Noisy Lifter 3.4

[richamer1]

I have a 00 Montana 3.4 on cold mornings I have a lifter ticking for several minutes when I start it. I am getting ready to do a intake gasket job on it. Would it be fairly easy to replace it at that time? Also how can I detect which one it is? My daughter had a 95 Olds 3.1 that did the same thing I used 5W-20 oil and it helped that car had roller lifters that were very expensive does the 3.4 also have rollers ? Is this something that I need to worry about or just let it warm up and go on ? It has 132K on it Thank You

[heimdawg]

This may be a stupid comment but I know with my Venture (just finished the LIM job) that it would tick pretty bad because the oil would be low do to the leaky gasket. Any chance the oil level dipped on you?

[roadrunner2]

Originally Posted by richamer1

I have a 00 Montana 3.4 on cold mornings I have a lifter ticking for several minutes when I start it. I am getting ready to do a intake gasket job on it. Would it be fairly easy to replace it at that time? Also how can I detect which one it is? My daughter had a 95 Olds 3.1 that did the same thing I used 5W-20 oil and it helped that car had roller lifters that were very expensive does the 3.4 also have rollers ? Is this something that I need to worry about or just let it warm up and go on ? It has 132K on it Thank You

Yes, the lifters do have rollers.

Are you sure the noise is from a lifter or is it the common 'piston slap' this engine is (also) noted for?
You can locate the noisy lifter with a length of hose or with a mechanics stethoscope.

If you are doing the LIMG replacement, you can pull the lifter. Use a proper tool made for the job or a magnet to lift it out.

Check the lifter wall and plunger seat for scuffing, score marks or uneven wear.

If the pushrod seats are worn, inspect the pushrods also.

If just cleaning, greasingand replacing the same lifters, make certain the same lifter go back in the same bore hole (don't mix them up).

If you weren't going to do the LIMG, I would have suggested removing a quart of engine oil and replace it with the same amount of tranny fluid and run it for a hundred miles or so, replace the oil and filter and listen again.

Do not leave the tranny fluid in too long as it isn't a very good engine oil replacement.

If the lifter just has dirt stuck in it (causing it to stick) the tranny fluid (being a detergent) will flush it out and then when you drain the engine oil and replace the filter the dirt will be taken out.

Replace with a new one (or all of them) while it's all apart but before installing it/them, coat them with a moly-based grease.

[richamer1]

No I am not sure that it is not piston slap. It does quit after it warms up for a couple of minutes. I was trying to figure how much money to put in this. The coolant leak is external no oil/antifreeze issues. I did want to fix that but not if the engine was going to need rebuilt soon. If I can get another 30 or 40 k out of it I would do the intake gaskets. If it is a lifter I think I can drop down to 5W20 oil and get by. But the piston slap I have no idea how much time i have on that. Any thoughts? Thank You

Originally Posted by roadrunner2

Yes, the lifters do have rollers.

Are you sure the noise is from a lifter or is it the common 'piston slap' this engine is (also) noted for?
You can locate the noisy lifter with a length of hose or with a mechanics stethoscope.

If you are doing the LIMG replacement, you can pull the lifter. Use a proper tool made for the job or a magnet to lift it out.

Check the lifter wall and plunger seat for scuffing, score marks or uneven wear.

If the pushrod seats are worn, inspect the pushrods also.

If just cleaning, greasingand replacing the same lifters, make certain the same lifter go back in the same bore hole (don't mix them up).

If you weren't going to do the LIMG, I would have suggested removing a quart of engine oil and replace it with the same amount of tranny fluid and run it for a hundred miles or so, replace the oil and filter and listen again.

Do not leave the tranny fluid in too long as it isn't a very good engine oil replacement.

If the lifter just has dirt stuck in it (causing it to stick) the tranny fluid (being a detergent) will flush it out and then when you drain the engine oil and replace the filter the dirt will be taken out.

Replace with a new one (or all of them) while it's all apart but before installing it/them, coat them with a moly-based grease.

[roadrunner2]

The piston slap won't cause any damage, just noisy until warm like a ticking lifter.

The piston slap is more like a rattle type noise than a sharp ticking sound.

If it weren't for all the crappy designs in this engine it would be a good one. Mine never burned any oil between 3k mile changes.

Looks like you got lucky with having an EXternal coolant leak, but are you POSITIVE none is leaking to the inside? No symptoms like light brown greasy coolant? No overheating?

Personally? I'd be keeping a real close eye on that gasket leak as you don't want to have to go deeper than the LIMG.

[richamer1]

No signs that I have seen that it is leaking inside. I am going to go ahead and fix it.Thankls for the info.

Originally Posted by roadrunner2

The piston slap won't cause any damage, just noisy until warm like a ticking lifter.

The piston slap is more like a rattle type noise than a sharp ticking sound.

If it weren't for all the crappy designs in this engine it would be a good one. Mine never burned any oil between 3k mile changes.

Looks like you got lucky with having an EXternal coolant leak, but are you POSITIVE none is leaking to the inside? No symptoms like light brown greasy coolant? No overheating?

Personally? I'd be keeping a real close eye on that gasket leak as you don't want to have to go deeper than the LIMG.

[cjstew4]

Originally Posted by richamer1

No signs that I have seen that it is leaking inside. I am going to go ahead and fix it.Thankls for the info.

If you are planning on hanging onto this another 30-40k mi, I would definitely confirm the LIM leak and fix it with the heads resurfaced and do the water pump replacement as well. My '97s LIM that I kept putting off to fix later turned into an overheating mess on a family trip an before I could just do the LIM, it turned into a head gasket leak (white, hot , smoke from the exhaust that burns your hand within a few inches of the tailpipe). Had to tow it 300 miles,etc with the truck and front tire carrier to a less expensive repair place.

Start running a qt of Risoline oil treatment for the 5th qt each oil change to quiet those lifters. I had a stuck lifter and only the Risoline brand worked to finally unstick it and have run it in every oil change ever since.