Valve noise after 60 miles on crate engine...

I swapped in a renix crate engine into my 89 (pics in the Showcase forum), did the whole 2krpm break in, and it's been running great.

Til last night. Halfway home, I got just a little tap from the valve cover, soft enough that I had to pull over and listen for it. Perfectly regular, from the #2 cylinder.

Over the next 5-10 miles, it got progressively worse. Still not a knock or anything, just a very regular tapping, and eventually grew very loud. (And frankly scary!)

Just when I was about to pull over and tow it home, it started to lessen, and by the time I did get it back in the garage, it was gone.

Pulled the valve cover this morning, and nothing looked out of place. But honestly, I know squat about headwork, and didn't know much of what to look for. Everything's tight, square and even.

One friend said the rocker arm bolts can work loose, so I checked them and they seem good.

Another said that if the noise went away, it was probably a lifter that lost pressure, and once it pumped back up there isn't really anything to worry about.

I, of course, am scared to death to drive it and damage my shiny new engine any more than I already have.

Advice?

Thanks guys!

Robert

debris or varnish can plug a lifter and not allow oil to enter and "pump it up"

as this is a fresh reman, I'd lean toward debris over varnish build up. Drain the oil and look for anything out of the ordinary (remembering there may be some assembly lube globs in there if it's the first drain) and fill her back up with new oil & filter. Keep an ear out for oddities and take it easy 'til you're either confident it's gone or noises return.

Are you running a break-in oil with AMC/Jeep Super Oil Conditioner, 899 3431, (Canada Part Number, 9097) for the first 1,609 miles per FSM?

Are you running an oil HIGH in ZDDP?

joe_peters said:

Are you running a break-in oil with AMC/Jeep Super Oil Conditioner, 899 3431, (Canada Part Number, 9097) for the first 1,609 miles per FSM? Are you running an oil HIGH in ZDDP?

Click to expand...

For the life of me, I can't tell if that's sarcasm or a serious post.

Either way, no. I have heard that I should have run special oil, but I'm cheap and lazy. I'd been waiting so long to fire it, I just used what I had on hand...

The consensus at work is that it was just a collapsed lifter, starved for oil for a bit, and now everything should be okay.

I think I will change the oil, but I'll probably use the cheap, off-the-shelf stuff again... :dunce:

Robert

joe_peters said:

Are you running an oil HIGH in ZDDP?

Click to expand...

I'd say this part is important-- especially during break-in.

WrenchMonkey said:

For the life of me, I can't tell if that's sarcasm or a serious post.

Either way, no. I have heard that I should have run special oil, but I'm cheap and lazy. I'd been waiting so long to fire it, I just used what I had on hand...

The consensus at work is that it was just a collapsed lifter, starved for oil for a bit, and now everything should be okay.

I think I will change the oil, but I'll probably use the cheap, off-the-shelf stuff again... :dunce:

Robert

Click to expand...

Serious.

Does your crate engine have a stock profile cam, and stock lifter springs?

joe_peters said:

Serious.

Click to expand...

One thousand, six hunnert and nine miles? Really?

Sorry, just sounded made up...

Like i said, though, no. I was cheap and lazy. If I'm gonna change it, maybe I will get something better.

For the remaining 1,549.

Robert

Definately run ZDDP additive. Can't stress it too much.

old_man said:

Definately run ZDDP additive. Can't stress it too much.

Click to expand...

Any autoparts store?

Or someplace special?

I buy mine from www.eastwoodco.com but it can be found in some auto parts stores.

Robert... you cheap ass. go get some good oil that will give the cam and lifters the protection they need till they are good and broke-in. you can buy a case of Brad Penn oil from speed shop in cincy for 46.00 plus tax (thats two oil changes) that would be about same cost but much better than addatives and cheap ass oil. Brad Penn is what Nick and I run in our Jeeps.

And is does sound like you had a lifter malfunction.. hope it’s a one-time thing if not you will need to replace it.


dist locations
http://locator.bradpennracing.com/Default.aspx

I buy from this place its $46.00 for a case

D & D Parts & Engine Service
6634 Vine St
Cincinnati, OH 45216
USA
Dan Beyer or Dave Bross
(513) 761-1030
[email protected]
Dealer

WrenchMonkey said:

One thousand, six hunnert and nine miles? Really?

Sorry, just sounded made up...

Like i said, though, no. I was cheap and lazy. If I'm gonna change it, maybe I will get something better.

For the remaining 1,549.

Robert

Click to expand...

My bad: 1,609 kilometers or 1,000 miles.

That sound a little better?

And it can be left in the engine until the next oil change, just as long as the minimum is met.

Comanchedude said:

Robert... you cheap ass...

Click to expand...

Well, you forget, I'm cheap and lazy. If I'm gonna pay that much for oil, I am not gonna drive all the way across town, too.

Fortunately, the link you posted says I can get it right up at Huck's. Thanks!

joe_peters said:

My bad: 1,609 kilometers or 1,000 miles.

That sound a little better?

Click to expand...

Much more reasonable. My math-mind didn't like 1609!

Robert