Engine ticking - does ATF oil really work?

[Mike_H]

I've had noisy lifters for a year - so I put a quart of Rislone in my engine and that stopped the ticking - but then once I changed my oil the ticking returned.

I also have been driving like a maniac, now that I live in a huge city, and my ticking remains.

I am curious as to how to actually fix this myself; @Ranger_b0b, I am confused, if one of my lifters is collapsed, I don't understand how trying to add a detergent to my engine will repair my lifter (already tried Rislone a while ago)?

The lifter has a spring in it, so it still moves. The problem is that if you put any pressure on it, the oil doesn't stay put, and it cannot resist the forces from the valve. By running a cleaner through it, you are hoping to dislodge whatever might be keeping the check ball from closing and restore the function of the valve.

 

[Kyle_W]

The lifter has a spring in it, so it still moves. The problem is that if you put any pressure on it, the oil doesn't stay put, and it cannot resist the forces from the valve. By running a cleaner through it, you are hoping to dislodge whatever might be keeping the check ball from closing loose and restore the function of the valve.

Ok gotcha! Thanks.

Have you personally ever used Rislone? Or what would you suggest I use?

Thanks!


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[Mike_H]

No, I haven't used that product. I think I mentioned earlier that I used diesel fuel to clean my valvetrain on an old Grand Am with the 3.1L in it. Drained a quart of oil from the pan, poured a quart of diesel in.

 

[Kyle_W]

No, I haven't used that product. I think I mentioned earlier that I used diesel fuel to clean my valvetrain on an old Grand Am with the 3.1L in it. Drained a quart of oil from the pan, poured a quart of diesel in.

Thanks! Then after 10 minutes you drained your oil?


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[Mike_H]

Yeah, drained it, refilled with cheap oil and new filter. Ran it again for a bit (couple days) then changed the oil and filter back to what I normally run. It worked like a charm.

 

[Kyle_W]

Yeah, drained it, refilled with cheap oil and new filter. Ran it again for a bit (couple days) then changed the oil and filter back to what I normally run. It worked like a charm.

Funny, I literally just put brand new oil in my Jeep.

I assume that it won't hurt anything to just wait until it's time to change my oil again, then perform the procedure that you performed?


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[Mike_H]

Probably not...but remember, every time you hear a click, that lifter is getting smashed. If its been doing it a long time, you might just need to replace them anyway

 

[Bird]

I personally can't tolerate the ticking.
On a older 350 of mine, i actually used kerosene to flush the engine followed by tightening the rocker " a little to much " which ended up sending my pushrod through the rocker arm,through the valve cover and up through the hood, perfect bullet hole.
Hope you get this resolved soon
I k

 

[Kyle_W]

Probably not...but remember, every time you hear a click, that lifter is getting smashed. If its been doing it a long time, you might just need to replace them anyway

Well I don't understand. When my engine warms up, the ticking goes away?

Wouldn't it be ticking 24/7 if it's blocked up like you said?


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[Mike_H]

Hmm...That sounds like a different problem...Like your not getting full oil pressure until its warmed up. Have you checked your oil pressure when cold? Remember when I said that you can get ticking if you're low on oil? I guess if its too thick, or your oil pump is weak, it might not push the thick oil around enough, with the result that the lifters are not getting oil. Once it warms up and thins down a bit, its starts to work? I dunno...multi viscosity oil is supposed to be the same "weight" warm and cold.

Sorry, I can't help any more.

 

[bobthetj03]

Could it be a cracked exhaust manifold? When it warms up the metal expanse and the tick goes away?

 

[Kyle_W]

@Ranger_b0b and @bobthetj03, I think that the ticking is indeed from the oil not reaching the right viscosity until my engine finally warms up. However, in addition, recently I have noticed that when i'm driving down the road the ticking comes and goes, as if, yes its gummed up or something and sometimes gets stuck and sometimes frees itself. I am not sure how it could be the exhaust manifold, but I would like to know your thought process? As I am young and learning!

My lifters started ticking a few years ago - but didn't think much of it because it always went away when my engine warmed up.

Now though, as I stated, it has gotten worse recently, and coincidentally ya'll have explained that this is not a good phenomena, which leads me to want to fix this issue.

Since this has been going on for years, I really don't know if I have catastrophically damaged my lifters as well as my camshaft? Which, I am still trying to figure out through research how your camshaft can be damaged during this process.

I also am still trying to learn as to what harm a stuck lifter(s) can do to your engine? I just imagine, off the top of my head, that it has more to do with your actual lifters and the intake / exhaust process?

