Lifter Replacement

[Swedjen2]

I have a California 1990 RRC that needed the engine rebuilt. So many years back, I had that done. Then the engine sat in my garage for several more years.
After finally getting it installed, the shop failed to pack the oil pump with vasoline to create a vacuum, so when they were braking in the cam, they were waiting for the oil light to go off, but it never happened. The shop changed ownership at the same time so by the time I figured out what was going on, the P.O. had moved to the other side of the state.
Since I drive it very occasionally now, the engine has had a tick on morning startup which goes away in a few minutes. It is nice and quiet for the rest day. However, once it cools down overnight, the cycle usually repeats and has for the past 2 or 3 years. If I drive it daily, it will tick upon morning startup about 75% of the time then be quiet the rest of the day.

What would you guys do? I want to get this fixed one way or another.

Thanks

 

[Flyfish]

That’s terrible! Did they do the full break-in with the light on?

What oil are you running? Consider a 15/40 or 20/50 if you’re using something lighter and/or a little Lucas stabilizer to see if that helps.

If not, you will be able to see what the cam and lifters look like once the valley gasket is off to help decide if just lifters may help.

 

[terryjm1]

I have a D1 that has a light tick every time it starts cold. It goes away after it warms up. It only has 27,XXX on the factory new engine. I also have a TR8 with a Rover 3.5 V8. It does the exact same tick, albeit a little louder. It only has 40,XX miles. I have tried different oils and weights. Ive learned to not let it bother me as it seem to have no meaningful effect.

 

[discostew]

Try to figure out which lifter or rocker the noise is coming from. I’ve seen lifter collapse for whatever reason. I’ve also seen RTV cause a lifter to not bleed itself. Usually because someone used too much of the stuff. More is not better.
So figure out where the ticking is coming from before you take it apart and start looking for it. But I would guess your going to have to get the valve covers and intake manifold off the thing.

 

[Swedjen2]

That’s terrible! Did they do the full break-in with the light on?

What oil are you running? Consider a 15/40 or 20/50 if you’re using something lighter and/or a little Lucas stabilizer to see if that helps.

If not, you will be able to see what the cam and lifters look like once the valley gasket is off to help decide if just lifters may help.

Yes, yes they did.
Running Rotella T-4 15/40.

 

[Swedjen2]

I have a D1 that has a light tick every time it starts cold. It goes away after it warms up. It only has 27,XXX on the factory new engine. I also have a TR8 with a Rover 3.5 V8. It does the exact same tick, albeit a little louder. It only has 40,XX miles. I have tried different oils and weights. Ive learned to not let it bother me as it seem to have no meaningful effect.

I "could" go that route, but the engine shop - a different shop than the Rover shop I had install the engine - went full out. Flowed the heads, custom cam, file fit rings, Mercedes bronze valve guides, large intake and ex. valves and balanced the rotating assy. I think it was the engine shops first or second Rover engine, OTT, it came out fine.
Then I went and put larger Cooper SST Pro meats on the Rover so the extra power is a wash. Noisy as well.
I probably ought to get one of the Tornado chips since I've gone this far.
Then I'd probably just keep it.
It's got RTE caster corrected radius arms and the slightly longer rear links

 

[Flyfish]

If it’s a just a tick on startup, that’s not horrible. .Not sure that’s worth tearing it apart. May, just add a little Lucas.

 

[Swedjen2]

Sometimes it's a pretty loud tick - the kind where the neighbors are looking around for a woodpecker.

 

[Flyfish]

Sometimes it's a pretty loud tick - the kind where the neighbors are looking around for a woodpecker.

That’s funny!. The Lucas will stay up too much better and should help.

 

[Swedjen2]

Try to figure out which lifter or rocker the noise is coming from. I’ve seen lifter collapse for whatever reason. I’ve also seen RTV cause a lifter to not bleed itself. Usually because someone used too much of the stuff. More is not better.
So figure out where the ticking is coming from before you take it apart and start looking for it. But I would guess your going to have to get the valve covers and intake manifold off the thing.

The culprit is the driver side front. Yeah, I'll likely end up fixing it in the driveway this time.
I read about advancing the timing on these engines until it starts to ping then backing it off. Do you agree with that?
I have it advanced as far as I can rotate the distributor assy., with no pinging, but the vacuum unit hits some lump on the engine. I'll have to re-clock the distributor to get more advance.

 

[Swedjen2]

That’s funny!. The Lucas will stay up too much better and should help.

OK, I'll give it a shot. Thanks! That would beat the hell out of dickin' around with the top end.

 

[Swedjen2]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

 

[Flyfish]

Timing advance won’t help the tick. But may help with performance if you’re having an issue.

Yes you can do that but you don’t to be right on the edge. Maybe just Advance a couple degrees and test it.

 

[4Runner]

Is your vacuum advance working? Try and find an adjustable timing light. I don’t bother much with initial timing on any of my cars unless it’s creating a problem that requires recurving the distributor. I just warm the engine up and set the total advance and tweak it from there depending on if there is any pinging. The Lucas additive does help. It’s a frustrating noise to try remedy. In my experience the Rover motors that are quite stay that way until something really bad happens. The motors that tick want to keep ticking despite the parts you replaced. If I know it was a solid lifter set up and they all made that noise , I would be fine with it But when it’s just two of them it drives me batshit crazy and hurts my pride.

 

[Jimmy]

If the "Lucas" references are to Lucas Oil Stabilizer, just know that stuff has no antiwear properties (though, it's been awhile since I've seen a virgin oil analysis on it). It shoots the viscosity way up... that's it.

 

[Flyfish]

The heavy duty stabilizer has worked several times dealing with startup noise on other peoples trucks. I never have dry startup noise so just saying what’s worked for me.