Hydraulic Lifter Noise

[TonySSM]

Hello, I have been dancing around the idea, but finally gotten around to it- the ticking sound from the passenger-side valve cover. From what I 've read from old threads and other forums, it seems to be that a hydraulic lash adjuster and/or the rocker arm has failed.

How would I go about determining which of the 32 lifters or arms failed?- I don't have deep-enough pockets to simply replace all of them, only the hopefully couple that failed.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

Use a fairly large screwdriver like a stethescope. Put it on the valve covers with the engine running... and your ear to the handle of the screwdriver. You should be able to roughly tell where the noise is coming from.

Maybe a lock nut backed off... or a lifter failed.

You may find this helpful:

Engine Tapping/Knocking

I have a 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII with 122,000 miles on the engine. My engine was tapping/knocking at idle but more louder at around 2500 rpm. So today I changed the oil and poured in some mobil 5w-20 oil with a mobile one filter. The tapping/knocking noise is quieter but I can still hear it more...

www.lincolnvscadillac.com

 

[TonySSM]

Okay, thank you! Will probably run to the parts store and grab a stethoscope to hear things out. The linked discussion was very useful- missed that in my search.

Based on that other discussion, I suppose that the fuel injectors are failing- been thinking that for years and seemingly they have had a hideous tick from the center top of the engine.

Also, the knocking sound that I described as a HLA failure is from, if I can recall correctly, from the top center of the intake manifold (by the throttle body), and can only be heard distinctly if you place your ear close enough to where it's almost touching the intake. I just assumed that it's a valve-train issue as I thought the noise is just traveling up the intake port and is fairly quiet- Hope it's not some unusually quiet rod knock, as it's also heard from the level of the brake rotors and in the cabin at idle.

Hell- it could also be resonance from the custom exhaust on it.

I will update this discussion asap once I get the car onto jacks and listen around- I took all the body panels off anyways, should be easier to pin-point the sound!

 

[TonySSM]

Okay, after some time and hearing around with a stethoscope, I have narrowed my noised down to a few things:
- A lifter tick from cylinder 4
- A failing EGR Valve solenoid (that cylinder thing on top of the driver-side valve cover)
- Fairly loud ticking from all of the fuel injectors- they all work fine however.

Glad to know it isn't rod knock- would've been surprised since these are 6-bolt mains if I recall correctly.

I will continuously update this discussion once I figure out how to get the valve covers off- both sides since they both leak oil
(If anyone has a procedure to follow or any tips to get them off, please let me know!).