very noisy engine

[BCboy]

Hey my engine sounds terrible in my 90 pathy. It's really loud and ticks and sounds awful. My buddy says it is the valve lash and needs to be adjusted. does this sound right and if so what are the specs?

[madhornet]

they are hydraulic and not adjustable start lookin for a new engine

[BCboy]

really thats a bummer. whats the problem with it

[MY1PATH]

blind leading the blind here.

new lifters can be found for under $200

once installed Hydralic lash will be corrected.

Edited September 19, 2010 by MY1PATH

[Tungsten]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89o5rLpbCgI

 

If you want to do valve lash, make sure the exhaust rocker is looser than the intake one because the exhaust valve stem stretches when it gets hot.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Tungsten

[madhornet]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89o5rLpbCgI

 

If you want to do valve lash, make sure the exhaust rocker is looser than the intake one because the exhaust valve stem stretches when it gets hot.

 

 

he has a 90 pathfinder not a small block chevy LOL

[madhornet]

and if its got vlave lash noise what else is worn out? $200+ worth of parts and a few hours labor and it may have other issues as opposed to a new engine and tuned up around $600 and a few more hours of parts and u know what u got.

 

i aint blind its just a little blurry from the mud flyin off ma tires

 

oh and i have been a mechanic for 20 years

[adamzan]

Try some thicker oil first. like 15w40 or 20w50.

[5523Pathfinder]

Hey my engine sounds terrible in my 90 pathy. It's really loud and ticks and sounds awful. My buddy says it is the valve lash and needs to be adjusted. does this sound right and if so what are the specs?

Before everyone gets too carried away here, can you make a video of your engine and post it? To me, from your description, you probably have a lift collapsing. As stated, they are not adjustable. The begin to develop a small leak and wont "pump up", or get sticky from lack of clean oil. Luckily, the right side is a piece of cake. The left side, not so much as you have to remove the intake. Oh, and thats a 15 year Nissan master tech recommending that.

[BCboy]

HMMMM interesting. The niose does come from the right side. The engine runs good, always starts with and runs smooth but it's very loud. I have done regular oil changes since I bought it but who knows before that.

[Kingman]

Taking a video of the noise will help immensely.

[MY1PATH]

and if its got vlave lash noise what else is worn out? $200+ worth of parts and a few hours labor and it may have other issues as opposed to a new engine and tuned up around $600 and a few more hours of parts and u know what u got.

 

i aint blind its just a little blurry from the mud flyin off ma tires

 

oh and i have been a mechanic for 20 years

 

well being an seasoned mechainic you should be able to tackle lifters in your driveway no problem. These engines are good for a half a million miles.

Lifter wear happens inside the lifter, when it happens it looses its capacity to fill with oil and ajust it self. The nature of this wear means your valves and rockers are normally fine.

1 remove intake

2 remove valve covers

3 remove rocker arm shafts (loosen bolts evenly)

4a remove lifter galley (watch out for hollow alignment pins)

4b remove lifters from galley (if they didn't fall out)

5 CLEAN lifter galley. spray solvent thru it, ensure there are no clogs of blockages (failure to do so may result in another lifter tick)

6a apply assembly lube to all shiny surfaces of lifter and lifter galley locations where lifters slide in.

6b insert new lifters and wire the tops so they stay in

7 install lifter galley with alignment pins in place and remove wire.

8 use assembly lube on rocker pads and install rockers/ rocker arm shafts

9 re-assemble 1&2

10 Change your oil, us High quality oil. I recomend royal purple becuase it contains ZDDP. also use a zddp additve.

 

break in properly to prevent pre-mature wear;

1 start engine and raise RPM to 2000 if there is a prolbem stop engine fix it and start again DO NOT LET ENGINE IDLE untill 20min RUN IN is complete

2 RUN 2000 rpm for 5 min

3 run 3000 rpm for 10 min

4 fluctuate 2000~3000 for 5 min

5 lifters are now run in let engine Idle and turn it off.

 

at this point I reccomend changing your oil. I also recomend you have ZDDP in your oil @ all times because it protects the lifters. Most oils nolonger contain this substance.

Don't rev above 4000rpm for the first 250 miles

the link below is for cams but there are lots of pictures to help you visualize the process.

