Is lifter tick bad (harmful) or just annoying? Oil Change Recomendations?
12-17-2001, 07:01 AM
#1
Is lifter tick bad (harmful) or just annoying? Oil Change Recomendations?
The lifter tick quite loudly for 1-2 minutes in my 1987.5 CGT when started cold. I knnow that many (most?) of the Audi inline 5s tick, but is it harmful? Or is it just annoying? When I do my fist oil change...any suggestions?
12-17-2001, 07:13 AM
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Mine always tick usually with less than 2bar of oil pressure (4-cyl.)...
I just switched to Mobil 1 to see what would happen. I usually use 10w40, but am trying 0w30 since it's winter and Target had it on sale for $2.49/qt. I've lost about .5 bar of pressure at idle with the lighter oil. Come spring, I plan to use 0w40 if I find that I have no leaks due to the switch to synthetic.
12-17-2001, 09:02 AM
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Re: Is lifter tick bad (harmful) or just annoying? Oil Change Recomendations?
Since no one really answered your question...the ticking is (in the long run) harmful. It is your cam slapping down on the lifters. The reason you hear the ticking is the lack of oil there (at that time)...When it is cold out (engine cold), your oil is thicker and takes longer to get to the head. So while the oil is taking its good old time, your cam and lifters are creating a lot more friction than if there were oil there to lube it. And we all know what friction does in time...it wares things out
12-17-2001, 01:27 PM
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Not just the Audi's
Most of the older watercooled VW's and Audis tick, as well as some other German makes. Mine used to 'stick' a bit for a while, and I could notice a definite lump in the engine as the power differences between cylinders was off. That's a good question about harm to the engine. I can't imagine it being beneficial to it...
12-17-2001, 01:45 PM
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Uuhhhhhhh
Actually, it kinda hurts performance as when the lifter ticks, it means that the valve is not fully open when it should be...at least that's what I've understood of it....
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12-18-2001, 06:36 AM
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It's common for Audi's, it's in the manual...
Lifter ticking, "The Tick", is common for the Audi's because the lifters are hydraulic and is inherent in the design of a such a system. It takes a few minutes for the oil to get pumped back into them. It even states this in the your audi manual. While the sound you hear is caused by metal to metal contact, which is never a good thing, as long as you have enough oil in your engine and after a suitable warm up, a few minutes, the lifters should stop clacking. This will not cause any excessive wear on your enigne, but remember that technically, just starting your engine is harmful to it. Changing your oil, or replacing the lifters is only a temporary fix. Just like Jason and Freddy, "The Tick" will return!