Strange engine noise

[Carl D.]

Ok, this is my problem. Occasionally when I start my engine, mostly when its sat all night, its make a clicking noise, all most like valve chatter for about 1-2 seconds at the most. The rest of the start ups for the day are fine.

Oh, this is a Jasper motor with about 5000 mile on it.

The engine runs fine other wise, get good gas mileage, idles fine and does not make that chateer noise when running.

should i worry about it now or just let it go for now and see if it gets worse??

 

[fordkrazy]

well on higher mileage motors this is normal.....its the fact that the lifters have mostly worn out and the loose their oil over night and it takes a few seconds for them to pump up with oil agian....my 94 does this but it has 125k on it.....your 5k shouldnt do it.....try to claim it on warranty....jasper does provide a good warranty i think.

 

[Carl D.]

this is the second Jasper motor, the first motor lasted 500 miles, two lifter had no clearance and were shaving metal badly.. Jasper put this motor in which had been running great and still does except at start up.

 

[fordkrazy]

wow...get your money back and go somewhere else

 

[Carl D.]

Acually it.s not a bad engine. As I said it only happens some times and if its' the lifters wouldn't happen every time, not just some of the time.

The vehicle sat for 48hrs, this time and when I started it no noise, plenty of time for the oil to drain out.

confusing

 

[fordkrazy]

yea that is strange.....but it is the lifters.....why they loose the oil? the only way to find out is to tear the engine down. it could be the oil pump drive shaft too...it may not be engageing right at start up...not giving the lifters the oil they need(not to mention the rest of the moving parts) good luck w/ finding the culprit.

 

[Carl D.]

I agree that it could be a lifter, but what confuses me is that it only happens some times. The last three days-no problems.

I always thought that with lifters, if there bad there bad, not just when they feel like it.

I've checked the oil and exhaust and i'm not burning any oil, either.

Will be changing oil in about a week or so, I'll check it then for metal fragements.

Also with the oil prelube?, when I turn the ignition switch on the oil pressure gauge starts moving and the pressure jumps right up when started, no delays.

As I said before the engine runs great and styrong otherwise.


Thanks

 

[fordkrazy]

the factory pressure guage is a "dummy" guage....it only says that it has pressure it doesnt say how much....a true pressure guage will go up with the RPM's and fall when at idol

the rattle is definately a valve train problem...and since it only happens at startup and the valve lash is not adjustable... it has to be the lifters....why it does it i dont know for sure but i would put money on the pump driveshaft since it doesnt happen all the time...it might have a missing tooth.....you should really have it looked at cause that could ruin the cam since thats where it gets its power...i think the driveshaft is easy to check..if you can get to it...its at the rear of the block just behind the intake manifold...it removes like a distributer..if you have a model that has the cam positions sensor it is apart of the pump driveshaft..i would remove it unless you are certian that you can mark its position an reinstall it in the exact same position....

good luck and keep me posted.

 

[Carl D.]

Droped it tonight at the shop, hopefully will know something tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Carl D.]

Fordkrazy:

Well, you were right it's the lifters, New ones are on the way.

I didn't get to talk with the mechanic in depth today, but I will tomorrow. New lifters should be in Wed. or Thursday.

Thanks and i'll update you when I get it back.

Luckily it's all under warranty

 

[fordkrazy]

glad you got the problem found....and that its under warranty

did they check the pump driveshaft? cause that may be why the lifters are going......i find it hard to believe that they wouldnt put new lifters in rebuilt motor....that is something that is so easy and cheap to do that you would be crazy not to do it......besides 9/10 times the lifters are the main cause of why these engines run bad

 

[Carl D.]

Fordkrazy:

Talked with mechanic today. He checked the Oil Pump Drive and found it be ok. Said there was at least two maybe three bad lifters on the drivers side.

The mechanic called Jasper engines and they didn't ask any question just sent new parts. Also the mechanic said that according to the new engine spec sheet the lifters should have been new when the engine was shipped. Inside looks good, mechanic didn't see anything alse that looked like a problem. No metal shaving either.

Parts should arrive later today.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[fordkrazy]

well that tells me that the engine was probably sitting for a while in the warehouse before it was shipped to you.....

all the prelube drains out of the lifters if it sits for an extended period of time.....the shop should prime the pump and lifters before they install the motor....this is done with either a drill with an atachment that engages the oil pump and sends oil to everything as if the engine was running....that really needs to be done cause it takes a good 10-15 seconds for it to get oil....thats a long time for the engine to run with out oil

though your mechanic may not have torn the engine down all the way so it may not need to be done....just ask if he soaked the lifters in a jar of oil for a few min before he installed them.

 

[Carl D.]

Fordkrazy:

Well, I got my "X" back toonight. Drove about 10 mile and it seems to be running great. I guess will see what happens when I start it in the morning, it's going to be about 20 degrees here. Seems to run a little samotther and have a little more power.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[fordkrazy]

good deal man....glad it worked out for ya

just curious....did you have to pay for any labor on that motor?....im sure he didnt do it for free so did jasper pay for it as a warrany claim?

 

[Carl D.]

Thanks:

Jasper paid all of the bill, parts and labor, $820.00, didn't cost me a penny.

Drove the "X" 50 miles today. Runs like anew truck. Thought it ran good when the Jasper engine was put in, but it always felt like the engine was working to run. Now the engine glides and runs very quite, at times I can't even hear it. Gets up to speed alot faster and seems to be getting better mileage.