Why you should replace your stock lifters.
|
4orced4door  Out Standing
|
posted 05/12/03 08:58 AM
My car's lifter tick had quickly gone from bad to worse. More than a nuisance, it was causing phantom knock, pulling my timing *contstantly*. While racing my brother's 1G AWD, which I just might have beat (but probably not), it started phantom knocking like crazy in 3rd and 4th and I had to let off and watch him fly by.
So I got around to installing the lifters I purchased a month ago. I ordered them from Brian at Valley Engine Parts (you can find the number by searching). These new lifters are waaay better than stock. The hole is literally like 10x bigger. It was a very easy install. It probably wouldn't have taken more than an hour to do if I hadn't been running from deerflies the whole time (I'm super allergic to them). I still got bit and my hands and feet are all swollen now but that's beside the point.
My car used to squeak like mad, click, rattle, all kinds of engine noise. I always thought my belts and pulleys were all about to go from all the squeaking. Turns out it was my lifters! After I did the job, there is almost zero engine noise while standing at the front of the car at idle. Just a nice low rumble from the 3" exhaust. Best of all, there's no more phantom knock. Also had a chance to clean up the valve cover and replace the gaskets.
Easy install, totally worth the time, and I would recommend it to anyone still using 1g lifters if they give you the slightest crap. These babies are silent.
One more thing - Brian was great to deal with. He forgot to ship out my order (which I had placed a week and a half prior) so when I called and inquired he shipped them immediately via overnight at no charge to make things right.
Posts: 9846 | From: Raleigh, NC | Member Since: 07/19/02 | IP: (12.92.28.104) |
|
|
4orced4door  Out Standing
|
posted 05/12/03 09:09 AM
I forgot to add:
Here's why you don't let your less mechanically inclined friends "watch". One of my friends has been begging me to let him help me work on my car. My usual friend that works on my car with me couldn't make it, so invited him over. I was taking the screws out of the valve cover, and I had already pulled the spark plugs. I hadn't stuffed paper towels down the wells yet because I knew I wasn't going to drop anything in, and I would've had to pull them back out to take the VC off anyway. Well my friend grabs a ratchet and starts "helping" since there are so many screws.
I'm sure you've already guessed what happens. He says, "I dropped one." I say, "then get it." He says, "no, down in there," and points to the #1 plug well. I look, and don't see a screw, which means it lying in there on top of the piston. I say, "You've got to be freaking kidding me!!" So I'm freaking out thinking I'm going to have to pull the head. I called up a friend of mine (20 year ford mechanic, yeehaw!) and he came and got it out with a magnet in like one minute.
Moral of the story - work by yourself!
Posts: 9846 | From: Raleigh, NC | Member Since: 07/19/02 | IP: (12.92.28.104) |
|
|
DongeR Unregistered
|
posted 05/12/03 11:21 PM
quote: Originally posted by 4orced4door:
Moral of the story - work by yourself!
I have learned two people who know what they are doing can finish a job in half the time. It also helps to have the same automotive beliefs. Sometimes when a person is learning from me; the best thing to remember is patience..
| | | IP: (63.201.88.74) |
|
|
DeanCouchey Unregistered
|
posted 05/12/03 12:52 PM
quote: Sometimes when a person is learning from me; the best thing to remember is patience..
LOL thats the same thing that I go through in my banquet kitchen! You might think some one is sooo stupid and will never be able to do it... but in the long run they become just as good as you..... I will be in the same boat in a lil while hopefully as soon as I learn to weld from my girls Uncle! I am sure I will catch on fire a few times and make some bad welds but I will get it.
| | | IP: (24.195.241.123) |
|
|
|
dsmsleeper Unregistered
|
posted 05/12/03 01:39 PM
quote: Originally posted by Hertz: Anybody have a tip as to where to look for one of those telescoping magnet tools?
http:www.harborfreight.com
| | | IP: (63.146.62.141) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4orced4door  Out Standing
|
posted 05/13/03 03:06 PM
Here's how I knew it was lifters. Next time you are cruising on the interstate or something, watch your knock. My car, with cruise control on or not, would go to full knock count on constant throttle (holding 55, it would knock). Let off the gas a bit, take it back to where it was, and it will go back to knocking like before. But if you push in the clutch and rev it, then go back to your cruising speed, it won't knock any more. That's what my car did, and it doesn't do it anymore with the new lifters. (Note that this isn't constant. It happens when it wants to, so you might have to watch it for a few days or take a trip somewhere to really diagnose it.)
As for say, WOT above 5500, I don't know. If my car was going to knock, it would start knocking as soon as I punched it and would not go away until I let off. Going above a certain RPM didn't affect the knock. I would say maybe you are running too much boost or not getting enough fuel?
(I'm still interested in the RC car! I haven't been working much at all due to finals so I'm waiting for my graduation money. My party is next weekend!)
Posts: 9846 | From: Raleigh, NC | Member Since: 07/19/02 | IP: (65.33.242.24) |
|
|
|
4orced4door  Out Standing
|
posted 05/15/03 01:20 PM
quote: Originally posted by JAYGVR4: btw: you ever beat that 1G?
I wish. He's got a much nicer setup than I do. 16G, VPC/GCC, Water Injection, Alamo SMIC, yadda yadda. He had the WI off and was only running 14psi and was still beating me, and I was running 17psi.
He bought it new, so he's had plenty of time to get it tweaked. I'll get him one day though, when I have my L2R.
Posts: 9846 | From: Raleigh, NC | Member Since: 07/19/02 | IP: (65.33.242.24) |
|
|