Valve tapping

3106 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by 04moneypit, Dec 31, 2006

Chris304

Discussion Starter · Dec 31, 2006

So, I come off the highway on my way home, and as I take it out of gear, I hear a pretty loud tapping. Upon further inspection, the tapping sound only occurs when i'm idling, when I'm on the gas, it perfect. no loss of power, no sounds. Oil was not abnormally low, nothing obvious as a cause. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet(it was dark when I got home) but I'm thinking I need some new lifters, I haven't done this before, from my manual, it looks easy. Not particularly looking to replace the cam at this point, unless someone wants to convince me otherwise! The manual also lists the water pump as a possible tapping/clicking sound, and also could be a possiblity, since I burned one up on the highway about 6 months ago. I drive an 89' yj 2.5, on 31's.
I guess my question is, why the heck isn't it tapping under load? I hope it's not something serious I need a complete teardown for, because I don't have the time to do that!

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amerijeep

· #2 · Dec 31, 2006

I don't think you're looking at replacing your lifters at all. If it is the lifters tapping, they are eaily adjusted. The manual should take you through it. First you'll set the compression stroke and then the exaust stroke. You'll need a good set of feeler gauges.

Expect to do it several times if you have never done it before. I would assume if you have one tapping, then you might be able to determine which it is with the feel gauge.

It'd be a long post to go through it step by step, but your Haynes or Chiltons manual has it in there.

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04moneypit

· #3 · Dec 31, 2006

Are they adjustable on the four? They should be hydraulic, and a hydraulic lifter shouldn't need or take any adjustment, if they're manual (solid) lifters, they can easily come out of adjustment ( I know, i had a 68 dodge with a slant six and I would have to adjust them about 1 per month). You should never, never change lifters on the same cam, because a cam and lifter set break in together, if you just change the lifters you run a big chance that you'll grind a cam lobe flat.

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amerijeep

· #4 · Dec 31, 2006

Yikes! Hydraulics? I wasn't aware of that. Sorry Yall....

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Chris304

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 31, 2006

listened to it a little more today, sounds like cyclinder 1. Also, when I turn it off, the lifter continues to open and close for a bit, like its got a mind of it's own....

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04moneypit

· #6 · Dec 31, 2006

Well, when you shut the engine off, it will continue to cycle for a second due to inertia. What you probably need to do is pull your valve cover and spark plugs and cycle the engine by hand. You should be able to see and hear exactly which valve or cylinder that this is occurring on. If you cycle by hand you may also be able to hear if it is something else too.

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