I have a deal where I can get a 94 wagon in trade for fixing a 89 wagon with clattering lifters.  I'm fairly sure it's just a slugguish oil pump causing both banks of lifters to be clacking? I've noticed the oil pressure gauge seems to be all over the place and drops to zero at an idle. I can't hear any rod or main bearing noise. It's a straight 1989 turbo wagon with only 155,000 on the odometer. What are the odds it's just the mickey mouse seal in the oil pump? I'll drain the oil and check for metallic particles in the sunshine before I start tearing it down. Oh, I put a half quart of ATF in the crankcase and let it idle for a few minutes but it didn't quiet the lifters down. I imagine I should hook up a shop tool pressure gauge at the sending unit to see what's going on eh?

A new oil pump almost always solves TOD - it's solved like every one I've tried to resolve:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/136547-ea82-er27-ticking-tod-hydraulic-valve-lash-hla-noise-diagnose-and-repair/

 

Sometimes resealing the oil pump - new mickey mouse, new shaft seal, and seal it - can do the trick.  but it sucks to do all that and still have TOD so sometimes simpler to slap another pump on there and be done with it.

 

Owners manual mentions the oil pressure gauge will read zero when warm, tha'ts normal, no indication of any issues at all even though it sounds counterintuitive "WHAT ZERO OIL PRESSURE AAAAHHHH"

the gauges aren't accurate or volume is more important than pressures....for some reason it's not a big deal.

i had the clacking also, i replaced the oil pump and the seal plus the cam seals and what not and it didn't go away, took everything back apart and replaced all 8 lifters (hydraulic lashers) on both sides plus the rockers and that did the trick.

 

i went extreme with the TOD, but it was driving me insane..

I treated myself today and ordered a good quality oil pressure gauge with some extra metric fittings.  My initial diagnosis was poor oil pressure after I had first listened to all the clattering that was coming from both sides of that turbo ea82. I'll be hoping the tester will confirm. I've always wanted one of those.

... I'll be hoping the tester will confirm. I've always wanted one of those.

 

To have a tester is Nice, but on the EA82 engines, your best tester regarding the Oil system, is the Tic of Death from the Hydraulic Lifters, because that noise does Not come due to Low oil Pressure only, but also due to Air bubbles on the Oil: the air is getting to the oil flow due to a failing / hardened "Mickey Mouse" Seal, that somehow gets "Sucked" in there, letting air to come in ... so the Oil Pressure Tester will not give you the right Answer.

 

The right answer was given above, by grossgary.

 

Kind Regards.

Warmed it up today and checked the oil for signs of metal. Looks like a few chunks were picked up when we dragged a magnet through the drip pan. Not so sure if I want to do the deal now.

although some wear is normal, and you have to remember that there probably has never been a magnet there for its entire life, so you're picking up metals that would have come out since it rolled off the factory. i will be honest, that does seem alittle too much, reminds me of my dad when he did his oil change on his 2007 F-150 12,000miles later, little balls similar to that came out of it. another thing to note, theres a magnet in the transmission, and the rear differential but not in the oil pan drain plug, i added one to keep an eye on how things are going inside the engine, careful with what you buy and good luck!

Edited June 12, 201510 yr by Subasaurus