I recently brought my 92 500 SEL into the shop to have the timing chain changed. While the car was in I asked my mechanic to look into changing the lifters because I had been noticing an intermittent clattering noise on warm start up.

The original lifters for the 92 119 engine have been phased out and a new variety is now being supplied. They're German - Febi Bilstein P/N 1040501225. When my mechanic started to remove the old lifters, the cam shafts rested in the journals without any pressure on the lobes after he unbolted the retainers. Since installing the new lifters the cam shaft rocks back and forth and now he is reluctant to tighten everything down for fear of cracking the cam shaft. He has called several mechanics and queried them about this condition and they all say to use the new lifters that they are the correct replacement. We measured from the top of the lifter to the inside stem with a micrometer and there is .004" difference from old to new.

I appreciate my mechanics concern and would like to know if anyone can shed some light on what will happen when we tighten down the cam.

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JWNors

92 500 SEL
85 380 SE (RIP)
76 300D (Sold)
97 Infiniti QX4