EA82 engine knock/tick

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 2:11 pm

The EA82 in the L series is not well.

Yesterday morning a tick started up on the RH side of the engine that is similar to the dreaded lifter tick these engines get but it wouldnt go away.
All the way to work and back yesterday the tick were there but not too bad.
Today though it started off noisy like the day before but not too bad but this afternoon after leaving work and stopping off in town and when I started up again the tick is much worse. I guess it isnt really a "knock" but it isnt far off it. It is coming from the RH head towards the front of the engine though it is hard to pinpoint.
Anyone got any thoughts on what this could be.
Collapsed lifter ?:?
The car is still running and idling fine and no hesitation on acceleration.
I cant see anything visually and I cant see any exhaust leaks.
I would have expected other signs if it was a valve or valve spring etc.
Any possible tests I can do to pin point this before pulling the engine apart.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:13 pm

Make sure your oil level is correct and that you're not overdue for an oil change.

Any idea what your oil pressure is?

I'm going to go with just dreaded lifter tick. My sister's L sounded like a diesel after we replaced some head gaskets. It did that all the way from Melbourne to Port Douglas where we never heard it again!

There's a trick with something long and solid - screw driver/piece of dowel - use it to touch different areas on the block/head so that you can listen to it when placed against your ear. If it's from the head I wouldn't worry about it; if it's in the bottom end start to worry. I doubt it's in the bottom end though.

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:36 pm

empty aluminium drink can taped to screwdriver......well a comp test is always good. Checked the oil itself? no watter in it ? That sends 'em noisy a s sometimes and sometimes a dud little end sounds like a lifter tick until it lets go....

mate, yer gonna have to youtube it to us

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:43 pm

steptoe wrote:sometimes a dud little end sounds like a lifter tick until it lets go.

Time to EJ it

Cheers

Bennie

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:06 pm

Knew an EJ comment was coming, I would love to but finances and time wont allow this. Thanks for meeting expectations-
Couple of things-
- There is no water in the oil
- The oil level is full
- I have a stethascope (spelling ?) but ears and instinct are still saying it is from the front of the head.
- no idea about oil pressure but I replaced the timing belts and put in an oil pump kit about 4 thousand Ks ago
-can record it ( the noise) but am clueless on how to get this onto the forum. Think this is a good idea though and a great way to sort this out. Hints/info please.
-the noise is so bad that the MFFAF (Minister For Fun and - oh you know who I mean) came out and asked what was wrong with the car
If I do end up going with lifter replacement do I need to pull the head off. A quick look at the Gregories doesnt seem to indicate I need to.
Going to bed, long day, very tired, typing crap.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:15 pm

Cliff R wrote:Knew an EJ comment was coming...Thanks for meeting expectations

It was the obvious solution to go for from where I'm sitting!

Cliff R wrote:If I do end up going with lifter replacement do I need to pull the head off. A quick look at the Gregories doesnt seem to indicate I need to.

Nah, just remove the cam belt, cam cover gear, and the cam housing. Bitch of a job in car though!

Have fun

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:20 pm

ooh, over torqued timing tensioner bolt ?

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:39 am

Bennie

Bitch of a job yes, especially with the engine lower in the car now with the lift kit installed

steptoe

I am intrigued with your suggestion of an over tensioned timing belt, why would this start now when they have been in for a few thousand Ks ?
If the RH belt slipped a notch what effect would this have ?
I am wondering about this as I havent checked the belt tesions since I installed them.
Off to work I go, check back this arvo/tonight

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 8:59 am

just clutching at straws, have no experience of this yet but know it has a low torque rating, and many engines do - and they get over done. The over tdone may cause stress on threads in casting of block maybe? take time to reveal selves....? Straw clutching and recalling others have had lose TBs or tensioners causing noise.

Those bung plugs in front for adjusting belts without taking covers off, contortion lesons needed but think a finger can feel belt tension in through them ????

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 5:58 am

I have now checked the belts and everything lines up fine.
I do note a seal is leaking behind the drivers side (the problem side) cam sprocket so this belt and sprocket are coming off. New seal installed with the new belts too.
Guess my next job is to pull the cam gear off to get to the lifters.
Any advise on where to get 4 lifters to replace the current set.
Need new or close to new though so I dont have to got through this again.
Not sure how the lift kit will improve/make worst access to everthing.

