What would a 'bad' lifter sound like?? (1 Viewer)

[IBFJ62]

I'm curious what are the signs of a bad lifter, I'm trying to track down what seems like more valve train noise than what I would expect in a recently rebuilt motor. Sounds find at idle and revving while I'm under the hood, pretty much like a throaty tractor, but I'm hearing 'something' when I'm driving with the window down and I go past a wall or another car is next to me and bouncing the sound back. I've checked the valves, and recently did some valve train work, so I think the top end is ok. My second suspect is an exhaust leak.. Thanks.

 

[2mountainfish]

I would second your suspicion of an exhaust leak. They can have a sound similar to a tapping valve. Just my .02 cents.

 

[Output Shaft]

Exhaust leak is my guess too. The crash barriers magnify the sound bouncing off of them when you're in the fast lane and make the engine sound horrible.

The lifters are solid chunks of steel. They usually aren't the source of clackity sounds coming from the engine at higher rpm.

If the lifter was making a racket, it would be equally loud when revving the engine at idle as when driving.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

you have verified top end oiling capacity.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

???I mean, did you...?

 

[IBFJ62]

Thanks guys, yeah going past the k-rail on the freeway is like wtf is that?? That's pretty much what I thought on the lifters, and yes I was having a non-oiling issue up top, which is what got me on this track. Got that all squared away, and oiling great now, but the sound is driving me nuts. I did see a pinhole leak at the seam of the cat, and I'm suspicious of the seal at the O2 sensor bung. Guess I'll be busting out the welder and rolling on the ground this weekend..

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

FWIW, my rebuilt 2F sound crazy at revs next to any kind of a wall...it does have a cam tho...you might consider doing a leakdown test for sanity...

 

[mwebfj60]

Same here, makes a sound almost like high pitched pinging/rattle when next to a wall or passing cars.

 

[IBFJ62]

This has been my other suspicion, that it's 'just how it sounds..' It's bored .020 over, and I massaged the intake runners, but it also has some long, straight, oversized downpipes back through 'high flow' cats and a Magnaflow. She runs very smooth through the power band and has plenty of get up and go, so it doesn't feel like the motor is hurting. I'll see if I can plug the known small exhaust leaks this weekend and see if there is any change..

 

[60 toy ota]

here's what my cat sounded like when it was bad...I was sure the sound was mechanical.
on a side note, apparently the wheel spin is normal according to mud members

 

[IBFJ62]

Damn cats. When mine went out on my old beemer, three times, it sounded like a tin can with a bunch of nuts and bolts rattling around. That's a good suspect as well. My smog guy said they were pretty much done at my last checkup (9 years old), and I'm due again in a few months.. I lightly banged on the cats and exhaust with my palm for rattles the last time I slid under, I'll bang them harder this time.

 

[IBFJ62]

Update. Well I'll be damned if welding up those two little pinholes in the exhaust seam didn't make a difference. I haven't gotten it out on the highway next to a wall yet, but it's noticeably less 'clackity' around town. Go figure..