Sticky lifter?

[Sundancer]

I'm about to do the valve cover gaskets and the valve seals...the car is in storage I moved it today, on start-up it had a pronounced tick, it didn't go away once warmed up...with revving a bit above idle, it has a flutter like tone...I suspect a sticky lifter...

once I have the valve covers off, can I run the engine, to find the lifter...

any other ideas?

[TxGR8White]

What I have done is run a can of SEAFOAM in the oil, and started the car up letting it idle for a while. This should break up the sludge in the lifter. You can run it like that for a couple hundred miles, then do an oil change with some 0W20 - that should get rid of the ticking. The next oil change, go back to 10W30 or 40, and you should be fine.

[NickF]

I had a really loud lifter due to it being oil starved from a loose banjo bolt on the oil spray bar. I changed three of them but now regret that I didn't change all of them. They aren't expensive.

[Dr. T]

Don’t think you can run the engine with the valve covers off unless you want an oily mess everywhere. Plus it won’t run with the intakes/injectors/DK’s/MAF’s removed.

If you’re doing the seals, the rockers have to come out. Then the lifters basically just slide out. Replace all 24 for piece of mind.

[peake]

If you suspect lose banjo bolts, take off the valve covers. If you have some sticky valve lifter(s), then use Wynn's Hydraulic Valve Lifter Concentrate (2 cans) you don't have to change oil after that, the solution will evaporate. Or use the same amount of fresh diesel fuel. In both cases run the car warm and drive it until the noise is gone (40-50 miles) then change oil and filter.

[Omega man 1969]

Mine had a similar tick, turned out to be lose banjo bolts. I fitted all new lifter and drilled and locked wired the bolts. It is something that all V12 should have done.

[Sundancer]

I was going to lock the banjos down with the copper strip method and some blue Loctite....I'm not familiar with the BMW lifter, I take it that they can't be disassembled like a GM, and cleaned and re-installed?


Any recommendations on lifters, I've found Ajusa at $6.50...INA at $10....

[M6csi]

Can’t say for others, but I would stick with oem INA lifters. About $11 each from most retailers, compared to the $30 or so BMW oe lifters. Will also do all new INA lifters on my 850 during my valve stem seals project.

[Sundancer]

Can’t say for others, but I would stick with oem INA lifters. About $11 each from most retailers, compared to the $30 or so BMW oe lifters. Will also do all new INA lifters on my 850 during my valve stem seals project.

Yes going with INA,

[bdiefAZ]

Another source of potential tick would the the timing chain tensioner, on the v12 it can be adjusted. Hope this helps.