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Thread: Valve tick??

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  1. #1

    Icon5 Valve tick??

    Hey guys,

    My G's got about 132K on it right now, original engine. Over the last year, I've noticed gradually louder valve tick from it. The tick goes away eventually, but it takes a ridiculous amount of time for it to do so. Usually after 2 straight hours of driving it, it will finally shut up. And it never really goes away, it just gets less noticeable.

    Is there any way to quiet my noisy lifters? It's got plenty of oil. Yesterday, I went out and bought a can of Scott's Seafoam and dumped it in the gas tank.

    Short of ripping the head off and replacing it, is there anything else I can do to make it quiet again? (I'm running straight conventional castrol in it now BTW)

    Thanks in advance!!
    Last edited by mygalantwasfree; 09-19-2010 at 01:28 PM Reason: spelling
    "Speed never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary...that's what gets you." - Jeremy Clarkson

    1997 Galant ES with '94-95 style front end and '97 style rear

  2. #2
    Check your belts, my car started making noise that sounded like valve tick and about a week later the power steering belt broke and caused the water pump to stop spinning.
    Light em up.

  3. #3
    RISLONE or CD2.

  4. #4
    Member allrice4g64's Avatar
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    try lucas oil stabilizer or change ur oil with a fully synthetic high grade oil.

  5. #5
    The best way i've found is to pull the lifters out and give them a decent clean with either degreaser or brake clean, the additives work for awhile but they will start to tick again not long after

  6. #6
    TGC Super Hero evil-G-nius's Avatar
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    I agree with trying the oil stabilizer. For me my lifters tick when I am low on oil...but you said there is plenty. Change the oil type and add the stabilizer...if that doesnt work you may have to change the lifters...they may be shot


    "Why fart and waste it when you can burp and taste it!"

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by 7gvr4 View Post
    The best way i've found is to pull the lifters out and give them a decent clean with either degreaser or brake clean, the additives work for awhile but they will start to tick again not long after
    So once the lifters get a lot of sludge on them, they start to tick? Interesting suggestion. Is this because the tiny oil passages in the lifters themselves get blocked?

    I will probably pull my lifters out sometime next week, and then either clean them or buy new ones, depending on how worn they look.

    What would be the consequences if I just simply chose to ignore my valve tick? I have this long-held mentality that if I hear loud noise, damage is occurring. However, is this true for valve tick? I've heard of cars running for years with the ticking.
    "Speed never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary...that's what gets you." - Jeremy Clarkson

    1997 Galant ES with '94-95 style front end and '97 style rear

  8. #8
    As far as i'm aware thats the problem, usually all i do is leave them to soak in bowl of degreaser or similar overnight, usually get 5000-10000kms out of them before they start to tick again.

    A handy hint for when you pull you're lifters out is to block the oil galleries with some paper so that nothing falls down into the sump while you're pulling them out, just make sure you pull the paper out before you close it back up

    Personally I havn't heard of any damage being caused by the lifters ticking

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by mygalantwasfree View Post
    So once the lifters get a lot of sludge on them, they start to tick? Interesting suggestion. Is this because the tiny oil passages in the lifters themselves get blocked?

    I will probably pull my lifters out sometime next week, and then either clean them or buy new ones, depending on how worn they look.

    What would be the consequences if I just simply chose to ignore my valve tick? I have this long-held mentality that if I hear loud noise, damage is occurring. However, is this true for valve tick? I've heard of cars running for years with the ticking.
    the tick is actually the lifters sticking from the varnish created by dirty oil, and the tick is them getting unstuck.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by mygalantwasfree View Post
    Hey guys,

    My G's got about 132K on it right now, original engine. Over the last year, I've noticed gradually louder valve tick from it. The tick goes away eventually, but it takes a ridiculous amount of time for it to do so. Usually after 2 straight hours of driving it, it will finally shut up. And it never really goes away, it just gets less noticeable.

    Is there any way to quiet my noisy lifters? It's got plenty of oil. Yesterday, I went out and bought a can of Scott's Seafoam and dumped it in the gas tank.

    Short of ripping the head off and replacing it, is there anything else I can do to make it quiet again? (I'm running straight conventional castrol in it now BTW)

    Thanks in advance!!
    Dump the seafoam in the oil instead of the gas tank drive the car for a little bit let it idle while warm for a couple mins and change the oil (i would do a flush which means buy cheap oil and filter change it drive it for about 100 miles and then put in a full synthetic and nice filter) this should clean out the varnish and gunk you have built up. Also while you are at it just change out your plugs and run some seafoam through a vacuum line should run nice after that for you.
    Last edited by Galant306m; 09-20-2010 at 02:37 AM

    1996 galant s
    finishing up my 2.4L DOHC, 10.5:1, precision sc60, meth injected MONSTER.

  11. #11
    Thanks so much for all your help guys!

    I thought the lifters were worn out, but it looks like all they need is a good cleaning. I'll try the seafoam in the oil & vacuum lines, then an oil flush. If that doesn't work, I'll take out the lifters and clean them.

    Thanks again!
    "Speed never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary...that's what gets you." - Jeremy Clarkson

    1997 Galant ES with '94-95 style front end and '97 style rear

  12. #12

  13. #13
    Senior TGC Member Isaurio's Avatar
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    Stay away from the thick oil. Get a lighter oil and put some luca on it every 2 weeks.

    Triple Diamond Motors East Cost
    02 2.5L Fully Built Galant 5 speed
    SOHC Turbo
    http://www.thegalantcenter.org/showthread.php?52330-Isaurio-s-Turbo-Built-quot-4G64T-quot-Heavy-pics>My 4G64 Turbo Built

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Isaurio View Post
    Stay away from the thick oil. Get a lighter oil and put some luca on it every 2 weeks.
    Is 10w-30 too thick? I was using this in my car for a while, to help curb oil burnoff and slow any leaks slightly (I'm leaking oil out of my distributor O-Ring). But for the last 4 or 5,000 miles I've switched back to standard 5w-30
    "Speed never killed anyone. Suddenly becoming stationary...that's what gets you." - Jeremy Clarkson

    1997 Galant ES with '94-95 style front end and '97 style rear

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