[s-cars] Re: S-CAR-List Digest, Vol 14, Issue 54

[William Noland]

What often sounds like a noisy lifter on the UrS is in fact a loose 
sparkplug. The plugs have a nasty habit of backing out from time to 
time. It is worth it to check them periodically.

Of course, it may well be a noisy lifter. It's possible, if you're not 
getting the car out and "blowing 'er out" from time to time, that the 
lifters are gumming up. Some noise from the lifters on startup is not 
necessarily a good sign, but doesn't mean imminent destruction of the 
motor either. There are products out there that claim to quiet noisy 
lifters -- might give them a try along with a good high speed run.

Bill Noland

>I work from home and rarely drive the car long distances.  Today I
>went up north about an hour and 15 minutes on an appointment, and
>drove back about an hour later.  This was steady interstate driving,
>75 or 80 mph.  That's probably the longest drive I've had.  Near the
>end of the trip I was idling in a drive thru line, thinking to myself
>what a piece of crap car is ahead of me in line, the valvetrain
>sounded like the oil hadn't been changed in the life of the car.  Then
>I noticed the car was actually brand new - still had the temporary
>plates on it.... the noise was coming from my car :)
>
>I have NEVER heard this car (or any car I've ever had) sound the way
>it did.  I immediately checked my gauges (all normal) and pulled into
>a parking space, shut off the car and just sat there and thought about
>things a few minutes.  Later I checked the oil and it was down at the
>bottom of the operating range on the stick.  That's the lowest I've
>ever let it get.
>
>Knowing I had enough oil, normal pressure, and normal temps, I started
>the car.  It was still loud, but it was already quieter.  I drove the
>last 5 miles home, and by the time I was there it was like it never
>happened.
>
>Ideas?
>
>Also, it bothers the heck out of me when I start the car each day and
>hear the same valve noise for the first 1 second until pressure
>builds.  Anybody else get that?  After that first second, sounds like
>a brand new car.
>
>BTW I'm running Mobil 1 10W30, and I live in NH.  It's not that cold yet.
>  
>