missed 2nd gear, lifter clicking...

[biomedtechguy]

2nd time I have had a lifter click, last time was after a hard 1st gear run, but it stopped clicking after about 45 seconds. This time, still clicking. I have searched this forum, and looked at some different hydraulic lifter options, I'm going to try adding some Marvel Mystery Oil or transmission fluid (after draining an equal amount of oil), but would like advice as to brand and part number for replacement hydraulic lifter set. Its a stock 440. Thanks

EDIT: not doing Marvel Mystery Oil, or any other additive. I'm going to pull the valve cover and see what I can, and if it's the lifter, change them all.

 

[benno440]

have you tried pulling a cover and adjusting before you waste money?

 

[miller]

Stock 440...hydraulic tappets...no adjustment.

Maybe get a set from the local Dodge dealer.

 

[benno440]

hmm id say a dropped lifter than, try summit racing for a nice set maybe

 

[biomedtechguy]

have you tried pulling a cover and adjusting before you waste money?

No, because it is a stock 440 and I don't want to waste my time ;-) j/k but I do appreciate the reply.

hmm id say a dropped lifter than, try summit racing for a nice set maybe

Weather I get them from Mopar or aftermarket, I was hoping for a/some specific suggestions. Thanks

 

[miller]

My thinking was Mopar tappets, since they have been working all these years. But, don't know if Mopar gets 'em from the same suppier.

Suggestions? Besides a collapsed tappet, after a 'hard 1st gear run', while your in there, check for a bent pushrod.

 

[Cranky]

Missed 2nd? How you do that? What kind of rpm did the engine see at the time of the missed shift? High rpm can pump up a lifter and hold the valve open and if a piston hit the valve it can bend a push rod or even the valve. Is the engine still running good? You might do a compression test to see if you have a cylinder that's down more than others. Missing a shift is serious stuff and you need to check on things and also need to find out why you missed. I assume you're running a 4 speed and not a 3? If you're running a 3 speed, changed the shifter rods so that you 'grab' 2nd and not push for it. If you're running a 4 speed, 2nd is probably the easiest gear to grab and you need to find out why you are missing it. MP lifters are good (at least they used to be) but so are the name brands. Here's some info on hydraulic lifters.... http://www.crowcams.com.au/article.aspx?id=2004 and http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_1208_noisy_hydraulic_lifters_fix/
Even tho the 2nd is talking about roller juice lifters, it still applies. You also say your engine is stock but you are running it hard. Are the valve springs weak with a lot of miles or is the engine a fresh stock rebuild?

 

[moparlouie]

Rislone makes a product that is is for your oil, can be added anytime or wih a oil change, it works especially well for MoPars. Try it! It cleans and protects those fincey Mopar lifters.

 

[MikeyT]

I am with Cranky, I would check bent pushrods too

Mike

 

[biomedtechguy]

I missed 2nd because: the "helicopter joystick" with the 2 foot long change time zones throw distance takes some getting used to, and it may be sloppier than it should be, I may need to replace the shift linkage bushings or something along those lines. It's a pistol grip 4 speed. I don't power shift, so I am relatively sure that I didn't go too high over 5k rpm. I am not sure of the status of the engine's build or age, although it is strong and runs well with no bad behavior, good oil pressure, and no smoke at any time. I hope that I can contact the previous owner and get some history. I will see if I can find some Rislone, thanks. I still may replace the lifters since this is the 2nd "episode" of me having an issue, and I have no intention of babying this motor. I will check out the lifter info links, thanks to all.

- - - Updated - - -

Also I will pull the valve cover on the side that's making noise and see what the pushrods look like. Thanks.

 

[nm9stheham]

Are you sure it is lifter tick? It ougth to be very high pitched and like something small and light tapping.

 

[bm02tj]

well you are in there pull your rocker shaft off and put a straight edge over the tops of the valves
as the valves work into the soft seats the lifter runs out of its working parameters and will not take in oil to function and becomes noisy

 

[biomedtechguy]

Just got finished changing the lifters. I still have some stuff to hook back up, but the motor is together from carbs/intake down including valve covers. I decided to pull the intake for this job to get a look inside from the top, and HAPPY TO FIND A PURPLE STRIPE CAM Motor looked clean and well put together. Stock springs afaik, however. All push rods tested by rolling on a known true flat surface, no wobble at all, and put them back right where they came from. Used some moly-graphite engine assembly lube on the lifter bottoms and pushrod tips, and rocker arm ends . Decided to only dip vs.soak the lifters and also swapped out 12oz. of oil for 12oz. of break in oil additive from Comp Cams. Looking forward to breking in and NOT hearing TAP TAP TAP. I will follow up.

