The ticking.... it's... it's gone!

[Stickee]

bump.

Anyone try this on a 1999? Would it fix the ticking, or is there a different fix?

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[Plays_With_toys]

nope. Hydraulic Lash adjusters went out in 1996. The ticking in the newer ones is related to something else in the motor.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Originally Posted by Plays_With_toys

nope. Hydraulic Lash adjusters went out in 1996. The ticking in the newer ones is related to something else in the motor.

Yeah, you have solid lifters, so you they have to be adjusted every 100k miles or so.

[runninstrong]

I just replaced two of mine. Three were bad but I managed to salvage one after bleeding it out and refilling it with oil. Seems to be working.

[Plays_With_toys]

I also would recommend running 10w-40. Mine didn't click for over a year. Dealership filled with 10w-30 and it came back.

[subielicious02]

im pulling my car into the garage tonight. thanks man, im about to go crazy.

[subielicious02]

im pulling my car into the garage tonight. thanks man, im about to go crazyfrom all that ticking

[Kansai Subaru]

I have tried this method several times with no lasting success. I have done everything correctly, but the HLAs collapse after 15 minutes of driving after they are filled and the ticking comes back. Even 2 new HLAs have collapsed. It must be an oil blockage issue. I have ran Seafoam, Auto-RX, and Mystery Marvel on different occassions through the crankcase. Still, no relief. I have switched from my usual 10W-30 to 10W-40 and even 20W-50 in the summer with no real change. Oil pump seal is fine. Anyone had an experience like this before?

[Wiscon_Mark]

Have you tried Lucas Oil Stabilizer? That's what worked for me.

[Plays_With_toys]

You can dissassemble the rocker assemblies, and then clean out the passages that go through there. I haven't done it, but my trusted subie mechanic said that was one option. Generally mine collapse again if I let the oil get too low (half a quart-3/4 quart) or if it's been 3-4k miles since the last change.

So the lucas stuff worked for you mark? I might have to toss some in.

[subielicious02]

Originally Posted by Teh Legacy

Which ticking is this? Did it happen only while the engine was cold? Mine has a terrible "diesel" sounding tick when it's cold. Any help? Don't mean to hijack...

that sounds like collapsed piston skirts

[Plays_With_toys]

Ok, so I was annoyed because I thought I'd need to open up the valve cover and take the assembly apart and do all that I described here and also clean out the oil passages. Instead, after reading about someone running 15w40 diesel oil in their 91 legacy, I did some research and decided to try it.

After 600 miles, the lifter has inflated itself. It came back to life in the last 200 miles after lots of highway driving.

I researched alot about the diesel oil. From what I've read it is safe to use on gas cars. The difference between gas oil and diesel oil is that diesel oil has detergents and additive packets to suspend flow contaminents out. This is because of the high soot content of diesel vehicles. So it'd make sense these detergents could also clean out the rocker passages, and provide a thicker oil. Idle is nice and smooth, and most of all the lifter tick cured itself.

Oh, swing by advance auto if you want to try this out. They discontinued the 1qt sized Chevron Delo400. It's $0.95 a quart. You'll have to ask where their discontinued items are.

[96legacy28]

my car just recently started to do this "ticking thing" also.....just time to get a ej25

[runninstrong]

Going to try the 10-40 and see what happens. The diesel oil will be the last resort.

[BakedPotato]

My 2.5 has a tick similar to the one you described. Is the bigger one known for this as well or just the 2.2?

[sachilles]

Originally Posted by Plays_With_toys

Ok, so I was annoyed because I thought I'd need to open up the valve cover and take the assembly apart and do all that I described here and also clean out the oil passages. Instead, after reading about someone running 15w40 diesel oil in their 91 legacy, I did some research and decided to try it.

After 600 miles, the lifter has inflated itself. It came back to life in the last 200 miles after lots of highway driving.

I researched alot about the diesel oil. From what I've read it is safe to use on gas cars. The difference between gas oil and diesel oil is that diesel oil has detergents and additive packets to suspend flow contaminents out. This is because of the high soot content of diesel vehicles. So it'd make sense these detergents could also clean out the rocker passages, and provide a thicker oil. Idle is nice and smooth, and most of all the lifter tick cured itself.

Oh, swing by advance auto if you want to try this out. They discontinued the 1qt sized Chevron Delo400. It's $0.95 a quart. You'll have to ask where their discontinued items are.

