valve chatter

[the_professor]

how do i fix valve chatter?

[Boogieman142]

Valve chatter huh, well, on the 3.0 the valve tick is usually caused by a lash adjuster.

[roguetrip]

u can try one way with the lash adjusters, you need to run the engine at 3k for about 30seconds or so, then let off, and do it about 4 or 5 more times but this only seems to be temporary fix (like up to a week or so), i've also heard others that pull out he lifters and clean them out and prefill with oil and that seems to work also

[Boogieman142]

u run marvelmystery oil, it cleans them.

[lookin]

Now I have a noisy lash adjuster, for the first time, and it began after changing my oil to Valvoline Maxlife synthetic today. I was using plain old Valvoline synthetic.

I am assuming this is related to the oil.

Could it be that the Maxlife seal conditioners has caused this?

Doesn't Maxlife rely on ester to condition seal material?

Doesn't ester clean quite a bit also? So could some newly "liberated" gunk, coating the valve guide seals, have gotten into one of the lash adjusters and or obstructed a small galley a little?


So which of the following should I do?

A. Tear off the valve covers and replace all the lash adjusters?

B. Quit worrying, and just take it for a good 2500 -3000 rpm cruise to clean them out?

C. Ruin my new oil and filter with a dose of Marvel Mystery Oil or some such cleaner?

D. Drive the damn van off the nearest cliff, because nobody likes me here anyway, and it will be one less stupid semi riced out minivan to make everybody want to puke?


Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[Ondonti]

That rpm trick doesnt work. Im pretty sure that trick only works for DOHC lifters and they are nothing like sohc lifters.

The only thing that worked for me was removing the lifters, cleaning them out in gasoline (or diesel or keroseen preferably) etc.
Its a pain in the but to clean them cause you need to stick somethign skinny inside the hole to release the check valve so you can get the crap out of the inside.
I usually take a small allen wrench and then just push on the allen wrench into the hold until the whole lifter collapses and then just do that over and over until I can compress the lifter completely by hand without it feeling like it is sticking. Then you should pump them in kerosene or diesel without pushing the check valve so the will fill up again. This prevents them from being super noisey when you first start up the engine again. Empty lifters are not happy lifters.

That or buy new ones. Either way you still have to remove them all. It doesnt take long to do the work after you have done it 20 times :P
Tired. Hope this post makes some sense.

[lookin]

It does make sense, and I really appreciate your reply.

Odd thing is, there isn't any clatter on startup, and really it sounds like just one lifter, in the back, is noticeable between 2500-3000 rpm.

Now I am wondering if I can change them out without taking the whole cam assembly apart.

Thanks again Brent.

[lookin]

I notice the crank case is a bit over filled, and so that must be why it only clatters between 2500-3000 rpm. I bet if I just drain out a little oil the problem will be resolved.