 

[charger360]

sounds like you covered the basics just fine. I had 440 that seemed to keep doing that to lifters when I was younger it turned out the guy who had the car before me had taken a huge cut off of the heads to get the comp up so the non adjustable rockers were getting me too much preload. I shimmed the shafts to take some preload back out and it was perfect after that even revved out better

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

If they are hydrolic,they need to be soaked to fill the lifter with oil:blob1:

 

[fanucme]

you really must soak the lifters unless you spend lots of time prelubing with a drill or pressure pot setup and you should only use the dark moly grease on the tappet bottom to the cam , use a assembly lube on the tips and rockers

 

[Rich Kinsley]

I bent two pushrods severely when I accidentally hit 8000 rpm's with my poly. I was running 7500 consistently at the races but 8K was too much.

It definitely caused the valves to "click". You can use a vac gauge to see if there is a valve train issue. It will cause the gauge to flutter. In my case it was extremely easy to see which ones were the culprits. BTW all I did was replace and re-adjust the valves and all was well. Lucky!!!

 

[biomedtechguy]

sounds like you covered the basics just fine. I had 440 that seemed to keep doing that to lifters when I was younger it turned out the guy who had the car before me had taken a huge cut off of the heads to get the comp up so the non adjustable rockers were getting me too much preload. I shimmed the shafts to take some preload back out and it was perfect after that even revved out better

If they are hydrolic,they need to be soaked to fill the lifter with oil:blob1:

you really must soak the lifters unless you spend lots of time prelubing with a drill or pressure pot setup and you should only use the dark moly grease on the tappet bottom to the cam , use a assembly lube on the tips and rockers

I bent two pushrods severely when I accidentally hit 8000 rpm's with my poly. I was running 7500 consistently at the races but 8K was too much.

It definitely caused the valves to "click". You can use a vac gauge to see if there is a valve train issue. It will cause the gauge to flutter. In my case it was extremely easy to see which ones were the culprits. BTW all I did was replace and re-adjust the valves and all was well. Lucky!!!

Thanks again for the replies. Cut heads are definitely not the case for me, it runs fine on 93 pump gas. As far as soaking the lifters goes, some do, some don't. I was told that there is a possibility of over saturation which would cause the valve not to close all the way, which would be bad. I used dark moly graphite engine assembly lube on the pushrod end that goes into the lifters (that all have puddles of oil in them) and on/in the cup of the rocker arms and on the valve tip side of the rocker arms. If the lifters are noisy at first, the 70 Plymouth service manual says "fast idle only" until they pump up, then a local respected engine builder says 2000-2500 rpm for about 15 min. should do. I also have the Comp Cams break in additive already mixed in with my oil as I ran the motor for about 5 minutes before disassembly. Rich-7500-8k..you are a wild man ;-)

 

[biomedtechguy]

Well, I got everything wrapped up this evening and started it up. The lifters weren't real noisy at all during pump up. After about 90 seconds of fast idle, I ran 10 minutes between 2,000 and 2,500 RPM for lifter break in. I did find that the passenger side exhaust manifold bolts (definitely the difficult side-sheesh! )were all loose, one not even finger tight, except the one in the front. There are the "common" silver perforated-looking exhaust gaskets on it. Now before anyone says the noise I thought was a lifter could have been an exhaust leak, I know they sound kinda similar, but I DEFINITELY had a metallic tap tap tap. Once I get it out of the confines of the garage tomorrow, I can evaluate further, but I didn't hear the metallic tap tap tap although I believe I did hear an exhaust leak tonight.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Engine is running great. I definitely have an exhaust leak, probably the manifold vs. the manifold-to-exhauat pipe. If in fact I do have a manifold leak (or a cracked manny, but almost 100% know it's not cracked), while I'm at it, seems like that may be a good time to get headers.