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valve/lifter noise in a ea82


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i just built a ea82, crank up build, all new everything, but due to the cost of lifters, i used a set from a 30k carb motor, well got it in the car, started it up, redid the belts and distributor a couple of times, got it right, fired the bit*h up, she runs pretty good too, except this damn lifter noise, all the lifters were soaked in trans fluid, and checked before using, they were good, now i ccould go into detail about how well this ting is built, but its no point, all normal build procedures were followed and everything checks out ok, but this damn noise, could be lifter, valve or odd exhuast leak,

i dont know, i only ran the engine for about 2-4mins, to check oil presure and coolent flow, and to look for leaks, no leaks of coolent, oil, or exhuast as far as i can tell, the noise is load, like a rocker is hitting the cover, but that is not happening, any clues as to where to look

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The only things I can suggest are to check the torque on the bearing caps that hold the cam in place and make sure the cam's not loose and to verify that you have oil pressure. The ea82 as i'm sure you know is overhead cam with non-adjustabe hydraulic tappets. There's no real adjustments that can be done by us backyard sooby mechanics. The only real valve-associated noise could be loose cam or lack of oil pressure. With no oil-pressure there is no film of oil to cushion the cam lobe when it contacts the tappet or the tappet when it contacts the valve stem. That would cause slapping and knocking all over the place. If neither of these is it, or it's not valve noise, get a new motor. Hope this helps. Good luck.

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Jules, a search will turn up many links on this very common problem. A gentleman named Cameron has a very detailed and extensive article on cleaning and servicing the lifters.

But

Since this was a recent build from the crank up did you verify, clean, and instal the lifter gallery oil pressure relief valve under the cam lube tube banjo connection??

And the 0 ring in the head gasket for the oil passage to cam case - did you "glue" it in place with some grease? They are known to shift out of place and block oil flow to the above mentioned gallery.

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I wouldn't assume you have a problem, unless the lifters and still noisy after a few hours of run time. Sometimes it takes a while to refill the lifters with oil. It has been this way on both ea82s that I have rebuilt, and someone else posted similar experience recently. A quick search should turn up more info than you want about noisy lifters.

 

Here is a link to Cameron's article that Skip mentioned if you want to check it out.

 

http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~camncath/ea82_hydraulic_lifter_fix.htm

 

Skip, the oil passage o-ring between the head and block is part of the head gasket, no need to glue it in place. I believe that you are thinking of the cam case o-ring. The one between the head and cam case. That is the one that doesn't like to stay seated in my experience.

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for what it is worth, my subaru made enough lifter noise to stop traffic (no kidding) and my mechanic of 35 years said that the main bearings where gone...thats why all the lifters made noise at all times and the weaker ones made more noise....after replacing the "O" rings on the cam carrier and replacing the seal on the front of the oil pump, the one behind the timing belt pulley....it now runs quiet even after driving 25000 mi. with it....I told my mechanic about the repair info given to me thru this site...he was amazzed that such a simple cure actually took care of the problem

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I have re-headed motors, 2 of which were deadbeat-non runners. after start-up, the lifters would be rather loud. but after about 10-15 minute of running, the noise went away. the lefters will be dry from either sitting or a re-build. but the times i had prominent lifter noise, it went away.

 

its common for a subaru to have liter noise, its more of an annoyance issue rather than an mechanical issuu.

 

i have heard them sound like a rod knock until they start to quiet down. take her for a run and see if that fixed it!

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my 87 xt used to sound like it was about to come apart...

id get so mad at its noise, id leave it in first (Damn auto) and rev it out as fast as it would go 7-7500 sometimes it would tap worse, sometimes it would stop.. i always tried to blow that car up, just cuz it was one of the $200 dollar needed a timing belt and a paint job car... the motor finally went the 4th time i hydrolocked it with muddy water in one day... damn south texas floods toughest car EVER

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