Re: Noisy Lifters even though they are new

Posted by JeromeSolberg On 2022/2/4 22:01:47

In the end, I sat with a stethoscope and put it on the valve stems themselves as they went up and down, as the engine was running. That was possible using the long stethoscope probe, you just rested the side of the end of the probe on the valves.

I found 2 "bad" ones and 3 "suspect" ones.

I put new ones in. Thank you Ross for testing the ones I had purchased, they tested out good, as did the two I had taken out previously, which were probably the wrong ones as I had only listened from the head with the valve covers on, which is very difficult as the sound travels everywhere.

I checked the clearance for the lifter plungers with the gage I obtained from Pacific Northwest Packards, everything was between 0.040 and 0.045 clearance, well within the spec of 0.030 to 0.070.

I cleaned all the lifter passages up real well also, and I installed a rebuilt oil pump I obtained from Kanter. I also installed an oil pressure gage in the passenger compartment - mechanical, using copper lines.

I took it on two long drives, each lasting over an hour, and in both cases the lifters were quiet, even as the engine/oil slowly heated up.

No noisy lifters anymore. At the end of the runs I had oil pressure at idle with the transmission in H of around 8 or 9 psi (rapidly going to 35 above idle), I think that is better than what I would get previously, which would sometimes cause the oil light to flicker - no flickering anymore.

So, crossing my fingers, seems like I have solved the lifter problem. Thanks everyone for your help and advice.