Scott in MI

Has anyone ever had a valve drop due to the noisy lifter problem that most Audis experience?

I know the tapping noise isn't my auxilary vacumm pump as I pulled the rod out. I changed the oil a couple of days ago and I use Valvoline 10-40. The car has been sitting for about 7 months without being started and I started it tonight and let it run for about 15 minutes (started to warm the oil). The lifters never quieted down, maybe a good hard drive after the alignment will take care of the problem...any thoughts?

Thanks,
Scott

Cdn Blue Coupe

I've heard people talk of running automatic transmition fluid in with their oil ,,just before an oil change, you run the motor, to remove the varnish but don't drive it. I'm not sure if I have the nerve to try that myself,,but it is supposed to remove the varnish build up.

I'd collect more opinions than mine before trying it though.

Dwight V.

I've tried everything I can think of (on NEW lifters) and nothing will shut them up permanently. I'm currently running 20-50 regular oil with some success, though I'm not far into the mileage on this change.
Synthetic did nothing but cost more and create leaks.
Running it hard makes them worse, not better. After a hill climb run, mine are so loud I can hear 'em with my helmet on.
Bah-humbug.

StormChaser404

About a week before your next oil change, add 1/2 quart of Marvelous Mystery Oil.

Don't worry, 1/2 quart over will NOT hurt your car (this is assuming you are at or below the FULL mark before adding). The danger from overfilled oil comes when it is SO full that the crank sits in the oil and crurns it like butter and it becomes frothy and the oil pump can't pick it up. 1/2 quart isn't nearly enough to do that, actually a FULL quart isn't enought to cause a problem.

OK, now driver normally for the next 6 days. The day before your oil change, add the other 1/2 quart and drive gently (avoid thrashing the engine if possible), then change your oil the next day. If you drive a lot of miles each day, you may want to hold off on the second 1/2 until the day of your oil change. Just add it and go for a 10-20 minute gentile drive.

After doing this a few times, my lifter almost never tick. Maybe if I don't drive the car for several weekss they'll tick for 20-30 seconds, biut that's it. No more sounding like a Deisel or a or a car that needs a valve job.

StormChaser404

I was going to suggest almost the opposite... throwing some MM Oil in the engine then go for a pretty hard run, not track hard, but "spirited." That has worked for me if I begin to tick...

Scott in MI

I have heard about using ATF, using its detergents to clean the internal engine and oil galleries. I think that I will try this after the alignment and brake bleed (had trouble pressure bleeding the brakes - shouldn't take a half gallon to bleed the brakes). Thanks for the detailed usage.

BTW: you are the second set of people who have suggested that to me.

One thing everyone needs to be aware of is that sometimes you loosen slug and what not up and it clogs oil galleries and ports that were previously not clogged. This can cause deterimental damage.

SteveAngry

to rid yourself of noisy lifters is to replace them IMHO...

I've tried all the usual "tricks" to quiet the lifters on my 5KS. I've used different weight oils, sytnhs, ATF, MMO, etc. Nothing worked for me...

I have new lifters in my 5ktq and run Mobil 1 and it makes no noise whatsoever. Not even on cold starts or after extremely hard runs...

You can find lifters cheap enough nowadays and replacement isn't really too hard of a job IMHO...

Oh yeah, I just did some head work on my 5ktq and it sat for 2 months without running. When I started it up it made a hell of a lot of racket even though I prepped the head with some oil. I was bummed thinking that I'd probably have to redo the lifter again. After driving it for a bit and doing a couple of restarts it makes no noise once again. My point being: if your 4kq sat for 7 months it may quiet down after the lifters get pumped up again...

Good luck Scott, Hope to see you and your 4kq at one of the WMAG meets.

Steve
Michigan

Christopher Judd

Due to really crappy weather on several consecutive weekends, my latest oil change was delayed by about 700 miles and what a racket that earned me! Normally, I don't worry about an oil change being done EXACTLY on time as I've run several engines to well over 200K miles with no problems on a 3K-4K mile schedule. Fortunately things quieted down after a 30 mile run on the fresh oil, but the poor thing sounded like it was going to rattle itself to pieces.

Otherwise, I have a few more bugs to work out, but I have to say that it's been a very reliable commuter considering its age and the fact that it's being driven 350 miles/week through all sorts of weather.

Chris
86 Comm. Ed. Cpe

Nervikterklieb

it's this stuff you put in with your oil just before an oil change. works wonders. if you have new lifters, and what i would assume were clean "holes", then that just sucks.
but if it's been sitting, they're dirty, and you should flush the engine anyway.

Evilclown

When I use MM, I use a full quart in place of a quart of regular oil when I change it, as per the instructions on the bottle. This has worked fine for me before, and helps in quieting the lifters.