noisy lifter - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

jhunt253 · #1 11-08-2011, 01:06 PM

i have what i am sure is a noisy lifter on my na 606. any ideas on how to isolate it so i can tell tell which one it is.

thanks, hunt

leathermang · #2 11-08-2011, 02:04 PM

If you can take off the valve covers....
and run the engine while you have a ' mechanic's stethescope' held to whatever part of the valve train which you can touch safely... the one in contact with that noisy one should be very obvious...
It can be done sometimes with something like a tire iron... and their probably are electronic amplification ones available now....
Noises travel in steel and water much better than they do in air....

https://www.google.com/search?q=mechanic%27s%20stethescope&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US

fficial&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np

HOWEVER, mine shaped like those shown hurt the insides of my ears..... but I do not recall seeing one with ' over the ear ' cups...which when dealing with noisy diesel clatter mixed in would be nice...

Zulfiqar · #3 11-08-2011, 04:51 PM

Isnt the right way to check is to check with the engine shut down hot and quickly removing the valve cover and pushing down the lifters with a wooden hammer handle, any lifter that is soft is toast - At least thats how I used to check my VW diesel lifters.

leathermang · #4 11-08-2011, 07:00 PM

Did you find all the bad ones that way ?

Do you see problems with that procedure ? Like that some of the lifters are going to be under pressure and some not at any one time.... and how fast do they lose whatever hydraulic pressure they are supposed to have while running ? Is speed of loss the same as not pumping up to correct resistance ?

Zulfiqar · #5 11-09-2011, 10:58 AM

I found all the problematic ones that way - a spin of the engine to check each lifter that was not being lifted by the cam - and the problematic ones showed themselves.

The lifters should stay pumped for quite a long amount of time

barry123400 · #6 11-09-2011, 12:34 PM

Try adding some auto transmission fluid to the oil first? If their is just dirt in the lifter sometimes this cleans it out. Or do a synthetic oil change will do the same thing if you do not use synthetic oil already.

Percentage of this curing it are just unknown. If the lifter is physically worn it will not help.Although varnish buildup inside would be cleaned out.Plus the feed path for oil to the lifter.

benhogan · #7 11-09-2011, 12:40 PM

try Marvel Mystery Oil in the engine. It might do the trick

jhunt253 · #8 11-09-2011, 01:23 PM

i'll try the atf, maybe couple pints don't you think? the lifter was quite this morning. this noise has been coming and going ever since i did the valves a couple of weeks ago. haven't quite figured out whats going on here.

thanks, hunt

Zulfiqar · #9 11-09-2011, 01:46 PM

I think atf is not a good lube for the crank bearings

leathermang · #10 11-09-2011, 02:24 PM

I agree that atf is suspect in terms of the diesel engine lubrication itself.

I still think the stethescope is the most direct first check... since it was a noise mentioned.... as compared to direct evidence that a lifter was not pumping up properly.... and we have assumed the OP to be correct in that the noise is from a hydraulic lifter problem....

barry123400 · #11 11-09-2011, 08:06 PM

If the lifter is worn out it should not present the noise intermittently.Again consider a synthetic oil change.

It is said that you can mix the two types of oil. Synthetic and normal. So adding a quart of synthetic oil might over some miles clean things out.

jhunt253 · #12 11-09-2011, 08:57 PM

why would synthetic oil help?

thanks, hunt

leathermang · #13 11-09-2011, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

...It is said that you can mix the two types of oil....

Bet an engine on that ?

barry123400 · #14 11-09-2011, 10:42 PM

Good point but I have read mixing the two types is allowed. Yet playing it safe is always advisable. A full synthetic oil change should clean the varnish etc out over a period of a few thousand miles if it is the problem.

We actually did use automaic transmission oil as an additive in our gas engines years ago with fair results.

leathermang · #15 11-09-2011, 11:36 PM

"Gas engines.... fair results"... I can go with that.... 8,9,perhaps 10 to one compression... a lot of difference in the pressure on the rod bearings compared to our 21 to one......

I know that some syn and dino are mixed ...but I would want something authoritative as to which... nothing like having something needed for lubrication gell in the bottom of the pan or interact to negate each other..

How about some of those old time varnish cleaners like Bardahl ? If there are some approved ones available that would seem a better bet... partly because they would be in the oil a shorter period and then flushed out... as per instructions..

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=659&q=bardahl+engine+flush&gbv=2&oq=bardahl+&aq=6&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=c&gs_upl=1283l4421l0l8255l8l8l0l0l0l0l1338l3130l1.1.4.5-1.0.1l8l0

" a few thousand miles"...... if it is a lifter and it is making a noise...would that not introduce the possibility of beating up that cam lobe ?