Hi All,

 

My wounded 92 Subaru Loyale is making really loud clacking noises when running that only get a little quieter when it's hot.

 

Any ideas?

 

TJ

Yes - your hydrualic valve lifters are 1. Dirty, and 2. Not getting enough oil pressure. Run 20x50 Castrol GTX, and 1/2 bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil. This will help, but if it comes back later, you should replace your oil pump to get better pressure to the lifters. The seals in the oil pump get old and hard, and the pump does not do it's job well enough. This is so common, it's genuinely funny how many posts there are about this each week.

 

GD

I'm guessing you have some lifter noise. The common causes of this is are a bad oil pump o-ring and seal or a failing oil pump.

Originally posted by trooperjeep

Hi All,

 

My wounded 92 Subaru Loyale is making really loud clacking noises when running that only get a little quieter when it's hot.

 

Any ideas?

 

TJ

 

Can you give us a little more info on the car and the noise?

 

How many miles?

Is the car down on power?

Is it a deep sounding clack or a light sounding clack?

When the noise gets quiter does the power increase at all?

 

Keith

could be a bad bearing too (main bearing)

I can ship a new pump to your door with gaskets for 85 bucks. I have one pump now, I can get more next month.

My car has always made that "clacking sound". I have replaced my oil pump and it didn't change anything. I have asked the dealer about it too. Everyone seems to say it's a normal noise?

 

So if I use 20w 50 it should quiet down?

 

What about running 20w 50 in the winter?

 

Glenn,

82 Hatch, transforming.......:temper:

01 Forester, jealous........... :madder:

lifter clack can be caused by a bad pump and/or sludge in the lifters. So the pump may not be the only problem. If it is a clickity-clack kind of noise, then it is definitely lifters. A bad bearing will knock at higher rpm when you let off the gas or kind of hover at an rpm. Believe me on the bearing knock one, I have had plenty of experience with that! (not subes though :cool: )

I had similar: my noise started 10 secs after startup, and went away completely when warmed up 15 min. later.

 

I had a bad oil pump seal & gasket, a very common EA82(T) problem. Pics in this thread:

 

http://usmb.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3517

 

But fixing the pump mounting didn't fix my noise. I replaced four hydraulic lash adjusters, and it's been silent for a month.

 

See also Cameron's advice:

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

you should also check the pressure springs inside the heads. If those become weak, it can also make the lifters clatter due to lack of oil pressure going to the heads.

i got a friend here that has a 92 loyale, hers has been clacking fer bout 6 years she says.. she didn't know what was wrong with it, and shops told her she needed to replace the lifters..

 

so she asked me one day, i told her replace the oil pump, and it'll be fine. did that and bam was fixed...

UPDATE #2

 

I tried the following trick my Grandfather taught me on how to remove sludge from the engine.

 

* empty oil (leave old filter)

* add 1 quart Kerosene

* add 1 quart Oil

* run engine at idel for 8 minutes (or until warm)

 

At this point, the clacking was about 1/2 as loud.

Then I emptyed the rest of the oil-mix and followed your advice and added:

 

* New filter

* Marvel Mystery Oil (3/4 quart)

* 5W30 oil

 

I then ran the car at idel for 15 minutes (until hot) and the clacking STOPPED!!!

 

So... I took it for a short drive and the engine purred like a happy little Subaru should.

 

Thanks again everyone for all your help!

 

T.J.

that kerosine trick is for crackheads, your lower end is scored worse than a hippie on acid! but at least it is quiet.

5w30? good god man - TAKE IT OUT! Too thin. Especially with the MMO in it. Use 20w50 Castrol GTX - it seems to flow better than the other brands of 20w50. The heavier oil will help your oil pressure, and the MMO will thin it down to be just right.

 

I run 20w50 in my engines all the time - winter too - I also use Rislone every other oil change or so in place of a quart. I use MMO to clean the engine, but I don't leave it in there for very long.

 

GD

Originally posted by JonOfScio

could be a bad bearing too (main bearing)

 

Or it could be the secondary main bypass on the muffler bearing relay.

HEHEHE - he said "muffler bearing" haha

 

You rock skeet!

 

GD

What did you mean by...

" that kerosine trick is for crackheads, your lower end is scored worse than a hippie on acid! but at least it is quiet. "

 

Yeah.... I got the crackhead and hippie joke... but why would kerosine score the lower end? I only ran it for about 5 minutes.

 

Also, I agree. The oil it too thin.

I will change the oil to 20W50 with MMO.

 

Thanks again everyone, for all your help!

 

T.J.