AndrewsQuattros

I noticed on most higher mileage NG (2.3) engines that I hear, the lifters tick *clackclackclackclack* including on my 90Q. I have 20w50 in there with lucas oil stabilizer, tried restore, tried stp, tried marvel mystery(each oil change a different one) and nothing will quiet it down.
Just wondering why the NG's do that. Almost all of the cars I've had(or heard) with the older heads like my moms ol' 5k, with 220K, did not tick at all! The 200 MC motor doesn't have one bit of noice also. But the 90 head, especially in the summer time, or after beating on, has a good amount of noise. Anyone have the same experience, any solutions?
Thanks,

SeStone

...it could be the high oil pressure with fresh rings and bearings, but 15sec or so after startup all ticking goes away (only ticks when it has been sitting for a bit). I've got 4.5-5bar cold oil pressure, using 10w40 Castrol GTX (dino oil for break in, engine has 800 miles on it since rebuild). Lifters were left to sit in oil for 5 months while the car was redone, then they were taken out of oil and pumped up by hand before we put them back in the engine. Before that I think they have maybe 60-20,000 miles on them, somewhere in there.

Sam

CGTBrad

My engine was run all it's life on mobil 1. Starting at mile zero. At about 185k I had one or two that would tick constantly. I tried MM oil before several changes, but it didn't really help. I was getting ready to order new ones and replace them and had posed it to the forum and one of the guys suggested that I try a product called "AutoRX." It's not super cheap, but has rave reviews and I figured the cost of trying this stuff was cheaper and easier than doing new lifers. So here's how it works.

You can start with whatever oil is in your car (as long as it's not close to needing to be changed). You add the bottle of Auto/Rx) AND put on a new filter.

Run the car for 1500 miles, change the Oil using any NON-SYNTHETIC oil and add another bottle of autoRX. I used Mobil Delvac 1300. Toward the end of this phase my lifters were SUPER noisy, probably because of all the gunk in my oil.

Run it another 1500 miles and change the oil to whatever you want and put on a new filter.

I'm about 1000 miles into the second phase and I've got to say, my lifters are definatly quieter and feels like it has just a tiny bit more power. Time will tell if they stay quiet, but it seems to have helped.

Check out their site
<a href="http://www.auto-rx.com">http://www.auto-rx.com</a>
And do a few searches for motor oil discussion forums and I bet you'll find a lot of good reviews. We have met in person Andrew and you know that I'm not just a guy promoting this company. You also know that i'm not the kind of guy who's just going to promote some BS product. This stuff actually seemed to work.

AndrewsQuattros

Thanks for the input Brad!
I know, we have met in person, I remember you were complaing about the valve ticking too on your car(that was wayyy before I had the 90, and even before my license, damn I was young ).
I guess I'll look into that stuff, because yeah those things are getting noisy. I plan a turbo swap for the future (have the doner car) and would probably use the NG big valve head at some point, in which case I would rebuild it. But for as long as I have this engine, I'll see what I can do, and see what others have done as well. Hmm I guess if you only have to use 3 ounces of that Auto-Rx, its not THAT expensive per oil change?
Thanks again.. let me know next time you're back in NY!

Dwight V.

All's quiet with fresh oil, then after about 2000 miles they start getting noisy. I've tried regular and synthetic, heavier weight oil, and it's pretty much the same story. My engine is ALL new, not just the lifters, so is completely gunk-free. Thinking of trying some kind of addititive at this point but recognize that most of it is snake oil.

Merkin

<ul><li><a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/9080/msgs/248471.phtml">https://forums.audiworld.com/9080/msgs/248471.phtml</a</li></ul>

AndrewsQuattros

Wouldnt mind taking the valve cover off to adjust them (like on an American V8).. Although that intake manifold is a PITA. hehehe

birdmanmt

My car got new lifters with a head rebuild about 20k miles ago. Old lifter made noise at startup, didn't matter what i did. I tried several additives in that time.

Since rebuild and new lifters, mobil 1 and amsoil s2000 racing oil. Lifters have only chatter a couple time after 6krpm clutch drops at the drag strip. This car has had some amazingly abusive driving since the head was rebuilt. From towing way to heavy of trailers across North dakota in 100 degree heat, to MN and MT cold winter starts.

It's a highly boosted 5kTQ that see's redline regurlary and really hard launches/hard driving ALL the time. Not much lifter noise at all except for the launches occasionally.

tufelhund

I've got an 85 4kq, ticked like a bioche!
So I ordered up a brand new set of tickers from Blau.. Put em in, changed the oil, started it up.
Ticked like a bioche! What-the-$@%#!!So I drove it for a while like that, no biggie, I5's tick right? Wrong. I ended up sucking the #3intake valve. The valve stem sheared off right below the keeper and slid down inside the cylinder. piston makes contact, valve bent.(Thank the Audi Gods) Saving the lower end. Just k
nicked the piston!!
The machine shop guy said he'd never seen anything quite like it before.
Turns out the oil pump was only putting out 8psi at idle and 30-35psi at 80mph. Not good!
(Advice) Before you pull all of your hair out, Go and get a cheapo mechanical oil pressure guage and hook it up. I found out the hard way!
So, 2 sets of lifters. 1 complete head rebuild. 1 oil pump. And many other associated goodies involved, equals big dollars. The only good thing is I got more ponies because of some extra machine work. Figured what the hey, I've got the head out any way! Added a Blau sport cam while I was at it. And now I'll get another 300,000 miles out of her because half of my engine is brand new.
The whole ordeal prolly cost me around a grand.
The oil pressure guage cost me 10 bucks at pep-boys!
Hope this helps...