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=15422

[BCboy]

What that sounds very easy to do. Sounds alot better then a new engine to.

[MY1PATH]

What that sounds very easy to do. Sounds alot better then a new engine to.

 

 

yes, easy, a little time consuming (getting the manifold off and all) but quite easy.

some ppl curse hydraluic lifters because of this symptom but really, if properly lubed(ZDDP) you might change them once in the life of the engine.

But Vs solid lifter engines that may need the lash ajsted every 90k or so(mileage may vary)... I prefer the Hydro.

[madhornet]

goodluck those hours would have had that worn out engine out so hope all goes well...

and yes my current 1990 3.0 has over 500,000 kms and it is whisper quiet but does use some oil and smokes when it starts but it is my dune buggy and DD for the last 8 years these are bullet proof engines normally

[frecklecolouredbrain]

Try some thicker oil first. like 15w40 or 20w50.

 

x2 on this. I starting running 15w40 in the summer and it smoothed out alot of little noises.

hpw

[Chriskaw440]

x2 on this. I starting running 15w40 in the summer and it smoothed out alot of little noises.

hpw

 

been down this road already with my 1990 with 254,000+ miles on it. Replaced my noisy lifters (2 or 3 actually had visible damage to the tips...dont ask me how that happened...) and it was my

first time doing this. One lifter got fried because I forgot the break in period or to use ZDDP additive (good luck finding it....thank you GOVERNMENT!) but Valvoline 20w-50 racing oil still has

it in it and can be found on the shelf in most parts stores.

 

Mine are quieter overall..still a tick every once in a while...but...given the age of the engine and mileage...it's good enough for me! and I did both right and left sides.

 

Definitly take your time, size/fit each new lifter to the lifter block with plenty of oil...if one feels too tight in a certain lifter space...try it in another one until they all fit

nice and smoothly and move freely with no sticking. Use tiny zip ties to hold them in the lifter block when removing and installing them. There are photos around here somewhere that illustrate

this. Can be done in a day or less.

 

Its not a rocket science project by any means....just be patient and definitly do the break in period (because I "oops!" forgot to) and you should be good to go. Order lifters from Akorahill here in the club. He works for nissan. Awesome helper!

 

will need new plenum gasket for when you do the drivers side.....and new valve cover gaskets if needed.

 

when I can afford it I plan on doing mine over again since I goofed a few steps (break in) but the engine still runs great and does not burn oil....just still a little noisy but I blame that on my impatience.

 

of course any mechanic knows, or mechanic wanna-be...losen and tighten all bolts in the correct pattern and in 1/4 turn increments until all loose or tight, and follow torque specs when reinstalling...and keeping track of what bolts went where....(cardboard box works well for this) so they all go in the same places as they originally were.

 

-Chris

[MY1PATH]

I personally recomend you used schneider racing fromula2 for break in and formula 3 for every oil change. Lots of zddp!

but don't use F3 with new rings It will keep them from seating.

 

Madhornet whats your automotive history? And besides Owning a VG how much have you learned about it? You seemed too quick to discourage his engine especially since the solution is simple.

Maybe lay off on the Rash statements untill you've dug into your's a bit. I know you have 500,000km (~250,000mi) and think its great but get ready cause by about that time most well cared for VG's start makin noise. (I said noise, and that is far from failure).

 

I hope you were just trying to be informative and helpful but its bad when ppl get mis-informed.

[Chriskaw440]

x2 on this. I starting running 15w40 in the summer and it smoothed out alot of little noises.

hpw

 

x3.... I use Valvoline 20w 50 (has zddp) and in my well worn engine....she runs just fine and quieter.

 

10w 30 will never ever be used again ....sounded like an old sewing machine LOL!! and I am not an advocate of those off-the-shelf so called oil additives.

hell....Lucas is so thick it doesn't even pour from the bottle...you have to squeeze it out! I don't think so....

[madhornet]

i have owned many vg's actually 6 or so i luv them but maybe i was hasty but from my experience with these engines if they are getting noisy they are done because i have never heard a noisy one besides the 3.3's i have had 3 of them over 500,000kms and never a noise and any other brands i have worked on were not worth the effort

[BCboy]

Jesus, I've been running 5-30 because it is starting to get cold at night (canada) so I wanted a thinner oil. I'm doing an oil change this week!!!