The rocker arm isn't attached to the lifter. It is notched so it sits on the lash adjuster and valve tip. Spring pressure from the lash adjuster keeps it tight against the cam lobe. If you have a sticky valve or collapsed lash adjuster sometimes the rocker arm can pop out.

Think of the lash adjuster as a lifter with a very short push rod on it. When the cam rotates the lash adjuster stays rigid so when the bump on the cam hits the rocker arm it forces the valve open. If the lash adjuster fails or has air in it the rocker arm isn't tight to the back of the cam lobe so when the bump rotates it slaps the rocker arm and you get the 'tick' sound.

 

10-4

So lash adjuster essentially means 'always keeping valve lash at 0.00" '.

 

You got it

 

Definetly is worse when the temps are cold, like in the morning on first start-up. And in the hot afternoons, i've noticed that it doesn't do it at all. I'm slowly learning from the Suzuki forums that this might be a fairly common issue. Apparantly, these little engines are very suseptable to even minor changes in oil viscocity. Apparently, some have even had the manufacturer recommendation changed from 5w-30 to 5w-20. I'm going to try one of those next change, and leave out any additive that increases viscocity.

FYI, I finally filled up for the first time since my original fill-up, and I checked my mpg. It was 41 mpg. That made me happy.

 

Wait until you start modding it, those MPG's will drop down to like 38.