i think that this thread should be stickied and we need to put an end to all of these lifter threads, all questions should go here


grey, you know my situation, so after what you've said, i believe that i have a worn lifter or two (based on the amount of ticking). i ordered 2 bottles of steveman's recommended product frictionfree 3000 (ff3k) and i'm going to be running it for the first time w/ pennzoil 5w-30.

my question is, for situation 2, do you recommend running a heavy oil alone, or a light oil w/ frictionfree 3000? which will help preserve the engine and what costs do u figure for each instance? also, if its better to run ff3k w/ a lighter oil, would it be worth it to run german castrol 0w-30?

just tryin to explore some options

thanks

 

you were getting good results with Havoline 10w-30. I say stick with it, it's an excellent oil. There's really nothing wrong with using 10w-30 in your climate. The trouble with Pennzoil for you is that it is one of the best flowing dino oils at low temps. That naturally means it is on the thin side . Also High Mileage oils are on the thicker side, so those may help too.

There's a trend in your case... thicker oils have helped (10w-30 and GC 0w-30) so you're likely a situation B. See what works for you and just keep your oil in top shape.

 

What about continuous ticking vs start-up ticking? Wouldn't worn out lifters be continuous ticking? And clogged passages be start-up ticking which goes away after warming up for several minutes?

 

Ticking only on startup, I would suspect Situation A... clogged port or passages. A worn out oil pump may aggravate this too.

Continuous ticking..... probably worn out lifters... try out heavier oils. That's my guess anyways.

What someone should do is start a thread and see if in fact it confirms my hypotheses. For example using seafoam and queting.... clogged port. USing restore ( also metal particles) ... worn lifters. Using FF3000 worn lifters. Using a thinner 5w-30 .... clogged ports.

 

How about ticking that exists when you initially start the car but goes away as soon as you give it a quick rev?

 

slightly clogged ports or lifters not getting pressurized for some reason. It's all kind of guessing a bit.

 

alright. i am feeling good about havoline 10w-30, but I think I want another go with the german castrol to see how good it is (and if its any better than the havoline w/ my situation)

FYI for people that think they are experiencing what I am-
• I've ran 2 auto-rx treatments so far
• I've tested Restore and it didn't completely quiet my lifters
• Pennzoil 5w-30 gives me lifter tick constantly (a few lifters stop ticking after warmed up, but several remain)
• Havoline 10w-30 was run during my rinse phase of my 2nd treatment of Auto-rx, and near the end of the rinse phase I had almost no ticking when warmed up and no immediate ticking upon starting the car
• German Castrol 0w-30 worked well after my first Auto-RX treatment and I will be using it for my next oil change to see how it does after 2 treatments (I have high expectations )
• I have purchased 2 bottles of FrictionFree 3000 as Steveman recommended, they haven't yet come so I do not have results for them. First bottle will be going in with my Pennzoil 5w-30, and if they quiet my current continuous ticking, I will definitely recommend the product to anyone who suspects worn lifters.

 

today it was 80 degrees here in NC, but it felt a lot hotter, and my lifters were quiet on my ride to work (first time since my oil change)

is having quieter lifters in hot weather a sign that i have lifter wear for sure?

 

Actually Zoom...I would think that having quieter lifters in hot weather would mean Situation A with the clogged ports....as would the opposite (having noisier lifters on a very cold day) The reason being that in very hot weather, the oil would be flowing faster in the warmer than usual weather...making it easier for the oil to get into the lifters...and in very cold weather (where the engine and oil may never fully reach normal operating temp) the oil will run slightly thicker and may not be able to adequately lube the lifters.

Here's something I did...for some reason, my lifters have been total bi@tches since my last oil change about 1500miles ago. I had finally had enough...I bought some Seafoam. I had my hesitations about using in on my engine though. So I ended up putting it into the Brake Booster vacuum hose to the intake...followed the instructions from here on the forums and now my lifters are DEAD SILENT even on the coldest start-up...I didn't put any into the crankcase nor any in the gas tank...just the intake. And I ONLY USED 1/3 OF THE BOTTLE SO FAR...It may not work for everyone's car but it did silence mine!! I am no longer embarassed to leave a parking lot in front of large groups of people (especially the ladies!)!!

