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Bad lifter(s)- how does it affect how the engine runs?

9K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Mentosman42 
#1 ·
So my lifter situation never cleared up- ticks very loudly for at least 15-20 minutes after a cold start, and about 5-10 minutes every start-up after that. So I have to replace them, no doubt about it. I'm broke right now, so it's not happening for a while yet- how does it affect the engine by having a couple bad lifters?

I notice that the car is kind of sluggish/not real smooth while cold (and when the lifters are making a racket) after it warms up, and the lifters get quiet again, the car feels great. Wondering maybe if the lifter tick was loud enough to fool the knock sensors enough to pull timing? Or will a stuck lifter cause the valve to not extend/retract fully?

Thanks-
Brendan
 
#2 ·
Bad lifters can limit the amount of valve lift, but will not affect the valve closing. Not sure if they would trigger the knock sensors.
If the car isn't your DD, you could take the lifters out and try to disassemble and clean them. There is a how-to floating around the internet for VW, but same lifters. Here is a PDF similar one to the one I saw:

Cleaning Hydro Lifters

Have you tried changing your oil type and/or weight?
 
#3 ·
I've thought about that cleaning procedure, I have it saved on my home computer actually and It's what I'm going to do on my VR6 head that I am rebuilding. But the CQ is my daily so I could probably do it in a weekend but I'd rather not risk it. ;)

Actually maybe I will go ahead and do the 12v ones first and see how it goes, if I am confident that I can do 20 of them in a weekend maybe I will. :) I guess it's the only real way to find out if it makes a difference in how it runs. Taking off the fuel rail and intake manifold is a pain though.

Edit: forgot to mention, I'm running Mobil-1 15w-50.

Thanks!
Brendan
 
#4 ·
just did the lifters in my MC1 and i would say just replace them. i pulled the lifters from the motor and they had ~110,000 miles and they were NOT making any noise and when i got them out they were very very soft. with the old lifters i was able to press them down a bit in the lifter bore without the valve moving, the 034 lifters i got would not compress like that and any movement you got in the lifter actually moved the valve.

and that is without them being pressurized, the reason they make noise for the first 10-15 mins is because each lifter bore has oil passages and the lifters also do so it takes a while for the lifters to get the oil up to them and get them pressurized. the new lifters i put in ticked for like 20 mins and then it stopped and i havnt heard them since.
 
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