• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Lifter tap at cold start help..


toms.abpg

New Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2018
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Points
1
Location
alexandria louisiana
Vehicle Year
1996
Make / Model
ford
Transmission
Manual
Ill make this short as possible, iy swapped the entire engine in this truck with one from a wrecking yard last year. It runs perfect. When i start it up after sitting for a couple days it has a pretty noticable lifter tap for about 2 or 3 seconds. Its done this since i swapped the engine. It has 5-30w synthetic in it and a stp filter. Motor only has 150k. Any recommendations? I live in louisiana so it stays warm. Heavier oil?
 


PetroleumJunkie412

Official TRS EV Taunter
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
7,826
Reaction score
6,565
Points
113
Location
Dirtman's Basement
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.
Lucas Oil Stabilizer

It sticks to everything. Should fix it.
 

Dirtman

Former Middleweight Moss Fighting Champion
Joined
May 28, 2018
Messages
19,304
Reaction score
13,326
Points
113
Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
If you leave it sit for a bit you can "re-prime" the oil pump by holding the gas pedal to the floor and crank the engine. (It wont start with the pedal down, the computer shuts off the fuel injectors. it's called clear flood mode)

Crank it like this for 5-6 seconds and then release the pedal. Engine will fire up and oil should have been pre pumped up to the cylinder head.

Or yea, just dump some additive in it... wont hurt a 2.3 lima to thicken up the oil a bit.
 
Last edited:

mikkelstuff

Well-Known Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Messages
603
Reaction score
467
Points
63
Location
Brighton, CO
Vehicle Year
2002
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
I've found Marvel Mystery Oil to help those sticky lifters.
 

tomw

Well-Known Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
1,613
Reaction score
46
Points
48
Location
toenails of foothills NW of Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
ford
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
lima bean
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
vertical and above ground
You don't have sticky lifters, you have leaky lifters. The check valve is not sealing, or the lifter internal parts have a bit more clearance, and either or both will allow leakdown over time. It is normal. It won't hurt anything.
If you insist, you can do some of the above tricks to disable the injectors and/or perhaps place a switch on the relay power side or the power to the ignition module to disable spark, etc etc etc etc etc.
I would ignore it. I have a tap that comes and goes, depending on how long between running the engine, and which cylinder happens to have a valve open when I stop.
I would sooner have lifters that were a bit too loose internally, and tapped now and again, than lifters that were too tight, and held the valve off its seat... causing the valve to burn up and cause more problems.
I'd suggest leaving it alone, starting more frequently, or removing the offending lifter and replacing it with new. You might find that a new lifter has the same problem, you never know. You can remove them and apply external pressure to simulate a valve spring, and test how long they take to collapse, and how much pressure they withstand before collapse, but it's easier just to ignore, or remove clean and re-install, or replace with new.
The oil viscosity likely won't have much effect as the leakdown is so slow and over such a long period of time.
tom,
 

rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
12,260
Reaction score
7,270
Points
113
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
Coming from a 2.9 owner.....

I wouldnt worry about it.

Even the owners manual says lifter noise is normal after extended shutdowns.
 

Shran

Junk Collector
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
Solid Axle Swap
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
8,636
Reaction score
4,702
Points
113
Location
Rapid City SD
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
My rebuilt 2.3 developed a lifter noise about 10k in... only for a second or two on cold startups. Heavier oil has helped a lot. I run 10w30 instead of 5w in the winter and will sometimes substitute one quart of 15w-40 with that oil change... in the summer I run 10w40 with two quarts of 15w40 or one 20w-50, whichever I have on hand.

Everything Tom said was spot on, great advise, and I would second the suggestion to more or less ignore it. I would only be worried if I had a lifter tap that didn't go away and/or was present after the engine warms up. 4.0's in particular seem prone to that, but I've "fixed" a couple of them by running a quart of diesel fuel in the oil for a half hour or so at idle right before an oil change. I suspect it breaks up carbon or varnish that causes them to stick.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top