Bad 440 lifter, HELP

[clazar]

My 440 developed a ticking lifter. I removed the valve cover today & noticed in 1 rocker arm valley, no oil. All the other rocker arms has some oil sitting in them except this one. Does that represent a bad lifter? The lifter noise was coming from that part of the engine. The engine is stock. I put all new lifters in about 300 miles ago. Can i check this lifter in its bore or how can i remove to check without removing the intake? Also how difficult is it to sucessfully put back in?

Chuck

 

[b_body_hopeful]

Maybe a bad lifter/pushrod? Could have gotten clogged. Posted manual page in other post. Dropped sm one here.


View attachment 187871

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Here is how the rocker arms look when installed



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Found what you were looking for.......

 

[Badvert65]

Rocker arms are oiled by way of the rocker arm shaft. Pushrods are not involved in the process. Lifters are easy to replace without removing the intake or head. There is a tool for that but you may be able to do it without the tool (a lot harder without).

 

[brasil]

...with a strong Magnet ... fixed on the end of a round wooden stick ....you can pull the lifters out...

 

[b_body_hopeful]

Rocker arms are oiled by way of the rocker arm shaft

Sorry, you are correct. I was thinking of another engine....then the rocker arms get oiled from the shaft, so why is there no oil in one of the valleys?

It must be that the hole for oiling the rocker arms could be plugged in the rocker shaft, yes?

 

[miller]

Yes.

Need to pull the rocker shaft, and at least clean it out. There is a oiling port at each rocker arm location. The dry rocker is because the oil port is blocked.
Shaft is hollow, and can easily be clogged by sludge.

 

[Cranky]

If the rocker shaft is clogged with sludge, I sure hate to see what the rest of the engine looks like......and if it is, time to rebuild it because someone failed to take care of that engine.

 

[sleepar]

That sounds like someone missed a few oil changes... when I did my rockers I ground off all the highspots where the oil hole rubs on the rocker... where the rocker wears down around the oil hole on the shaft... they don't oil through the lifter but the cam bearing feeds it and if that's plugged you're in real mess.... a total rebuild my next step would be to check the ridge on the cylinder bore

 

[coloradodave]

Yikes!!! How about we wait for him to pull the rocker shaft and see what's going on?

 

[miller]

Sounds like a great idea!

Really a simple deal. But, it's always possible who built the motor, or worked on it, might not know some issues on those rocker shafts. They are flat hard to get completely clean. Without a bunch of work on them. Just a tube, with plugs at each end.

If you pull one, go ahead and pull the other, too. If one side has probs, why wouldn't the other?
If there is any sign of wear (at the pivot locations for the rocker arms), go buy a new pair. Those shafts are hardened, but can take wear. Wash the new ones out with clean kerosene. At least you won't need to worry about any sludge in 'em.

 

[clazar]

I pulled the rocker shaft off sunday. No problems with rocker arms or shaft. Motor is clean as a babies behind. The engine has had normal maintainence & has only 24k on the car. But i have a lazy lifter. I have a magnetic part picker upper, but didn't want to take a chance pulling the lifter out that way. I hope it will work its way loose if maybe a something clogged the oil port on the lifter. it's not a collapsed lifter just a ticking one that aggravates me. it only started after i changed the oil.

Chuck

 

[miller]

Take a piece of wire, push it into the oiling hole at that location on the rocker shaft, and see if it's clear.

Using a magnet to pull a tappet is no problem at all. While it's opened up, check the pushrod, to see if it's straight. Simply roll it across a piece of flat glass. If it 'clicks'...it's bent.

The tappet piston is spring loaded, and you should be able to push the piston, and it return to the top by itself.
Tappets can go bad for various reasons. Clogged oil port, broke spring, wrong size, etc.. And, just flat not getting any oil.

 

[Dennis H]

Do what I do. Get a Mopar guy that knows his **** to help you. Found a bent rod on mine on Sunday. Problem solved. Mancini replacements on the way.

 

[clazar]

Take a piece of wire, push it into the oiling hole at that location on the rocker shaft, and see if it's clear.

Using a magnet to pull a tappet is no problem at all. While it's opened up, check the pushrod, to see if it's straight. Simply roll it across a piece of flat glass. If it 'clicks'...it's bent.

The tappet piston is spring loaded, and you should be able to push the piston, and it return to the top by itself.
Tappets can go bad for various reasons. Clogged oil port, broke spring, wrong size, etc.. And, just flat not getting any oil.

Pushrods are straight. I checked those first. I tried with a dowel rod to push the plungers on 2 suspect lifters & no easy plunger movement. But after start up still got minor lifter clicking.

Chuck

 

[miller]

Want the clicking to go away? (I'm gonna get dangerous here...and assume the pushrod is the right length)

Two tappets? Two choices. Pull both, and go buy two new tappets. Or, pull both, take 'em apart, and find out why their acting up. Trash, broken spring, and so on...even loaded with oil, should be fairly easy to push in the piston. DO NOT mix the parts between tappets. Each one is made as a match.

Prob easiest to buy two new.

 

[clazar]

Want the clicking to go away? (I'm gonna get dangerous here...and assume the pushrod is the right length)

Two tappets? Two choices. Pull both, and go buy two new tappets. Or, pull both, take 'em apart, and find out why their acting up. Trash, broken spring, and so on...even loaded with oil, should be fairly easy to push in the piston. DO NOT mix the parts between tappets. Each one is made as a match.

Prob easiest to buy two new.

You're right, the easiest way is to just buy 2 new lifters & be done with it. It aggravates me that i change the oil & now have a ticking lifter. I was more thinking why would putting in better oil do anything to them. They only have about 300 easy miles on them.

Chuck

 

[sleepar]

Probably bad/ cheap lifter from factory.... replace all 16 lifters the shafts are easy to clean replace the plug on each end.... the same plug fits in the oil pump galley

 

[furyus]

You need to check for a wiped cam lobe. If you pull the lifter and put a straight edge on the bottom of the lifter. It should be slightly convex. If it's concave, the cam is bad too. Look at the end of the pushrods. They should be round with no roughness. I had some go bad before.

 

[coloradodave]

You need to check for a wiped cam lobe. If you pull the lifter and put a straight edge on the bottom of the lifter. It should be slightly convex. If it's concave, the cam is bad too. Look at the end of the pushrods. They should be round with no roughness. I had some go bad before.

And also check the rocker arms at both ends for wear. Take a straight edge and lay it across all the valve stem tips to make sure they're all level. Keep after it. You'll find it. It's hard to not just throw parts at it and hope the problem solves itself...

 

[super-bee_ski]

Yikes!!! How about we wait for him to pull the rocker shaft and see what's going on?

your "no-fun" Dave...!

LOL