My wifes 1995 suburban with 70K miles, started making what appears to be a lifter noise at idle and low RPM, once you rev it up the noise goes away. Changed oil and filter but it did not help. added rislone did not help. any ideas how to get rid of the hydraulic lifter noise, how hard is to replace a lifter. I am more adept at working with OH cam engines.

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Thanks, Juan

hard to replace, I would change to synthetic oil REDLINE Brand after running Marvel Mystery oil thru it for a few hundred miles, first try some "Lifter Lube" additive, then Marvel Mystery oil then change oil and filter to REDLINE

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Jerry

2004 SL500 Black 55K Miles
2002 s500 Black 90K Miles
1986 300E Gold 233K Miles
1966 Twin Cessna 320D
1989 Jeep Cherokee 233K Miles
1994 Ford Van E150 399K Miles

sounds like maybe some crud build up....try synthetic for a few changes and see if it goes away. Changing a lifter requires the intake manifold to come off, which as you can tell is not terribly easy.

If it doesn't clear up with synthetic oil THEN I would replace all the lifters.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

pull the valve covers and be sure that the return holes for the oil are not all plugged up, this is a real concern. if all is clear, check for a loose rocker by following the firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. when the valves are closed you try to turn the pushrod with your fingertips, if you can, tighten the rocker 3/4 turn (i like to use a 1/2 turn) AFTER THE INITIAL FRICTION of the rocker and pushrod, this is the method i have used for years and have never had a problem. if you have to change the lifter it is easy and they are cheap. buy a whole set of lifters and pushrods, it is easier than doing it again. summit racing sells them as a whole set, cheap as well as advance auto parts, i dont like the autozone stuff myself but it is available.

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2003 audi A6
2002 porsche boxter
1989 jeep grand wagoneer
1987 m/b 420 sel
1966 vw type 1
1965 mustang "a" code gt

You failed to point out that if adjusting valves statically as you describe that you adjust them while on the heel of the cam.

The easiest and quickest, however the messiest, way to do this is to pull off one valve cover and with the engine idling simply back off each rocker arm nut until it starts clacking then turn it back in 1/2 turn. Don't use a ratchet because it will take longer because of changing ratchet direction. Use a breaker bar, short extension and socket. Then reinstall that valve cover and do it on the other side.

After that change oil hot and often for awhile to get everything cleaned out.

ww.chevyshop.com

maybe some aluminum foil draped below the head would help while doing this. I do remember adjusting lifters like that on the Corvair. The 350 has just GOT to be more fun than doing it on the Corvair. The right side valve cover was parallel with and real close to the muffler. Ouch!

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Haven't done this with ours, but.... why would the intake manifold have to come off?

Steve

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'91 MB 190E 2.3
'08 RAV4 Ltd 3.5
'83 Lazy Daze m'home 5.7

The lifters are in the block UNDER the intake manifold....the ride directly on the cam which is dead center in the block. You can replace pushrods without the intake coming off but not the lifters.

http://www.morethanjustpower.com/category.asp?id=6

little holes towards the center are where the 16 lifters fit....the intake manifold covers the lifter galley when its on the engine.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I forgot that this is a roller lifter small block. You need to use some CI4 oil in this engine and change it about every 500 miles or so until the clicking stops.

When you drain the oil, pull the plug while it's hot and let it drain for a long time.

I have an '88 Vette with the same engine and it was clicking when I got it. I only had to do about two hot oil and filter changes with Chevron Delo 400 until the clicking stopped. That was about 50,000 miles ago and it has been fine ever since.

Good luck,