Hi all...

Well my big steaming pile of **** decieded to collapse a lifter again.

What the hell.......

I am really frustrated with this van. I looks like the same lifter I replaced before is ticking again. I got code 0305 on the way home from Jacksonville.
The only thing I had done was change the oil. I went to a standard 10-30 since it was getting cold. I could hear a very slight tick on the way up and now, it's not totally collapsed, but it is a little off.

I just put some Marvel back in it, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Does ANYONE have any idea what the heck is wrong with this ****box? I am going on my third lifter. I really really dont want to pull the head off again and all the other crap that goes along with it, but what else I am I to do...Do I have an oil pump going bad? I don't know what else is going on here...

This is sad. I have never had any car, van, truck etc in my life give me the problems this van has. This is unbelievable.

Any help is greatly appreciated...thanks

 

Any lifter placed in that particular bore keeps collapsing? There has to be a reason why.

Perhaps the flow of oil to that particular lifter is obstructed.

Perhaps it has something to do with your 1.7 ratio rockers. Do you redline this engine often?

I don't think it is lubricant curable.

Since this is an engine issue not really related to just B vans, I would seek out a bigger forum that knows their magnum engines

 

not really, maybe once every other day just to get out of the way of the old people around here.

Im thinking too that there may be oil obstruction, or something like that. This is just plain old frustrating...:icon_ca nkick:

This lifter wasn't right from the beginning. It had this same wierd tick after I first put it in, and then after using some MMM, it went away. It has been smooth and flawless for a couple of months now. Today it is back after a 500 mile trip. (and chaning the oil to a lighter one)
Overall the van ran great. Averaged 15 MPG. The P0305 code did come on when I was going about 75, but that is when it should misfire if the valve isn't fully opening or closing. Strange thing is that it still runs really really good. Just ticks now, and it isnt a hard, broken lifter tick, it is a .01 of a inch off tick.
I also am wondering if the last lobe on the cam is worn. It is the very back of the engine

I will be verifing what lifter it actually is Monday when I have some time to tear this thing down for the 4th time...man I know I can do it quick now, but this is getting ridiculous. I thinking I may just go ahead and replace the cam and timing chain while Im at it...maybe...
I may not be the lifter, but after what happend the first time, and then now, I am leaning heavily towords it.

Thanks for the reply, and I done mean to offend anyone, I am just really ticked after all the work Ive put into this van.

 

? Did you replace the pushrods with the extented lift for the HS lifters,if you didn't do so,that will take care of the problem and add the heavy valve spring as well............

 

No, the particular ones for the 3.9 are direct replacements...

Im going to pop the valve cover off and see if it needs to be tightened down tomorrow.

Maybe it is simple like that, but with my luck it usually isnt.

I have to reiterate that I am really happy with how the van is running now. It has been very good.

The only wierd this is the lifter bled down after I put 10-30 in it. You could definately hear it - lifter noise and loud. It took 3-4 starts for that to go away, but it never fully went away.

 

There might not be anything wrong with this or the prior 2 lifters. It could be that the lifter is fully extended due to worn valve train parts, such as the rocker arm or the pushrod. If it is fully extended, then it is not able to pump up any more to take up the lash.

 

alloro-
The first one was toast. It completely collapsed. I suspect it was defective from the get go. The spring inside broke...

I put in this second one, buttoned everything up carefully. I did soak and try to inject as much oil into this one as I could before I put it in. When I first started it, it went tap tap tap loudly. Then after about 2 minutes it pumped up but not all the way. Then I came here, was suggested two things: I was either using too thick of oil or use MMM...I tried MMM first along with a Mopar filter and the tick went away...

The valvetrain is all new. New roller rocker, lifters and heads to boot. This is why I am really confused why I am having these problems. I wanted to chage the oil at 1k miles just because of all the new stuff I had done the first time, and that is when I went to 10-30. (winter is here ya know )

UPDATE as of today. The lifter is mostly pumped up again after 1 qt for MMM and 3 qts of 15-40. The whole motor is smoother with this set up. I just went for a 30 miles drives and had no MIL or loud ticking. Only once did it lightly tick for about 30 seconds, but went away quickly.

I also have a suspicion that the cheap ol oil filter on there may be an issue. Incredibly, on my Kia, if I dont use a Kia oil filter, the cams up top tick erroniously. Last time, I used a Mopar oil filter. I had no ticks with the last oil.

 

FWIW -- I don't think this makes a difference, but I had a MAP sensor on order after reading many posts about poor performance and bad gas mileage. I have been getting poor gas mileage (10-12MPG).

I just got done putting it on and there is a marked difference in acceleration and idle smoothness.

Now to tackle the starter/ignition switch in the column...

The lifter is still quiet with the 15-40 in it...
Ill see how it goes in the next few days...

 

Glad it quieted down.

I am pretty sure Mopar labelled filters are made for them by Purolator.

Oil filters with leaky anti drain back valves seem to have more lifter ticking on start up, but I don't think they have much to do with ticky lifters after that.

I did my yearly oil change this last weekend from Mobil1 TDT 5w-40 to M1 0w40.

Very noticeable that it starts easier and runs better/smoother less crusty during warm up. When At full temperature, it is quieter.

Till the 30th, pep boys has a 'any 5 quarts of M1 and a M1 filter for 29.99' coupon you print up from online. You can't really beat that deal. I could not pass up M1's flagship oil at that price. Even though i don't need the excellent cold temp flow characteristics, or the 40 weight classification at 100C, but It can't hurt, and indeed my engine appears to be very happy with it.

I put a Mobil one M1-301 filter on mine. Silicone anti drain back valve, wire backed synthetic media, thread end bypass, and a thicker can.

Motorcraft FL1A filters are made by Purolator too, but has a thread end bypass and a silicone ADBV for the same price as Purolator L30001 which it cross references to. Probably the best filter for the money out there for our engines.

The thread end bypass is reported to be superior because the bypassed oil is not allowed to flow over the dirty side of the media as can happen on a dome end bypass.

10w-30 is almost a defunct oil grade. Most every 5w-30 out there is thinner on start up and warm up, and just as thick or thicker at full temperature, and they do not suffer shearing to a lower weight oil as the oils of yesteryear were prone to, which was why they recommended 5w30 in winter and 10w30 in summer, and this recommendation will likely be promoted for another 40 years despite being invalidated by better formulated oils with better viscosity index improvers that do not shear, or shear very little compared to oils from even 10 years ago.

My older Buddy who (thinks he) knows everything about everything mechanical still thinks all engines which don't see freezing temps need a 20w 50 year round, especially if they have more than 100k miles on them. Better yet a straight 40 weight. He runs a 20w-50 in his GM 3.8, the thing sounds horrible when cold.

Ridiculous.

 

I too used to think that way until....one day I accidentally overfilled the engine oil. I slipped a tube down the dipstick tube and used a hand vacuum pump to draw the 'cold' oil out. I was totally surprised at how think and slow moving the oil was as it came out. Ever since then, I run 5W-30 or 5W-20 synthetic in my vehicles, depending on the vehicle.