow Fiero guy. This brought back the tick very loudly. I found the fan problem and fixed it. I drove home and had the tick all the way home. The next day I started the car and the tick went away. Now I only hear ticking on startup for less than 2 seconds.

My question is do I need to replace lifters? Or does this happen then it clears up?

Any ones thoughts are appreciated

Joe Sokol

[jmgtp]

I had the same thing years ago. After a hard run on a hot engine the lifters would make loud tapping noise which would go away after a few minutes. I switched over to snythetic oil and haven't had a problem since. If you're running conventional oil I'd give synthetic a try before replacing the lifters.

[HayesPerformance]

Thats what I did too. I now run Royal Purple and there is no lifter ticking.

Also something that really helps is GM's Lifter/engine supplement for sticking/ticking lifters.

[60dgrzbelow0]

This blog covers a Fiero Owner with similar symptoms (but worse than yours...and I'm not certain about the match in motors with your engine) I was just wondering if the ticking (low oil pressure) might be a pre-cursor to these bigger issues. The OP in this gives a good deal of information:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.autos.fiero/browse_thread/thread/8c9d723395d33b0b

[hok666]

I had a problem with ticking last week so I changed the oil 2quarts down: damm infamous oil leak!!! anyway it runs fine now no ticking. I'm going to add CD2 to the oil in a week or so...

[3400-95-Modified]

put in solids... lol

[hok666]

@3400-95-Modified
Solids???

[3400-95-Modified]

Solid lifters... no more hydraulic tick. I was joking, hence the lol

[hok666]

eh... doesn't matter... I had know idea what you were talking about, but know I do

[Fieroking]

Think I got it Fixed!!!

So after repairing the fan wiring and getting the radiator ducting fixed. I bought 6 quarts of Royal Purple and a new filter. I drove the car to Spokane (80 miles total) and back in 90 degree + heat. So far not a tick out of the engine.

Hopefully those problems are solved ( fingers crossed )

Thanks for the reply's

Joe Sokol

[60dgrzbelow0]

Fieroking... Cool Beenz...

But watch the use of the Royal Purple... If its the flavor that has the ZINC and other metal strengthening attributes.. in time, these elements will coat your O2 sensors and and the Platinum screen in your catalytic converter... and the ECM/PCM will start throwing error codes...

[Fieroking]

Interesting

Thanks for the info I will watch for that problem

Joe Sokol

[Octavarium454]

Hey the lifter tick is little to be concerned about as long as you know your engine is running at a normal temp and you are good on oil. I had this happen on a rebuild and I concluded it was caused by the grease I used to hold the lifters in the carriers when I flipped them over. Eventually the grease disinigrated and the ticking disappeared. All your problem probably is is a spec of dust or something clogging the oil passage inside the lifter. Like I said it is nothing to be concerned about. Eventually it should pass and the lifter knock will disappear.

[jmgtp]

eh, I'd venture to disagree with the above.

We aren't talking about rebuilds here that have assembly lube in the. At least in my experience, and it looks like Hayes too, the lifter tick became evident after a hard run and would go away within a few minutes after. Synthetic oil was a cure-all for this condition - not time. I do agree that it isn't much to be concerned about, just annoying to hear. I have about 40k more on the motor since I made the synthetic switch and haven't ever had lifter tick since then whereas before it would tick anytime after a hard run.

[Octavarium454]

True, true. But if anything it is nothing he should freak out about, but just watch to make sure it doesn't become a true problem (which is unlikely). Like you said run the synthetic or I don't know about anyone else but I went to a heavier oil (10W-30) than the 5W-30 it is supposed to take and got rid of a majority of the noise.