Valve lifter that is leaking down? What to use?

[Dashmuff]

Hey guys I am new here so bear with me

I have a 1976 Ford F-150 that I just put a rebuilt engine in. I bought the rebuilt engine from a local rebuilder who supplies all the engines for CSK. It was a longblock. It is a Ford 360 cubic inch FE motor, just a stock replacement, no hotrodding here.

The #4 cylinder valve lifters are making a tock-tock noise, it starts a few seconds after I start the engine, then the noise continues for a couple minutes or until I start driving. Once I get it driving, the noise goes away. Then if I turn off the engine for a while, the noise will come back next time I start it.

When I did the engine break-in there was metal dust and stuff like that from breaking in the engine. After much discussion with other Ford guys and listening with a stethescope, I am pretty sure that one of the lifters is leaking down, maybe because of some metal dust or other stuff that found its way into the lifter. So, the oil in the lifter is leaking down and when I start the engine, it takes some revving to get the lifter pumped back up... Then it works fine again. That is what I THINK is happening.

So, my question is, would any additive help flush the debris out of the lifter and get it working right again, or is that just not likely?

I was thinking maybe marvel mystery oil, or maybe trying this Auto RX stuff, but I dunno. They used some kind of thick assembly lube to coat certain parts so I was thinking, maybe some of that got into the lifter? I'm thinking if it's metal particles in there, I don't have much chance of getting them out... but I don't know.

Also the engine only has about 50 miles on it (including the break-in), some people have told me to put some more miles on it and maybe the noise will go away... Some say the lifter might just be really tight because it's new and maybe it will wear in / break in and work right.

What do you guys think?

By the way the engine runs great and other than the noise coming and going, it's all great. I hate to think about tearing it down to replace or clean a lifter when it works so well. It was my grandpa's truck passed down to me, and this was my first engine swap, so it's a sentimental thing too.

 

[ewetho]

Replace the lifter

 

[unDummy]

Use the warranty and replace the engine!

 

[Rick20]

If it is assembly lube and trapped wear metals from breaking, it is likely that Auto-Rx will work.

 

[mechtech]

Since the lifter responds by pumping up and down every time you start it, it is therefore not sticking because of debris.
It has excessive clearance, or a bad internal valve, spring, or seat.
Engines usually stop on their own at the same place, beccause of minor variances in compression and friction.
Yours may have full valve spring pressure on the lifter when stopped, and cause it to leak down fast.
So, live with it or get a new one. It is also possible that the lifter is at it's end of it's adjustment, and needs a longer pushrod or rocker adjustment, to get it at it's middle of travel when cold.

 

[Rickey]

Itallian tune up: hold 'er wide open in low gear (just below redline)'till she blows or the lifter clears, uphill preferred. Its under warranty, seriously if it was mine I would do just that. If its a well built engine no harm will be obtained. If its not well built....

 

[Gary Allan]

Pull the valve cover on the offending side. See if the oil flow is indeed restricted or reduced out of that one pushrod. I'm not familiar with that engine, so I don't know if it has a rocker arm shaft or individual stud rocker arms that can be adjusted. It's unlikely to be a problem with the adjustment if it happens on a cold start. I don't know if you can fish the lifters out of the pushrod hole like on older SBC's.

I'll assume that you've changed the oil a couple of times.

I'd try Auto-Rx and see if it can remove this type of debris.

If you want to try MMO, go ahead. Just do it right before your going to change it (a few days). See if the thinning nature of the addition alters either how loud or how long the noise lasts.

Good luck.

 

[Lazy JW]

I have heard numerous reports recently of poor quality lifters. Seems as though most of the available hydraulic lifters are being made offshore. The only solution is replacement.
Joe

 

[unDummy]

Try a different oil at your next oil change. If using a 30wt, try a 40wt. If using a 40wt, try a 30wt. And, use the Motorcraft oil filter(or other quality one).