Hey, I have a new used '87 GL FWD 5sp wagon I bought used a year or so ago, and about six months and 1500 miles ago (I don't drive it much) I changed oil and used Mobil1 as I had very good luck with synthetic in my old Toyota. Recently, I've been getting lifter noise but only after the car gets good and warm. It goes away after it cools down. I'm guessing that it's a leaky oil pump o-ring...think the oil could have caused that? I changed back to dino (GTX) and poured in a pint of MMO for good measure. I bought the pump O-rings, but I'm not man enough to get the friggin' crank pulley bolt off. Any thoughts? ... besides that I'm lame, I know that already.

Synthetic and the old engines usually means some sort of leaking or issue of that nature.

Synthetic oils can cause leaking if the engine was not run with them originally - if you change the mickey mouse gasket, and the oil pump shaft gasket, you should be fine - if its consistantly making noise, regardless of oil, they need to be replaced

 

what weight are you using?? - I found that Mobil 1 15w-50 gives me good overall performance - without excessive leaks (less than a quart every 3k miles) - I replaced my oil pump gaskets about 40k ago too.... I'd expect 10w-30 would be a bit light... depending on your area... I havent had much issue with lifter noise

The Mobil1 was 10W-30, I just refilled with 20W-50 GTX, so we'll see how that goes. It was quiet on the ten minute drive to work today. So...how the heck do you hold the flywheel to remove that crank pulley bolt anyway? That's the point where I gave up on the oil pump o-ring job. I guess there's a special tool for it....

Keep in mind that Synthetic oil does not cause leaks, it finds leaks. The synth will usually help clean nasty deposits out of the engine, but during the process it might clean out some deposits that were plugging a leak you didn't know was there. This just means that you have found the leak sooner than you would have if you had not switched to synth.

I guess there's a special tool for it....

 

an air wrench, or an impact driver if there's enough access usually gets one of them free.

an air wrench, or an impact driver if there's enough access usually gets one of them free.

Oh, so you don't necessarily have to hold the flywheel if you have an air wrench, which is how "real" mechanics do it? Holding the flywheel with a screwdriver through the starter motor hole (Haynes Manual) is a joke, impossible I think. I'd be happy to pay a mechanic to replace my oil pump o-rings, but haven't found one I trust in my town...

Oh, so you don't necessarily have to hold the flywheel if you have an air wrench, which is how "real" mechanics do it? Holding the flywheel with a screwdriver through the starter motor hole (Haynes Manual) is a joke, impossible I think. I'd be happy to pay a mechanic to replace my oil pump o-rings, but haven't found one I trust in my town...

 

Think a little harder. There IS a specialty tool that is used by some mechanics since the flywheel will spin no matter what. Yes, you can use a high impact gun but what about torquing them back down? I use a Craftsman Torx driver through a hole on the flywheel and have it rest on a side of the bellhousing. I've done it like that for awhile and I'm a mechanic.

Think a little harder. There IS a specialty tool that is used by some mechanics since the flywheel will spin no matter what. Yes, you can use a high impact gun but what about torquing them back down? I use a Craftsman Torx driver through a hole on the flywheel and have it rest on a side of the bellhousing. I've done it like that for awhile and I'm a mechanic.

Thanks, Caboobaroo, that's the kind of tip I can use. I saw a bunch of little holes in the flywheel and thought maybe I could use one of those, just don't know how tight that bolt is. Incidentally, after changing to 20W-50 GTX: no lifter noise so far....

Thread some 1/4" nylon rope into cylinder #1 with it at BDC. A dozen feet of rope in the cylinder will stop the engine from rotating safely and allow you to remove the pully with a breaker bar.

 

Sticking things in the flywheel is crappy if they break, or fall into the bell-housing. And isn't possible with an auto.

 

Incidentally, you need a BIG impact to remove the 22mm pulley bolt. My 1/2" impact can't do it. And besides that mess, you still need access to it in order to use the impact. I'm not usually in the mood to remove the radiator, grill, and AC evap core if equipped. To heck with that mess.

 

GD

not the safest, but it works

 

take a breaker bar, get it on the bolt and turn the crank until it rests on the drivers side frame rail. then quickly crank the engine. i used to work for a subaru garage and was told that they have done that trick for many years, just dont get near the breaker bar if you try that if it slips, it isnt pretty.

If its a manual, just put the car into 5th, set the parking break, and turn it. There's gonna be some initial slack, but it should stop and allow you break it loose.