Collapsed Lifter ?
 

I'm getting a tick from the #1 Intake Rocker.

I pulled the valve cover off and noticed, with the engine running, that the other rockers are oozing oil... but not #1 Intake. So, I loosened up the poly lock to zero lash and oil started gushing out the pushrod and rocker hole... more than the others when I adjusted them later. As soon as I began to load #1 Intake the oil stopped.

Normally, it is set to zero lash with the engine running then turn 180* clockwise to load the lifter. As soon as I turned the poly lock 10*, oil stopped oozing from the pushrod and rocker hole.

Also, the engine has a rhythmic slight roughness.

Is this the sign of a bad lifter?

The engine company who machined the block said to swap rockers and pushrods to see if the problem moves to the swapped cylinder. If oil is coming out at zero lash, and stops when under load... I don't think swapping rockers and pushrods is going to change the result... right?

The engine was just machined and rebuilt. The other cylinders are oozing as normal at idle and squirt when revved.

The #1 kind of squirts when revved, but only about 1 inch.

How do you know it's from #1? Couldn't it be from practically any on the same side? If the lifter had an issue, you should be able to tell a difference from another lifter by applying pressure on the pushrod. Does that pushrod feel different than another pushrod?

Adjustment process.
 

What process did you use to adjust the valve in question? Some lifter manufacturers recommend a very small pre-load.

After removing the valve cover on the driver's side, I noticed that all of the rockers were oozing oil out of the spit hole except #1 Intake. It was dry.

With the engine running, I loosened the poly lock and returned the nut to zero lash... where the pushrod makes noise due to the slop then I hand tighten (gently clockwise) until the play firms up.

At this point, oil is gushing from #1 Intake at zero lash.

Then, I put 180* to load the lifters and tighten the poly locks. As I begin to apply load by turning the rocker nut clockwise, oil stops coming from the rocker spit hole.

I was reading Shbox's website on adjusting valves.

On part says that it should be at zero lash, then 1/4 turn, then lock the nut.

Another section says 1/2 to 3/4 turn after zero lash is good for stock lifters.

I set them to 1/2 after zero lash with the engine running.

Either way, the oil is still a problem on #1 Intake.

Speedy - I will check pushrod feel tonight. I'll pull off the rocker that I'm swapping with to see if the scope pattern follows. At that time I'll push down on the pushrod and see if they are both "springy".

Also, on a running engine valve adjustment, is it 1/4 turn or 1/2 turn for pre-load?

Directly from Comp Cams:

Through various testing we have discovered that lifter preload should be set between .030” to .040” or ½ to ¾ a turn of the wrench past zero for optimal performance.

shown here
http://www.compcams.com/v002/Instruc.../COMP4-116.pdf

Maybe the difference on Shbox's site is with the engine running and static. I believe the 1/2 by Comp Cams is for a static engine preload. Thanks Speedy.

I did swap the rocker and push rod from the #1 Intake to the #3 Intake rocker and push rod. The #1 still didn't have any oil after the swap coming from the rocker spit hole. It didn't ooze oil like the rest but spit drops of oil about 4".

I checked both push rods and examined the inside. The inside was clean and I could see through easily. I pushed a wad of paper through from one side to the other to clean the push rods then re-examined the inside of the push rods. They were both clean and then reinstalled.

I'm suspecting the lifter is the cause for low oil from the #1 Intake rocker spit valve. Is that possible? Likely?

I performed some tests last night.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4056911...12041/sizes/l/
This is a Vacuum Waveform Test. It allows me to see how each cylinder breathes In/Ex. You can see the short wave indicating Cylinder #1, and the lack of vacuum is from the Intake not opening like the rest. Speedy was asking earlier how I knew it was the #1 Intake... here it is.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/4056911...12123/sizes/l/
This is a Cylinder Time Balance Test. Cylinder #1 is not firing anywhere near the other cylinders. Ideally, they should all be in the center, but the other cylinders are compensating for #1.

Also, #1 Intake Rocker spit hole is somewhat dry unless you rev the engine, then it will launch droplets about 2' compared to the rest. This indicates a potential obstruction.

Oil psi is 60 at idle. I'm wondering if the rear plug was inserted in the oil galley after machining... if not I'm bypassing the filter... hence debris in the oil galley, now the lifter.

The #1 Rocker and pushrod was swapped with #3... no change either with vacuum or with oil from the spit hole.

Suspect:
1) Obstruction in the oil galley to #1 intake lifter... need LT1 Oil Galley Map?
2) Defective new lifter in #1 intake
3) Worn cam lobe... new cam grind from Comp Cams... not likely, but possible

Pushrod feel - Both #1 and #3 Intake felt the same. Pushed down onto the lifter, both were firm. Pushrods were clean on the inside, no obstructions.

That's a great tool to have :)

Did you ever resolve the problem?

A lot of us get a problem of lifter tick on certain valves. I always suspected it was caused by oil passage restriction to the lifter. I guess that's just too tight an area in the castings. The snap on tool points out really well that the lifter is slightly collasped. Wonder if this has been tracked down further as well.

One thing worth trying if you have the intake off is just blowing compressed air into the lifter hole and see if that helps (throw a rag over it so you don't wind up getting an oil shower). With the intake on I tried blowing compressed air into the pushrod which should blow all the way through the lifter as well, but my compressor isn't very strong so didn't seem to help.

Hal