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:05 am

Drivers side cam gear is now off. Nothing untowards or obviously wrong to be seen.
For me I found this to be a very easy task. radiator is still in (with its fluid) front and rear timing belt covers off without having to take off the front engine pulley.
Maybe any difficulties will come putting it all back together.
Is there a way of telling if a lifter is stuffed ?
Would a broken valve spring be obvious ?
Anything else to look for before I start chasing lifters ? (pending comments from the forum on where to get some)

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 8:15 am

According to one mechanic hoo has replaced 140 Subaru timing belts you should take about 8 hours to r & r the timing belts in checking for possible faults

Would a stuffed (correct term) hydraulic valve lash adjuster show up in a compression test ?

Broken spring ? two per valve to so function may be less efficient and not show up in a comp test..... to late to suggest take for a drive to get revs up in spitited driving change to next gear and repeat until satisfied there is no miss or loss of power - me thinks would be a good test for valve springs and 'lifter'

I got the power loss and miss after spirited or necessary driving caused by marshmallow soft valve springs not picked up in head service by a huge Melbourne company - who suggested they would be within in spc, so I renewed HVLA's and only made problem more pronounced, new spring sets from Japan worked wonders

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 8:29 am

I drove the car for 2 days once the noise started to and from work (50ks a day) going from 50k/hr to 100ks/hr.
No miss or performance loss I could notice.

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 2:14 pm

Here's another update on the issue.
I have all 4 lifters out of the drivers side head.
From the Factory Subaru manual it states to check lifters to (with some abreviation)
"with lifter set in vertical position, push adjuster pivot quick and hard by hand. If pivot is depressed more than 0.5mm (0.020 inch), put lifter into a container of light oil and move plunger up and down until the depression is less than 0.5mm (0.020 inch) if pivot depresses more that 0.5mm etc using this process replace lifter"
My results in doing this were the first 2 lifters (from the front of the engine) are close to or right on the 0.5mm but OK, the 3rd lifter is very good and the final/rear lifter depresses about 2mm plus at least. I put this lifter into some 10W-30 oil which is the thinest oil I had, and pumped the lifter till I thought my finger would fall off. No change. I then inserted a small syringe and blunt needle filled with the oil and forcibly injected the oil (under pressure) up into the lifter via its supply hole. No change, still pressing in about 2 plus mm.
Me thinks this lifter is stuffed.
Any other tests anyone can suggest ?
If not I will go up the wreckers tomorrow but dont like my chances of getting any in a hurry and I dont know if they even have an EA82 they are willing to split for parts.
I still cant see any other issues so I am hoping this is the problem.

phillatdarwin · Post by **phillatdarwin** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 3:16 pm

fill it with diesel oil and u find it be fixed so good

Post by **TOONGA** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 6:11 pm

2mm plus will make a noise like a hammer hitting a valve. I think you have found the cause of your noise aka a failed lifter.

TOONGA

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:21 pm

never been able to bench bled these, even with singer sewing machine oil and fatigue.Since, always followed a 'no longer fitter of oz wide reconditioned engines' - start it and let it idle or drive them bled

never thought of syringe , good one.

many spares joints should have access to new , try fabre in sydney, lakemba 97581966

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:24 pm

if you no already cleaned the glue grooves of the cam box, found best is to soak overnight face down in a little pool of SCA degreaser - softens the sealant gunk

Cliff R · Post by **Cliff R** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:03 am

Spent ages with a small screwdriver scaping the sealant groove of the cam box to get the sealant out. Will look at it again today to check if OK.
Will have to take the MY in for a wheel balance as it has been running the L series sunnies which have been out of balance for ages so will check with Auto 1 and Repco re new lifters. Would need 4 but will also need to be carful or price.
For about $88 plus freight you can get 4 from from the US but dont know quality fo these.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:41 am

RRP of these can be about $48 ea here, but seen them advertised in trade things a few years ago low enough to be able to negotiate $24 ea.If you check on mizpah engineering to see if he still has cores in stock to reco them - I got a set @5.50 ea , included $1 for no core exchange, said to be more care in his reco than new. Some time ago he was offering a dollar discount if you sent twice as many EA82 cores as required allowing him to build his stocks.

I asked and got them sent in a $13 USPS flat rate box plus a $5 handling fee
Guess you need yours in a hurry.

Mine are installed in my bitsa EA82
Absolutely no point in buying used or even fitting used - given the effortrequired to clean out the sealant groove !