Thanks for the help guys. Unfortunately I didn't do the intake manifold gasket either as I was worried about going that far into it so I had a shop do it. I'm thinking I may have to attempt these lifters though.

How much should I expect to pay if the cam lobes are messed up?

Also so are you guys saying it's okay to keep driving? Or is it something I should leave parked until I get it fixed.

 

for all u know it could be the synethic oil making it do that. if i was u i would change the oil and see if that helps the problem

 

Seconded.

 

I'm going to do that, but since I've been running Royal Purple synthetic oil for the last 80,000 miles and it just stated doing it, I don't think it's going to be the cause.

 

what you describe, its not a cam lobe problem

change the oil add a quart of Rislone

drive it

report back


also i bet it just started happening when it got cold got to?

 

Well, it started getting colder, but not cold. It was still in the high 50's low 60's when it started it. It actually started after I removed the oil pan to change the gasket, but I don't think it was related.

I couldn't find any Rislone locally, but I had a few people suggest Marvel Mystery Oil. I got some of that, will it do the same thing or do I need Rislone?

 

wow I love how people make things sound horribly bad. Also this OMG synthetic oil OH NO, Race cars use syn oil all the time some cars recommend it from the factory. Just because a couple people on here said look how my engine looks and blamed it on syn it's such a bad thing. God only knows how the previous owner treated their trucks. It probably had nothing to do with the oil just bad previous maintenance.

For a lifter change your gonna need to pull the intake and valve covers. Loosen or remove the rockers, pull the push rods and yank out the lifters. Put the new ones in and throw everything back together. You can sometimes buy one at a time but if your there do them all. It's kinda stupid to just replace one. I personally wouldn't drive it if you have other ways to get around. If the spring is bad in the lifter that's gonna make the dampening effects of it worse and it's gonna be smacking the cam harder. Plus added movement between that and the rocker.

I've replaced them in my Stang before it's not too bad. If you have a free weekend you could have it knocked out. Hell if you have all the gaskets and new lifters you could maybe do it in a day if all goes smooth.

 

i think Marvel Mystery Oil is like engine flush and if it is i wouldnt use it

 

I don't think so. I believe some people run in in every oil change

 

Race engines, and newer engines, are designed and speced out with synthetic oil in mind. Our engines were not. And it isn't just here that I see reports of interesting little problems with syth oil in older motors. I am a member of more than one forum, and I do read other stuff outside of DF.

It is a cheap enough experiment to just change the oil, and see what happens. If it 'fixes' it.... he just save a bunch of cash.

I am not really a fan of synthetic oils anyway. The main idea behind them was more consistent behavior, for a longer period of time. So, you didn't have to change your oil as often, supposedly, "saving" you money. Since most folks change their oil every 3-4K miles anyway, the major argument for synthetics just fell flat.