Options for sticking lifters?

[89GMCJOHN]

I had a slight tick in my motor that would come and go with less than 5k on it...when I did a teardown for power improvements I found that in one of my GM lifters the little spring retainer ring had come partially out of the groove and was sticking out on both ends YIKES - I dont know what kept it together - it would have let go eventually .....upon closer inspection I tried to compress it and it simply wouldnt compress .....I finally got it apart on the bench and sprayed it inside and got it pumping again after reinstaling the spring clip .....after all that I simply threw it in the trash as I didnt think it was worth the risk using it again on a new build as it might fail ...FWIW .

 

[Axeldogs]

Hey guys, just want to hear your thoughts and opinions on this. Four years ago I had a lifter issue on my ‘93 5.7 that kind of resolved itself and went away after switching to a heavier oil. Well now that I am daily driving it again the issue has crept back up. It’s begun to do it on long interstate rides or when pulling a boat a good ways. I added some marvel mystery oil 300 miles ago and it seemed to help, it made it quieter and now it will come and go, instead of usually starting and not stopping and getting worse until I shut the truck off for hours. What are some options to consider? I can do the lifters, not an ideal decision, but that may be most feasible for my situation now. Maybe change the oil and run a fresh round of MMO through it? Long term, I guess I could start looking at swaps. Crate 5.7, 383, 454, LS 5.3, but that would be the hardest and would have to be put off for a long time. I’d love to hear what you guys think, though.

Motor has 177 on the clock, and I’m quite sure it’s the lifters by my research, it’s in the back of the motor and the louder it gets the less power the truck has. I have a link somewhere to a video. Thanks!

Use Hot Shot Secret! Run it the whole oil change an use Rottela T. I have a 1999 K3500 cclb 384k my started around 180k did this went away never came back. Research it Hot Shot Secret. Easiest place to find is tractor supply. Stiction eliminator

 

[1500z71]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen, I really didn’t know that I had way more options to try. I guess it won’t hurt to pick a couple and try them, and then certainly if they don’t work I can dive into it.

 

[long_bed]

That’s the best I would describe mine, occasional ticking lifter. What exactly is involved in a seafoam flush?

I just followed the instructions on the can for putting it in the crankcase. You'll put it in, run it a little bit, and then change the oil.

 

[CrustyJunker]

Why my '97 had a tick. Just the one. Caught it before it started to eat the cam lobe.
Tried lots of 'cures' beforehand. Heavier oil. STP. Lucas. A quart of trans fluid in the crank-case. (High detergent) Eventually it was constant.

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Man, I have never seen a roller beat like that one! Good save. Was that an OE tappet? That kind of damage looks like it was defective from the beginning. Maybe bad heat treatment or poor metallurgy or something?

 

[99escladel31]

Following currently fighting a lifters that had oil or sludge something causing them to hold pressure and not oil the rockers evenly and some wasnt pulled them out after 24hrs only a few have bled down didn't efect running of the engine but I just picked it up did head gasket and I changed oil and filter 6 times trying trying to diagnose and get even oiling I realized a big problem with oil not flowing seems better to have high oil pressure 80psi wasn't as good as I thought it put strain on distributor gear causing wear real quick so if ur seeing a oil pressure change above 60psi it indicator of lack of oil flow

 

[SAATR]

Man, I have never seen a roller beat like that one! Good save. Was that an OE tappet? That kind of damage looks like it was defective from the beginning. Maybe bad heat treatment or poor metallurgy or something?

Looks like rolling contact stress fatigue followed by spalling, with some smearing of the surface from where the roller stuck and slid across the lobe. It could have been cause by a thin hard surface on the roller or overly soft material beneath the hard surface. Also could have been a trunnion bearing failure or collapsed lifter that allowed the roller to bounce on the lobe damaging the hard surface and starting surface flaking that quickly progresses to final failure. Hard debris caught between the roller and lobe can do the same thing, driving the hard surface into the soft substrate and creating a stress raiser that destroys the surface. I don't see how the cam wouldn't have been affected by that.

 

[sewlow]

Looks like rolling contact stress fatigue followed by spalling, with some smearing of the surface from where the roller stuck and slid across the lobe. It could have been cause by a thin hard surface on the roller or overly soft material beneath the hard surface. Also could have been a trunnion bearing failure or collapsed lifter that allowed the roller to bounce on the lobe damaging the hard surface and starting surface flaking that quickly progresses to final failure. Hard debris caught between the roller and lobe can do the same thing, driving the hard surface into the soft substrate and creating a stress raiser that destroys the surface. I don't see how the cam wouldn't have been affected by that.

Happened @ 130,000km's. About 80,000 miles. OEM lifters. Engine had never been apart.
I put maybe 150-200 easy miles on it while it was ticking, 'cause...daily. Didn't need a catastrophic failure. As soon as it was constant, I was done fooling around trying to cure it with miracle fixes.
...and Vortec, too, so it was good time to do the intake manifold gaskets while it was apart.

 

[Schurkey]

I don't see how the cam wouldn't have been affected by that.

Yup. Cam was wiped, too.

 

[sewlow]

Yup. Cam was wiped, too.

I know what a wiped lobe looks like.
45 years of SBC ownership teaches that. A known weak point.
I've put 200,000 km.s on the truck since.
No issues. No codes. Idles fine. Runs up to redline without hesitation.
But after 4200rpm it's not making power, just noise, like every other 4.3.
I drive by the tach, not the speedo. The engine makes no real HP so I go by the revs. Like a sports car. (Hurst/core shifter for a reason!)
If there's a weak spot in the drivetrain of any vehicle I own, I'll find it. I tend to run my vehicles 'a bit' hard.
A redline a day keeps the carbon away.