lifter noise

[kenney58]

I recently bought a 93 Grand Am with 2.3 SOHC engine. Since it had a blown headgasket, I not only had it replaced but also had a complete head job done on it.
They had the head trued up and I was told that they put a spacer plate on with the head gasket to keep the valve clearance to what it should be.
After about 400 miles the lifters have went to clicking hard.
I was told yesterday by another mechanic that they had someone bring in a 2.3 that had been just overhauled (by another place other than to where I had my head job done) with tappets ratteling.
They put a oil pressure guage on it and found that it had only 20 lbs pressure. They then discovered that it had the wrong head gasket on it that caused the problem.
Can any one give me some output on any of this, so that I might have an ideal to what is going on?
I am to take mine in next week to have the oil pressure checked on it as this second party is sure that I also have the wrong head gasket.
And has anyone ever heard of spacers being put in along with a head gasket?

[crazy Jim]

I've used multiple head gaskets as "spacers" to lower the static CR, maybe they were refering to an extra gasket. If the lifter noise just started all of a sudden then I'd be concernd, but GMs are known for noisy lifters on start-up although I do not believe this is what you are refering to.

[kenney58]

No, the clatter of the lifters are more than just at startup.... It wants to continue.... I will get the gauge put on it next week to see what the actual oil pressure is.
Have you ever heard of an incorrect gasket installed that kept the top of the engine from getting the proper amount of oil?

[wafrederick]

Did you change the timing chain?It could be that with lots of slack.

[xeroinfinity]

Originally Posted by kenney58

No, the clatter of the lifters are more than just at startup.... It wants to continue.... I will get the gauge put on it next week to see what the actual oil pressure is.
Have you ever heard of an incorrect gasket installed that kept the top of the engine from getting the proper amount of oil?

Thier are several issue that could cause you not to get proper oil to the top end.
One being the gasket was put on wrong or upside down.
If the oil pan and engine wasnt clean thuroughly before installing the head you could suck up chunks of crud from the oil pan and clog a head gasket or oil passage.
And yes it could be the wrong gasket altogether...

And I dont see slack in the timing chain causing low oil pressure wafrederick.

[wafrederick]

I have done one twice for some reason,had to change the timing chain on one the second time,was noisey.