What causes a lifter to "tick"????

[DoorHinge]

I have a '91 LX 5.0 and I have a ticking noise coming from the drivers side head or lifter area. It is really kind of hard for the to destinguish the differnence because they are so close in procimity. I took the valve covers off to make sure all was good and all the rockers are still torqued to 24 foot pounds. I am thinking it is either one of two things. Either it is a bad guide in my Trick Flow heads (pedestal mount so it is a common problem) or it might be a lifter. I had the heads checked out befor I put them on and they had 2 bad guides which I had replaced. The heads only have like 4000 miles on them since then. My question is, what cause a lifter to tick? I have had someone tell me that I might need to switch oil filters to see if that helps. I will definitely try it but what do you guys think?

 

[87gtconv]

Usually dirt, varnish, sludge, and not a failure of the lifter.

 

[DoorHinge]

Usually dirt, varnish, sludge, and not a failure of the lifter.

What do you recommend as a fix? Some type of cleaner or should I just take the intake off and clean the lifters?

 

[DoorHinge]

I have a '91 LX 5.0 and I have a ticking noise coming from the drivers side head or lifter area. It is really kind of hard for the to destinguish the differnence because they are so close in procimity. I took the valve covers off to make sure all was good and all the rockers are still torqued to 24 foot pounds. I am thinking it is either one of two things. Either it is a bad guide in my Trick Flow heads (pedestal mount so it is a common problem) or it might be a lifter. I had the heads checked out befor I put them on and they had 2 bad guides which I had replaced. The heads only have like 4000 miles on them since then. My question is, what cause a lifter to tick? I have had someone tell me that I might need to switch oil filters to see if that helps. I will definitely try it but what do you guys think?

Sorry about the incoherent post above but I had a few if you know what I mean.

 

[Dean85GT]

I've got the lifter tick as well. I think its from when I changed my intake manifold gasket. I'm gonna change the oil after 1000km after the gasket change. Do you think that will eliminate the tick?

 

[Rock777]

I have this same tick, and believe it is lifters as well. I don't know how much the oil change will help as I just changed my oil 1000 miles ago and it has been ticking ever since. I run Amsoil, it's either 10w30 or 5w30 synthetic. I feel your pain, it is very annoying to drive by a curb and it sounds like a machine gun is off in the distance.

 

[DoorHinge]

Right now my plan of attack is to try a good engine cleaner and then a good oil change. Maybe even a different brand of oil. Who knows. If that does nothing then I'll have to take the intak off and check the lifters.