Lifter Tick/ Knock

OiledMustangGT · Sep 18, 2004

Jeep 4.0L, 130k mi, 10w-40 GTX HM

It sounds like someone is taking a small hammer and hitting the top of the head when the engine is running. I think this is a sticking lifter right? it is worst after the engine warms up and it is at idle. no oil consumption

What can I run to help unstick the lifter noise. I saw some CD2 lifter addative, marvel mystery oil, and rislone stuff at walmart. I was planning on running some HD deisel Delvac 15w40 the next time i change it to see if that helps

I know about ARX, but its kinda pricey

MONKEYMAN · Sep 18, 2004

I had a 92 Mazda B2600i with noisy lifters. Tried the CD2 additive, and it did not do much. I am using Marvel Mystery Oil added about 400 miles before an oil change to clean Saturn engine with good results. I am only using 4 ozs. Some people have recommended 8 ozs. But, that is with a 4 quart capacity. In my case, the Mazda truck needed a head gasket. The gasket plugged the water jacket and baked the oil. Replaced the lifters during a rebuild. That took care of most of the problem. I feel safe using MMO in low doses or short intervals. Now I am starting to use Auto-RX in both of my current vehicles. So, I know what you mean by pricey, but it seems to be an effective long term way to clean things up.

OiledMustangGT · Sep 20, 2004

i'll try to pick up some MMO this week!

Gary Allan · Sep 20, 2004

4.0/2.5 engines are noisy anyways. This must be truly annoying.

What's your hot oil pressure, OMGT? The 4.0 doesn't get a whole lot of flow to the head like a SBC (can you say Niagra Falls?). A heavier weight might quiet it down a little. It's a shame that the 4.0 lifters can't be changed without pulling the head like the 4 banger can.

MMO may work ..A-Rx would probably do a better, albeit slower, job.

How many miles on your 4.0??

OiledMustangGT · Sep 20, 2004

130k miles

pressure normally 40-50psi
sometimes drops down to 20psi at hot idle

Gary Allan · Sep 20, 2004

This is not uncommon in this engine. You don't get to set the preload on the lifters (no adjustment on the rockers) ..they're just designed to pump up to the proper adjustment. That why, IMHO, these tend to be noisier than your average pushrod engine.

Your pressure seems fine for a stock 4.0. My OEM oil pump was lower from new (13 at hot idle, 24 cruise, and 42 cold start) ..so I threw in a HV pump. I'm unsure if it was really necessary, however.

Good luck on the clean up!

OiledMustangGT · Sep 21, 2004

what dosage should I use? like does 16oz (with new oil filter) 1,000 miles before the next oil change sound good

Gary Allan · Sep 21, 2004

There was a thread on someone who did this. JamesBrowning appears to have the right attitude about it.

the thread

OiledMustangGT · Sep 21, 2004

OiledMustangGT · Oct 3, 2004

alright I left the GTX HM in there, removed the filter and added 16oz of MMO., i ran it for a week, no apparent change

today i did a full oil change with 16oz MMO, 1 quart 10w30 syntec blend (extra i had around, hoping to thin it out a little) the rest 10W-40.

I let it run right after the change and the tick was completely gone, but as soon as i reved it up some the tick came back? though not as bad

when I peeked in the valve cover i think there was alot of carbon covering the parts in the bottom (valves i think)the springs and rockers looked fairely crud free. the drained oil also had stuff in it kinda the consistency of flake style fish food

wrangler · Oct 3, 2004

I dont't know how loud is your problem but I have a 2002 4.0 with about 20K miles on it and I can definitely hear valve chatter (especially in enclosed areas like a garage). I did check the Factory Service Manual and it seems that Gary is right, you cannot adjust the valves. I’m assuming it’s because the pushrods are not in constant contact with the rocker arms…

JimF · Oct 3, 2004

I had a similar problem about two years ago in my '94 Mercedes S500 w/ M119 V8 (5.0L) about 105k miles at that time.

I fixed by:
1) before draining the oil, I put a qt of engine flush. Ran a high idle, about 1000rpm for twenty+ minutes. The tick-tick became less and less and finally went away.
2) changed the oil: use Castrol 20W-50
3) It came back intermittantly after that so then started a Auto-RX treatment.
4)Did the standard SINGLE treatment and now add 6oz (oil capacity is 9qts) at every oil change.

No tick-tick now! For at least 1-1/2 years.

Jim

OiledMustangGT · Nov 1, 2004

UPDATE:

looks like the clicking is actually comping from my distributor cap.
i investigated this further after above mentioned tests did not do much. it took the cap off the dist and it did not look too bad, but looks like replacing it would not hurt.

looks like ill be tossing in an accel brass cap + rotor

GT Mike · Nov 7, 2004

I had the noises you described in my Jeep 4.0's too. Most of it was piston knock caused by carbon on the ring lands. GM Top Engine Cleaner fixed it every time, but it tended to come back about every 10-12K miles.

Never had much of any valve train noise in any of mine...Well nothing I'd consider abnormal. They all have some varying degree of valve train noise from what I've experienced.

Gary Allan · Nov 8, 2004

The thing is noisy anyway compared to just about anything else out there (modern engines).

The problem is that they lifter have a fixed preload from the non adjustable rocker arms. The lifters are supposed to pump up to take up the lash. The 4.0 doesn't employ a very high volume oil pumping system and tends to use oil restriction to keep the oil where they want it (the mains, etc.) the flow to the top is somewhat subdued compared to other pushrod engines. With limited flow ..that's where the first signs of varnishing and whatnot occur in these engines.

quote:

looks like the clicking is actually comping from my distributor cap.

If the clicking/ticking continues after your new cap and rotor install, I'd consider pulling the distributor and checking the gear. It's rare in late model engines ..but at one time this was a fatique point on some. There are even corrective oiling techniques to cure it.

OiledMustangGT · Jan 21, 2005

$250 later, it is fixed

i popped in the new cap. rotor and wires (about $50). it did not really help

ended up installing a new distributor which was a small fortune for the part at the local stealership @ $200. at first i installed a reman for $100 but it would not fit right, so i ended up with the dealer part

the distributor gear was 100% fine and free from wear, but the bearings (?) higher up on the distributor shaft were toasted and very sloppy allowing the rotor to move around in the housing, contacting the cap

Gary Allan · Jan 21, 2005

Thanks for the follow up! It's a shame it was so expensive.

OiledMustangGT · Jan 23, 2005

yeah. i was kinda reluctant to even spend the $100 on the reman. i was ****** off i had to go with the dealer part

although in the end i was glad my camshaft gear on the engine was still good and not all chewed up, and the tick was fixed

Lifter Tick/ Knock

Similar threads