Tick

[mikey]

Hey guys,

Firstly, thanks for all your help in the past. Real interesting reading in the forum. I've tried searching for my ticking problems but not come across my exact problem so...

I've recently swapped the engine in my 250T. With the new engine there's a tick which seems to be every two revolutions. It's more noticeable at low revs (possibly just 'cos it gets drowned out at higher revs) . It appears to calm down once it's warmed up. I've disconnected my spark plug leads on each cylinder in sequence and didn't notice any difference in the tick, though it was hard to tell. It's only heard when the engine is under load; accelerating or in gear with the break on.

I've used a stethoscope and it sounds loudest on cylinder 2, you can't really hear it on cylinder 1 & 3. It appears _clearer_ on the actual cylinder wall, not on the head. It can be heard listening on the bell housing, but not quite as loud.

My guess is something valve related. Although during the engine swap I was super brutal with the torque converter and may have damaged it.

If it is valve related what should I do next? Can I do much with the engine in situ? Is it worth trying MBL8?

[Guest]

Sounds like piston slap??

[gazzy2000]

 STi-TypeR said:

Sounds like piston slap??

Not sure if youd hear piston slap under load yea?

Had a 97 STI with Piston SLap only happened when cold idling or just off idle. When warmed fully up it was very faint and unnoticeable.

If under load i would hazrd a guess and say BEB??

[Koom]

Does anyone know if that motor has hydraulic lifters?

[mikey]

If it we're BEB or piston slap wouldn't you hear the tick once per revolution, not once every two?

[DRFVDR]

 Koom said:

Does anyone know if that motor has hydraulic lifters?

would be my guess too

speciallly as it is every second rev

[Guest boostin]

What year is the 250T?

[Guest keltik]

I put all of my money ($4.24) on it being a leaky exhaust gasket.

Compression check first id say, then when you get bored one day - pop the headers off and look for a dirty soot stain across the gasket on that cylinder.

[mikey]

The car's a 2000, the "new" engine I put in is slightly older than that judging by the production numbers but seems almost identical to me. It was out of a Forester apparently. DOHC EJ25.

I'd love it to be a leaky exhaust gasket. Simply 'cos it's the easiest to fix. It doesn't sound like what I'd expect a leaky exhaust gasket to sound like, but I'm a total noob. I'll check it out.

I've got a compression tester turning up in a couple of days so that may shed some light on it.

I'm also gonna go out to the mechanic who sold me the engine today and he's gonna check it out.

[mikey]

Spoke to the mechanic, they had a good listen and say it's a lifter. And he seems to think it has hydraulic lifters. So presumably a lifter isn't getting the oil it requires? I don't know much about it.

He wasn't too keen to take it seriously for obvious reasons. So I might try some MBL8, and possibly some heavier oil and see what happens. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

If it doesn't help, I guess I'll pull the head of and have a look. According to the Haynes manual the heads can be removed with the engine in situ with some difficulty. Has anyone here done it?

[Koom]

If they're hydraulic lifters, thinner oil could help, thicker would cause more issues. You can check the lifter's insitu by taking the valve covers off.

MBL8 may help. There's a trick with Diesel oil and ATF which you may find details of on here somewhere.

[DRFVDR]

Boostin's formulae for cleaning tappets is a 50/50 mix of engine oil and ATF(auto tans oil)

not to sure how long he recommends running it for but I would suggest a 1000 k/m or so

I run my engines on diesel oil as it has extra detergents in it and it helps keep it all sparkly oh and it free from work

[mikey]

Interesting. Why would one use ATF or diesel oil instead of an engine flush product?

How safe to you reckon it is? I mean, do you guys all do this from time to time? Has anyone had any success with hydraulic lifter noise and engine flushing?

[mikey]

Oh, and to test the lifters in situ, would I:

• un-bolt the engine mounts
  
• jack the eninge up slightly on one side
  
• remove the valve cover
  
• try and compress the lifters
  

Any lifter which compresses too easily (at all?) obviously has air inside it, and is probably gunked up.

[Koom]

 mikey said:

Oh, and to test the lifters in situ, would I:

• un-bolt the engine mounts
  
• jack the eninge up slightly on one side
  
• remove the valve cover
  
• try and compress the lifters
  

Any lifter which compresses too easily (at all?) obviously has air inside it, and is probably gunked up.

Thats the theory I used when I last did it. Sometimes they just need a clean out, other times replacement is only way to fix them.

[dubbedup]

just pull the motor, will save time in the long run

[DRFVDR]

 dubbedup said:

just pull the motor, will save time in the long run

+ 1

these are very easy to pull out and waaayyyy easier to work on once out

I use diesel oil in all my cars and have done for years,never had an issue with using it

I dont know why they use the ATF and oil flush over an engine flush additive maybe less harsh.maybe better long term u need to ask Boostin,But as he does subarus for a living i trust him

[mikey]

OK cool. I have to replace a CV boot on the weekend so will do either a diesel or ATF flush while I'm there, depending on what Boostin has to say.

Should I put 10W-40 in after? I suspect it's currently got 15W-40. I've also got some MBL8 on delivery so hopefully that arrives tomorrow.

I'll cross the "pulling engine" bridge when I get to it. I don't mind pulling the engine except last time I did it I had to travel all around South Auckland to find a hoist for hire, and even then the only one I could get was a towable one from East Tamaki, I had to put that on the back of my mates ute (no towbar). If I owned a hoist I'd probably be more keen.

[Koom]

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic,6397.0.html

[mikey]

Cool, so he reckons 50/50. Thanks.

Most interesting post on that thread though is that last post "2.5s run solid lifters". If that's true then I'm barking up the wrong tree!

[Guest keltik]

Personally id switch to 10/40W diesel oil first.

[legacy666]

I also have a BH 250t. Its got this tick also.I always figured it was that one of the lifters.has anyone tried MBL8 to solve this problem and if so has it worked.I'd really love to get rid of it as it makes my car sound like a diesel when I'm sitting in my car at the lights.

[mikey]

I'm gonna flush this Saturday with 50/50 ATF/Oil and then put in new oil & drop in the MBL8.

I'll report back.

[Guest boostin]

BG 2.5 have solid lifters, BH 2.5 SOHC are hydraulic, 2.5 DOHC are solid.

Thinner oil won't help solid lifters, it will only make them noisier. Try going to a 15W/50 or similar for those.

[mikey]

Ha! I was just about to say that. I just pulled a lifter out of my old engine and they are indeed solid. So, as usual, Boostin is right.

So.... yeah, my only hope is thicker oil and/or MBL8, or of course, fixing it properly.