This is a pretty common fix for a lot of higher mileage engines. Worked in my 200k mile land rover pretty well. I use shell rotella 15w40. Wal-mart even carries it. Info from the rover boards indicates its the zinc content of the oil that helps matters. Who knows, it could be snake oil, but it seemed to work well for me.

[turbokev]

Nice write up!! seems easy.. thank god~!

[Elrod660]

Originally Posted by Plays_With_toys

Woohoo! $50 and 2.5 hrs later, that annoying, sounds like a diesel engine noise my 2.2 made is gone. Here's the breakdown:

$25 for Hydraulic lash adjuster (HLA) (P# 13230)
$25 for set of valve cover gaskets (both sides)

Doing this "repair" was super easy, and could probably be done for just the cost of gaskets. Also, I am a slow worker, and had to wait for the engine to cool, so I believe this could take most people about an hour from start to finish.

First, remove the valve cover on the side that is making the noise. To do the driver side, remove the windshield washer reservoir and the battery. To do the passenger side, you will have to remove the air box and some of the air intake tubing. There are 3 bolts holding the valve cover on, and they are all in a straight line across the face of the valve cover. Also remove the vacuum line that feeds into the valve cover. You can remove the spark plug wires, but afterwards, I didn't feel that that step helped all that much. If the valve cover doesn't come off, don't pry it off, take a small piece of wood and a hammer and gently tap near an edge.

Next, remove the vacuum line from the other valve cover (unless you've taken both off). Rotate the crankshaft (car has to be in neutral), its the big nut in the center of the pulley in the center/front of the motor. Rotate this clock wise. You will see the lifters start to move. You want to feel just a little slack in each of the rocker arms.

Next, loosen the bolts of the rocker assembly evenly starting from the inside and working out. There are four bolts in the middle, and 2 on each extreme end of the rocker assembly. They all go straight into the engine block. There are two angled bolts, do not remove these. Once you have removed the bolts, pull the rocker assembly out horizontally (there are guides for the number 1 and 3 bolts) keeping the top of the rocker assembly always at the top, even in storage.

Next, find the collapsed HLA. This is really easy. At the end of the rocker arms are little nipples, squeeze this nipple in towards where it is seated in the rocker arm. If it does not move, it is filled. If the nipple compresses, it is collapsed. Use a small flat head screw driver and gently pull it out. (Mine came out very easily).

Next take a 12mm socket and place it over the end opposite the large nipple. You will see a tiny pin hole with a ball in it (like a ball point pen). Fill the 12mm sock with oil, then depress this ball using a paper clip or safety pin (something small and hard). When you depress the ball push down on the HLA so the nipple compresses. Air bubbles should come up through the oil, then release the nipple. A vacuum will suck the oil from the 12mm socket into the HLA. Now test to see if the nipple compresses. If it still compresses even a little, then repeat the process until the unit is nice and solid.

Next insert the HLA into the rocker arm using your fingers, be nice and gentle so you don't wreck the o-ring. You can buy the o-rings seperately, and might be a good idea to use a new o-ring when doing this, but mine didn't appear damaged when I removed my old HLA. (The only reason I used the new one was the instructions I had didn't say to compress the nipple, so I thought my old one was defective when it didn't take in any oil, then I got the new one to fill after a few failed attempts and it was unreturnable at that point)

Now its time to reassemble. The bolt order to attach the rocker assembly is as follows:


1---5-7---3
-4--8-6--2-

First, tighten down 1-4 until the rocker assembly is seated against the head. Next, tighten 5-8 to 96-106 in/lbs. Then Tighten 1-4 to the same specification.

Using new gaskets for the valve cover and valve cover bolts reattach the valve cover and install the battery/washer reservoir or airbox assembly. *Don't forget both the vacuum lines you removed. For a better seal on the valve cover gaskets, I rubbed oil along all the gaskets before installing them to get a better seal.

Start the engine and check for oil leaks. And you're done!

I hope this helps anyone that might be experiencing this problem and I hope this write up is clear enough. It isn't hard to do, I just wish I had known how to fill the HLA before I started.

Now for purposes of searching, I'm just gonna add some words:

tick ticking noise clack clacking hydraulic lash adjuster valve valves HLA 2.2 liter 1996

Thanks for breaking that down. Will help when i go thru rebuild***128516;