Moral support really needed....

[shields@tembel.org (Michael Shields)]

> Besides the motor itself, which runs well but the lifters are NOISY!!  I
> need a few virtual pats on the back saying, BTDT, and I sympathize...

Well, there are things you can do about that:

1. Switch to synthetic.

2. Replace the lifters.  It's not all that hard -- PDQSHIP posted the
   procedure a while ago.  Basically, you pull the valve cover, remove
   the cam (cross-torque the number 2 and 4 caps and remove, then the
   1 and 3), take out the lifters (they pull right out vertically,
   Robo-Grips make it easy), drop in the new lifters ($12/ea from
   Blau), reinstall the cam (watch the torquing order again), replace
   the valve cover/vacuum lines/throttle linkage (get the neoprene
   gasket), make sure you've allowed thirty minutes for the lifters to
   bleed down, and you're done.  No problem.

3. It could be the exhaust manifold.  Over time it warps, breaking the
   studs, causing it to flex against the block and make a tapping
   sound.  Fixing this (a) eight or ten hours labor (b) drilling out
   the broken studs (c) sending the manifold to the machine shop to be
   made flat again and (d) $150 in misc hardware and gaskets.  You can
   console yourself with the fact that your manifold is now
   heat-treated and won't warp again.

I went through all of these (plus the vacuum pump, which is what you
get on the 4k series in exchange for not having to deal with
Pentosin).  It's finally quiet...  None of them are actually a threat
to the longevity or performance of your car, but they're damn
embarassing.
-- 
Shields.
['86 Coupe GT]