Valve noise on startup only?

[BlackVert]

When I start my car, there is a very loud noise that sounds like a valve lifter. FWIW, is seems to be coming from the passenger side. The noise is worse when the engine has some load on it. Then after a few minutes, the noise goes away completely and the engine runs without any noise until the next time I start it up.

I found this here:

http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/noisy_valve_lifters.html

Rapping noise only when the engine is started. When engine is stopped, any lifter on a camshaft lobe is under pressure of the valve spring; therefore, leak down or escape of oil from the lower chamber can occur. When the engine is started a few seconds may be required to fill the lifter, particularly in cold weather. If noise occurs only occasionally, it may be considered normal requiring no correction. If noise occurs daily, however, check for (a) oil too heavy for prevailing temperatures, (b) excessive varnish in lifter.

I am getting an oil change soon and I am going to use a good synthetic oil. But for the moment, is there anything I can put in my oil to clean out varnish in my lifters?

 

[Killercanary]

I don't know of anything to clean the lifters, but it definitely sounds liek they are just bleeding off and taking a little while to pump up. What weight of oil do you run? If you run a thick oil and its cold out it can take longer for the lifter to pump up as the oil is harder to push into the lifter, thus the reason that it quiets up after the motor heats up the oil and thins it out.

 

[final5-0]

For years peeps have been using Marvel Mystry Oil to free up stuck lifters. Seen it work many times on very sludged up motors.

however

You usually don't have probs like that if you change your oil & filter on a regular basis.

Grady

 

[Joes95GT]

The lifters are bleeding down....

Depending on oil weight, it may be time for new ones....

How many miles are on the motor?

Joe

 

[BlackVert]

Killer: I use what the owner's manual says to use, which i believe is 5W30, but it's been a little while since I looked at it.

Grady: I have the oil changed regularly. The last time was in May.

Joe: The motor has about 100K on it. The gears have made it so the odometer (and the speedometer) is no longer 100% accurate.

I got one of those oil additive "detergent"s at lunch and put it in, I'll drive around some before posting again...

Anyone have any experience with those flushing fluids you put in just before doing an oil change? You run it for like 3 minutes after putting it in and then drain the oil and put new in.

- Chris

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Chris,
I don't know if I'd trust those "flush" type solvents you put in your oil. I used that stuff once, and once I drained my oil, I found tons of garbage, that could've just been accumulating inside the engine, some of which appearing to look like brass? Last time I checked, anything gold looking was material from a heavily scored bearing, so I got lucky when the block cracked, and I tossed a junkyard engine in, instead of rebuilding the engine in there. More than likely, the two were completely unrelated, since several months had elapsed between using that particular product, and the block failing, but it still makes me weary of using it, after everything I had drained out.
Now on to the noise you're having, I agree that it's more than likely a lifter, and I'd do an oil change or two before I go tearing into the engine. With the luck I have, it'd end up being an exhaust leak or something, that closes up once the metal expands...