Tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic tic

[Vanman]

Ok so my engine has developed a tic. I have a few questions on how to proceed.

It ran fine with a few carb issues I was working out when I was able to drive it ( before the snow).

I just started ticking out of the blue right on start up a little over a week ago. Thats when I checked plugs, cause it was missing also, miss is gone since I cleaned and gapped the plugs. Along with fixing a stripped out plug hole. Oil level is fine.

Would a dry lifter tick?

Do I take it for a spin and see if it goes away, thinking that it may be a dry lifter, if that would cause it to tick.

Or do I pull the cover and listen for it, and do a valve adjustment?

Could a cold start cause a bent push rod? It hasnt been super cold, but around the low 30dgs.

Do I want to start off by checking for a bent push rod?

Thanks for any input.

[ibbubba]

hi kevin. my trike does that sometimes. i just let it idle till it gets warm then i take off. NOT saying this is your problem, but i replaced a lifter because it would not stop ticking. i put a new lifter in there (#6 exh) worked fine for a bit then started again but not near as bad or as much. occasionally it wont do it for quite a while. lol, never thought about checkin the oil. "DOH!"

[Luke Geis]

It's usually tied to a lifter that is not pumping up. Sometimes if the vehicle has sat for a bit it will take a while to build pressure in the lifter again. The tick you hear from this is actually the rocker arm clacking on the valve stem. If the tick does not go away after several miles of driving and the engine is up to driving temp it could be a bad lifter. Hopefully you didn't lose your cam shaft lobe, as this will require splitting the case. You would know though if that was the case because you will likely loose that cylinder. The easiest way to find out is simple.

Turn the engine on and while it is warming up, get your head up where the valve covers are and listen for the tick. The side that has the loudest tick noise is going to be the side that contains the ticking valve. Open up the valve cover from that side and either with a cut in half cover in place, or no valve cover at all, start the engine. You will hear the valve ticking even louder now and will be easily able to find out which one it is by simply pressing on each rocker arm. When you press on the rocker arm that is loose or ticking it will stop ticking. This is the valve with the bad lifter. You may also notice that there is no oil coming from out of that rocker as well. If you look at the others they will be squirting oil out around the push rod hole. If it is not squirting oil then it reinforces the bad lifter theory.

You will have to undo the head bolts and rocker assembly from that particular cylinder to get the old lifter out and replace it. This is because you have to remove the push rod tube for that particular lifter. I have found that when they usually go bad the little clip spring in them is what goes, or there is debris in the oil passage. The lifter may come out in pieces so pay attention as you do the work. put her back together with a new lifter and ta da.

[Vanman]

Thanks for the info. I havent lost a cylinder yet, I can pull any plug wire and the rpms will drop on the engine.

If need be, can i use a lifter from my extra original '63 fc engine, in my engine in the van, its a '66 110. Not that I know if I have to, but if I do, it would be nice to know that I can. Same thing for the pushrods, can I swap one if need be?

[UNSAFE]

>>>>>I can pull any plug wire and the rpms will drop on the engine.<<<<

Yeah - That's what I'm talking about - the basic cylinder balance test. Fast , easy , clean and tooless !

IMHO - i would avoid changing a lifter until you have exhausted all other options.

It is not uncommon at all for a Corvair engine to tick or tap after being parked . It was a Corvair problem from day one.

The lifters are horizontal and depending on where the motor stops there may be one or more with the oil hole pointing down and the the oil drains off. Sometimes just idling won't stop the tick but a drive usually will.

If it's just one that keeps tapping I'd try adjusting just that one. If unsure about procedure be sure to check out my valve adjustment video.

It also could be a worn guide or stem and only head removal and repair will get rid of the ticking.

A leaky exhaust gasket can often tick like a lifter too. My own experience is that lifters are usually not the problem but they get blamed most of the time.

[SpyderMike]

Mine can sit for weeks (don't actually do that often) and never tic. But -every- time if I just start it for a short move in the driveway, the next time it will tic hard and loud for about 3 miles until fully warmed up. Food for thought...

[Vanman]

I will have to wait till Im done with the lights and take it for a spin. We'll see then. Hopefully it will stop. Sorta sounds like what you guys have described about the lifter not pumping. Im a newbie to Vairs, so live and learn. Hope it goes away.

Yeah I was just asking about whether or not the lifters can be swaped, only if that was the case.


Once again, thanks for the input, I can say it has helped me get past the initial shock of thinking I have a bad engine. lol.

[Vanman]

Guess I was just showing my newbness. Took Sancho for a ride did about 7 miles, 1/2 of the way through he decided to stop ticking. Just wanted some attention. Like I havent been putting new parts on him or something. Almost as bad as my kids.

Just happy to know everythings good.

[Luke Geis]

good to know. I have found that the tick, if sudden as you mentioned, is usually the lifters. That is because they are not pumping up. Since they sit sideways it is difficult to keep the oil in it's basin. It usually fixes it's self after several miles. If not it is either because they are plugged with grime or they have failed altogether. Exhaust leaks are usually more prominent when the engine is cold and get quieter as the engine heats up. Exhaust leaks are also a bit more distinctive as you will smell the fumes. The most common exhaust packing that goes are the ones that go to the crossover tubes from the exhaust manifolds. The exhaust packing between the head and manifold are pretty much indestructible.

[Vanman]

Funny part is I was thinking it was possibly a exhaust leak. It was missing the bracket that holds the exhaust log on, in the middle lt side. Pulled one off my extra engine and tightened them all up, but it was still ticking.

It realy did sound like a lifter, you could hear it through the engine, both on top and bottom. Very prominent sound, but not as loud as a exhaust leak.