Re: Fast warming engine?

Posted by BH On 2008/8/18 11:48:14

Xavier -

I would forget about taking the car to a show next weekend.

By all means install an oil pressure gauge and monitor the pressure reading when the engine is cold, then warm, and especially when the lifter noise appears.

I would also recommend you drain the oil, then insert a piece of coathanger wire, with a small loop formed on the end, through the drain hole and sweep it around the bottom of the oil pan. If you pick up a lot of sludge, you might want to take the time to remove and clean the oil pan. If you do remove the pan, you may also want to check the main bearing clearances.

If the pan seems clean, you could try a bottle of STP engine oil additive as part of your oil change. Rather than removing and cleaning the hydraulic lifters manually, I have found that STP will help clean out "varnish" that may accumulated over time and can cause some lifter noise. A couple of oil changes with this product cured the lifter noise in one of my Patricians.

Just keep taking things a step at a time; let us know what you find.