is there a way to tell without yanking your intake off? someone told me that your car will throw a misfire code if you have a bad lifter... is this true? Any other way to tell?

 

The only sure way to know if you have bad/worn lifters is to take them out and examine them yourself.

 

you will probably get a ticking noise from it not pumping up. Depending how bad it is it could cause some poor performance.

 

What am I looking for when I take them out? When I pulled the heads off before, they looked fine. But I have this damn ticking no matter how much I adjust the valve lash.

 

are you sure its the lifter(s) and not the injectors? the way to tell if truly you have a bad lifter is by revving the car with the hood open and listening on each side of the rockers.

 

Yes, it is clearly comming from the passanger side rocker valley. I have brand new injectors in my car.

 

it does it at idle until the car is warmed up.... then only under acceleration.

 

1st things 1st, get the rockers adjusted or adjust them yourself and then check for it again, if it is a bad lifter, then just have a complete swap done because you have to take the manifold off anyways so what the heck right?

 

I have been adjusting them, and have had several people over and no one can get rid of that ticking.... That is why I'm thinking that the problem would be the lifters. I'm out of ideas of anything else.

 

I have the EXACT same problem. Isn't the injectors, (used stethoschope like crazy), its comming right from the passanger side lifter valley. And adjusting valves does little if nothing. I have not taken the intake off yet, I have a solid roller cam with some endura x lifters to go in there soon.

P.S. Let us know how you fixed the problem, 'cause the solid cam might find its way into my other motor.

 

replace them then. I suggest a new cam and lifters at the same time, yes it is expensive but it beats smacking your head against the wall whenever you hear it ticking.

 

it is a new cam/lifters/rockers/etc....

 

did you isolate exactly which rocker arm you adjust is ticking. My car did the same thing, id adjust em then not long afterwards. It would start ticking again.

Try replacing the rocker arm nut first, i've had to replace 3!! rocker arm nuts. They we're all backing off after i adjusted them, hence the ticking would return. Try that first. Dont go to autozone or pepboys, they do not sell rocker arm nuts ALONE. You'll have to go to the dealership for these. Their maybe a dollar each if i remember.

Try this method while the engine is running. If you know which rocker arm is ticking. Tighten it again, if it goes away for about 2-3 seconds. .tighten again. If the ticking comes back after about 2-3 tries, then you've found which lifter has gone bad.


hope this helps
jason

 

I thought about that... I have Roller Rockers so they have those tightening nuts on them to lock them down so they won't turn.

 

Do you have roller rockers on the car? If so you might just be hearing regular rocker noise.