 

Actually Zoom...I would think that having quieter lifters in hot weather would mean Situation A with the clogged ports....as would the opposite (having noisier lifters on a very cold day) The reason being that in very hot weather, the oil would be flowing faster in the warmer than usual weather...making it easier for the oil to get into the lifters...and in very cold weather (where the engine and oil may never fully reach normal operating temp) the oil will run slightly thicker and may not be able to adequately lube the lifters.

Here's something I did...for some reason, my lifters have been total bi@tches since my last oil change about 1500miles ago. I had finally had enough...I bought some Seafoam. I had my hesitations about using in on my engine though. So I ended up putting it into the Brake Booster vacuum hose to the intake...followed the instructions from here on the forums and now my lifters are DEAD SILENT even on the coldest start-up...I didn't put any into the crankcase nor any in the gas tank...just the intake. And I ONLY USED 1/3 OF THE BOTTLE SO FAR...It may not work for everyone's car but it did silence mine!! I am no longer embarassed to leave a parking lot in front of large groups of people (especially the ladies!)!!

Yeah i know that feeling pulling out with the by-standers lookin on..So where can i get my hands on this seafoam stuff? Ive tried using Lifter Free sometimes it works but sometimes it aggrivates it!

 

I used SEAFOAM a couple of years ago in my crankcase. It didn't really quiet my lifters. Maybe I should've done it like you sam...

 

Has using the bigger nsx size filter helped in reducing anyones lifter noise?

 

sam I'm not denying that seafoam made the engine quiet but the intake does not see the lifters at all. Maybe the noise was something else that seafoam dissolved and the noise was not the lifters at all. That's what it sounds like. Maybe there was carbon buildup in the combustion chamber, valve seats?? Maybe it was coincidental as when you put the stuff in, you revved the engine up? and cleared a port with the high oil pressure??

 

sam I'm not denying that seafoam made the engine quiet but the intake does not see the lifters at all. Maybe the noise was something else that seafoam dissolved and the noise was not the lifters at all. That's what it sounds like. Maybe there was carbon buildup in the combustion chamber, valve seats?? Maybe it was coincidental as when you put the stuff in, you revved the engine up? and cleared a port with the high oil pressure??

I have pondered that also....but the thing is that my ticking was textbook ticking from the G1 Engine...my mom, stepdad, and aunt all used to have G1's so I do recognize the noise...however, it seems that the Seafoam has definitely cleaned "something" because it was w/o exception that every morning I would start the car, it would have REALLY bad ticking until it wamrmed up...then throughout the day it would tick at start-up but eventually quiet down with engine temp (w/o ever really being completely silent). NOW the ticking is completely absent...at first cold start-up in the morning and all day and all night...completely silent engine bay....its pretty nice! Whatever it did I'm completely happy with it....

 

Maybe there is another source of noise from the G1 engine that sounds like lifters but is not. Hmmm...... never thought of that before.

 

The other thing to condider when there is ticking is worn pushrods and rocker arms. The cups wear on the arms and the ends of the pushrods wear till the lifters can't compensate any more.

 

less likely on a honda than an american car, but maybe some g1's have real high miles. clogged tappet thing or whatever, wise old mechanic said run a quart or marvel mystery oil, in the oil. not every time but until it quiets down then as needed. good luck.

 

I am trying to get rid of the lifter ticking in my car but I quite like the ticking, it says to me you own a Legend. If it is quiet it sounds like verybody elses car . However I am not keen on the engine rattling away when driving past friends.

Regards,
Steve

Love to Love the Legend

 

These days everybody's thinking fuel economy and hybrids or DIESEL.
Go to the salvage yard, get some DIESEL or better yet TURBODIESEL labels and stick them on the G1. The ticking???? It's a diesel that's why!!!

