A new noise coming from engine compartment

[12Ounce]

It's been a while since I have had this engine opened up .... but I remember the oil pump being driven by shaft out the bottom of the synchronizer. When I rebuilt my engine I cut a shaft out of some hex bar-stock so I could prime the oil pump with drill motor.

With all the rebuilds its been through, and the noise it now makes ... I would disassemble the oil pump and check for wear. I would also closely inspect the synchronizer. The oil pump is a strange affair that is bolted to the bottom corner of the front cover .... and the pressure relief valve is inserted into the cover and capped over. All requires some close study to understand and repair. If you replace the pump, I would also replace the pressure relief valve (usually included with new pump).

[olopezm]

Thanks 12Ounce,

From reading the FSM I understand how the pump works and seems like no big deal. Will take a look at it.

Oscar.

[olopezm]

Hi guys,

I decided to give it a last shot and took it to another mechanic, my uncle has taken his car to him and has had good results; after talking to the guy, I kinda trust him.

He took a look at the engine and noise and said it does sounds like a tappet noise (as some of you said before) and said he would have to find out if it's possible to do a valve adjustment on this engine or it would be just worn components needing replacement. He didn't say what could exactly be the problem, just valvetrain in general.

I know the basics but have no idea where the problem could be located at. I just read the manual and saw that there are NO adjustments (as I suspected, I remember that I removed one of the hydraulic tappets during one of the rebuilds years ago) to be done.

What do you guys think? How would I do about it to make sure it's either one thing or the other?

As always, I appreciate your input.

Oscar.

[serge_saati]

You can adjust the preload of the lifters, by setting the lifter plunger to the center of its travel. Or you can replace them. The lifters are located near the camshat, in the engine block (different place of the heads and valve cover).

You should adjust/replace them all.

[olopezm]

Thanks Serge, it's good to know that you (and everyone else) are still willing to help this stubborn guy and I appreciate it.

Yeah, I checked and manifold needs to come out as they are below of it; I guess that would explain why I was able to hear the noise by the timing cover rather than the valve covers, however I could not find any adjustment procedure for the hydraulic lifters. Could you please elaborate more on this?

What do you think about this hypothesis? Do you think it's a valid one?

Oscar.

[serge_saati]

Here they give info about the lifters adjustment: http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...raulic_lifters.
Here's a video for the rocker arms adjustment:

Buy if they're worn, you should replace them.

[12Ounce]

On the 3.8, there is no manual adjustment on the lifters... all automatic/hydraulic. I don't recognize the engine in the image.

[serge_saati]

Yeah this engine is a V8 OHV. You see the 8 pairs of valves.
He can replace the lifters. Or adjust the rocker arms.

[12Ounce]

You can locate a noisy lifter, sometimes, by placing a feeler gauge under the rocker arm while the engine is idling. If the noise changes noticeably while the gauge is probed in place ... you may have found a noisy lifter. Temporarily loosening the rocker hold down bolt may have the same effect.

If you find no noisey lifters, that could leave chain-slap or piston-slap as the noise makers.

[olopezm]

Thanks guys.

I was thinking that if the lifters are that worn I could remove the valve covers and easily spot it with my bare hands by checking up and down movement while engine is off, right?.

I watched the video, but it only mentions info about adjustable rocker arms, which I'm pretty sure is not my case. I will read the other link you, Serge, posted along with the PDF contained in it.

EDIT:Or maybe I should just replace them all instead of fiddling?

Oscar.

[serge_saati]

On the Windstar the rocker arms are ajustables, like in the video (1:08), but I'll be surprise that it would be the problem. And don't mind about the pdf.

Originally Posted by olopezm

I was thinking that if the lifters are that worn I could remove the valve covers and easily spot it with my bare hands by checking up and down movement while engine is off, right?.

No, you cannot spot the lifter by removing only the valve cover. You should also remove the lower intake manifold.

[olopezm]

Originally Posted by serge_saati

On the Windstar the rocker arms are ajustables, like in the video (1:08), but I'll be surprise that it would be the problem. And don't mind about the pdf.

No, you cannot spot the lifter by removing only the valve cover. You should also remove the lower intake manifold.

It turns out that the video is the actual representation of what the PDF says, more or less.

I used to think that I would be able to spot any play on the push rod, that's why I thought of removing the valve cover. Your answer tells me that you don't think this is the problem, but rather the timing chain as before?

Oscar.

[serge_saati]

I said it could be worn lifters, but not adjustment issue. Adjustment issue are very rare on modern engine. You adjust rocker arms and torque nut only when you replace lifters usually. But you're right, you can test the play like that. And you're right about the pdf, I thought the pdf was for only for non adjustable rocker arms.

And yes, I think is more the chain tensioner the problem.

[tempfixit]

Oscar have you tried listening to the valve cover area's with a stethoscope, screwdriver or hose to see if you can detect any valvetrain noise differences???

IMO it would be worth a try for piece of mind to eliminate the valvetrain.

[12Ounce]

Some 160k miles ago, I rebuilt my 3.8. Myself. Me, not my cousin or neighbor. Me.

Unless I was smoking something really good, the valve system ... lifters, rockers, etc ... had no manual adjustment!