Regardless of my questions, it is evident after reading up on this that this is not something to ignore. I have to drive to work for the next 4 days, but this weekend can drive up to my Grandfathers to change out my camshaft and lifters. Is that the best course of action at the moment? I only am trying to figure this out on the fly because I would need to order a new camshaft and lifters because auto stores don't just carry that on their shelves.

 

[Mike_H]

Camshaft should be fine. I don't know for sure, but I'd assume the lifters are roller lifters, meaning they have a hardened wheel that runs on the camshaft lobes. Its the valves seating heavy that could be a problem, but only with slightly increased wear. The biggest drawback is that you're not getting quite as much lift as you should if the lifter is collapsing. I wouldn't worry too much about it, at this point. If its been doing it for 4 years, a couple more weeks isn't going to hurt. Its gonna be a weekend's worth of work to change out lifters.

Have you tried just cleaning them like we talked about? Might start there. Its cheap and easy...if it works, Great, you don't have to spend a bunch of money. If it doesn't, you're only out a hour or so and 30 bucks for an oil change.

 

[Kyle_W]

Camshaft should be fine. I don't know for sure, but I'd assume the lifters are roller lifters, meaning they have a hardened wheel that runs on the camshaft lobes. Its the valves seating heavy that could be a problem, but only with slightly increased wear. The biggest drawback is that you're not getting quite as much lift as you should if the lifter is collapsing. I wouldn't worry too much about it, at this point. If its been doing it for 4 years, a couple more weeks isn't going to hurt. Its gonna be a weekend's worth of work to change out lifters.

Have you tried just cleaning them like we talked about? Might start there. Its cheap and easy...if it works, Great, you don't have to spend a bunch of money. If it doesn't, you're only out a hour or so and 30 bucks for an oil change.

Well that was the opposite side of the extreme that I thought about doing: get cheap 10W-30 oil, drain out my brand new Valvoline Max Life oil, put in the cheap oil with ATF fluid, drive to work and back, then drain the oil out, put in more cheap 10W-30 oil and ATF fluid, next day drive to work and back, then drain out the 2nd batch of oil, filter out my Valvoline oil for good measure, and pour it back into my Jeep, and swap out my oil filter, and hope that all of that cleaned out my lifters / lifter bores.

If my lifters continue to tick, then I guess I will set aside a weekend to change out my camshaft and lifters!

However, I still do not understand what causes lifters to get shaved down and mushroomed out, that requires them to be replaced in the first place?

 

[Kyle_W]

Just put a quart of Rislone in my Jeep - I am curious as to how long I should run it before I change my oil again? A few hundred miles is what I imagine?

 

[Andy5150]

I'm still curious about the video of the guy changing lifters without removing the head. My lifters have been ticking for years, and the only thing that quiets them is She'll Rotella 15/40, and even then, only for about 2000 miles. I'm going to pull the valve cover, and see if I can access the lifters.

 

[Kyle_W]

I'm still curious about the video of the guy changing lifters without removing the head. My lifters have been ticking for years, and the only thing that quiets them is She'll Rotella 15/40, and even then, only for about 2000 miles. I'm going to pull the valve cover, and see if I can access the lifters.

I read of a guy who basically put a dowel in the shaft that's above his camshaft's shaft, to hold up all of the pushrods / lifters, slid out his old camshaft, put in his new one, put his new lifters in their slots, then took the dowel out, listening that all lifters fell into place.

Is that what you are talking about?

I feel you. My engine has been ticking FOREVER. Now that I know it's a real problem, I am trying to fix it.

 

[Mike_H]

I'm still curious about the video of the guy changing lifters without removing the head. My lifters have been ticking for years, and the only thing that quiets them is She'll Rotella 15/40, and even then, only for about 2000 miles. I'm going to pull the valve cover, and see if I can access the lifters.

Well, if its an overhead Cam engine, you can do it...but they aren't lifters, technically. With an overhead cam, the lash adjusters (lifters) are in the head. With a pushrod engine, they are in the block, below the head. I can't think of any possible way to change the lifters in a pushrod engine (like the 4.0L) without removing the head.

 

[Kyle_W]

Well, if its an overhead Cam engine, you can do it...but they aren't lifters, technically. With an overhead cam, the lash adjusters (lifters) are in the head. With a pushrod engine, they are in the block, below the head. I can't think of any possible way to change the lifters in a pushrod engine (like the 4.0L) without removing the head.

What about with the method I just described? I can't find the original thread of where I found this method.

 

[Blade]

What about with the method I just described? I can't find the original thread of where I found this method.

I changed the lifters on my TJ a few months ago and the only way to do it is by removing the head. I don't see how the method you described would work. I'd like to see that cuz it was a boat load of work to do the way I did it.