 

These days everybody's thinking fuel economy and hybrids or DIESEL.
Go to the salvage yard, get some DIESEL or better yet TURBODIESEL labels and stick them on the G1. The ticking???? It's a diesel that's why!!!

excellent idea! might as well pop some vtec labels on too.. diesel vtec = mad hot

i did the seafoam thing tonight though! the brake booster vacuum hose has some mad vacuum on it sucked up half a bottle quick. ticking is still there when warmed up but i can't hear the ticking on the interstate or during acceleration or anything :2cool:

the frictionfree 3000 should finish off my ticking!!! I'm very excited.

 

my ticking came soon after i purchased the car. i did one oil and oil filter change (20 w 50) with some sort of additive (the shop did it), and there was no real fix.

then another mech did another oild and filter change, with another additive (10 w 40) and it was getting better....

the a few weeks ago i did the oil chage and filter, (5 w 40 synthetic), no additives, and its quite good now, only sometimes get ticking when i start the engine up.

i plan to keep these 5 w 40 synthetic oil changes happening about every 2500 kms, (every month and a bit) and hopefully the ticking will be completely gone.

i dont have any oil leaks either.

when i drain the sump and the filter of oil, how much is meant to go back in?

thanks a lot guys.

 

Same lifter ticking problem...

My 90 L coupe has the same lifter ticking we all know and hate. I've been thinking a lot about trying to heal this wound. My car only has about 170,000 km's on it, (about 105,000 miles) pretty low. The past couple days, its been chilly in the mornings. I hit my command start button, come outside after its been running for about 5 min or so. I can heat the ticking, rev it up to about 2500 rpm and hold it there for about 5 sec, and everything goes away. I know there is oil pressure, when I open the oil hole on the front valve cover, rev er to about 3000, I get soaked LOL.

So, I want to try about half a litre of ATF in the oil when I change next time. I use Valvoline Maxlife 5W30 oil with OEM Honda filter when I change oil. ATF is good for engine top end lubrication, use it in my moms 97 Malibu 3100 V6 that gets a lot of short runs in the cold weather, takes away any lifter ticking.

Another thing, is the AutoRX treatment. I've looked for this stuff everywhere, but no find. Is this just a USA marketed product??? I noticed when I changed valve cover gaskets, there was a lot of dark colored sludge, not excessive, but there was some. Does Auto RX break down the sludge, or just loosen it up and distribute through the engine. My biggest fear is loosening up any sludge and crud, and the engine would start consuming oil.

What do you all think???

 

auto-rx is available online only.

 

The primary benefit you are getting from ATF in your mom's malibu is likely the fact that ATF is principally a light 20 weight oil that still flows in cold weather. When mixed with the normal oil, it probably lowers the viscosity at lower temps and you're getting better flow. Do understand though that the ATF is NOT formulated to withstand combustion byproducts since auto transmissions never see any of this, whereas normal engine oil is. You can then look forward to higher burnoff, and faster breakdown of the ATF. I think you might be better off finding a normal engine oil that flows better at cold temperatures. Synthetics and 0w-30 and 5w-30 depending on mfr's suggestion are a good starting point.

 

Mick, If I was you I would try using some Nulon Lifter Free Tune up. Available at any auto place. I used it in my Legend and the ticking is completely gone. Also could I suggest that you try Penrite 15-60W with this product. You will stop the ticking for two reasons this way. 1. you will remove sludge and dirt that is clogging the oil ports and 2. The thicker oil will build oil pressure which will eliminate the ticking.
Please try this if you can and let me know how you go, I would nearly bet my life that it would clear your ticking.

Regards,
Steve

Love to Love the Legend

 

ok, next oil change, about 1000 km away, or 3 weeks or so.

 

Hi-milage engine=excessive main/rod/cam bearing clearances=some loss of oil pressure=starved lifter oil supply.