I have a 1999 G20T with a BB SR20DET swap performed a few months ago. The car has several thousand miles after the swap, and supposedly less than 40K on the engine prior to swapping.

Yesterday at the car wash I was standing in front of the car as the attendant started up, and I noticed a pronounced ticking noise. I drove it across the parking lot and popped the hood, and it sounded like the hydraulic lash adjuster was sticking. After a minute (and several starts & stops) I revved the engine to about 2500 and the tick disappeared. Since then, I've had a little clatter on startup, but it's disappeared within a second.

Is this a common problem on DET engines? Is there anything it could be other than a sticking "lifter"? I swung by TRS in Culver City since they have a lot of SR20 experience, and they recommended I run some kind of additive (detergent I assume) to break up any sludge that may be blocking the oil. Does anyone have any ideas? If it's a bad HLA, will stock USDM valvetrain parts work? Thanks for any advice.

BTW, the car has 600 miles since the last oil change and is running synthetic.

Sorry, not a sticking lifter, most likely a spun bearing.



Terrin
92 SE-R

I dont know about this but the old guys at my work are always talking about how they run automatic trans fluid in their car when doing oil changes. They drain the oil and add ATF and run the car for a minute or so and the detergents in the ATF clean the gunk out of the engine. 'I would talk to some people before trying this', the old guys have old cars.

Thanks for the advice. I was definitely worried about a spun bearing when I first heard the noise, but I don't think that's it. It was a ticking noise in time with the valves (i.e. slow enough that it seemed to occur at 1/2 crankshaft speed as the cam revolved). I've adjusted enough roller rockers on 350 Chevys to know that sound.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think a spun bearing would tick at idle and disappear after a few minutes. I think I'd notice a spun bearing under load at higher RPMs, and it probably wouldn't go away spontaneously.

I've put about 30 more miles on the car without any noise at all.

Originally posted by 92SE-R
Sorry, not a sticking lifter, most likely a spun bearing.



Terrin
92 SE-R

Wouldn't a spun bearing get louder at higher RPMs and not go away? You seem to jump to the conclusion....:rolleyes:

Nice face but you don't know anything about spun bearings. On SR20DE's, the rattle will get louder and faster as you go higher up in the rpms and disappear after 3K and up. In terms of SE-RDan's problem, I misunderstood what he was talking about. If the rattle goes away after TIME and not higher RPM, then it definitely is not a spun bearing. The original post said the ticking went away after 2500 rpms.



Terrin
92 SE-R

Thanks for the clarification. Now I see what you meant. What I should have said is that after I revved to 2500, it went away permanently. It didn't reoccur after I let the engine drop to idle.

So should I be worried? Should I run some sort of flush to clean out any sludge?

It actually just sounds like you have low oil pressure on startup. Then when you rev it, the oil pressure goes up, the HL's start doing their job. Just a thought.


Terrin
92 SE-R

I also wouldn't recommend doing a flush, some list members have gotten spun bearings from dislodging sludge which in turn got stuck in oil passages.



Terrin
92 SE-R

As a proud owner of a DSM, Lifter Tick is a common problem.

Option 1. Change your oil with Mobile1 0w-30. I would put money that this will cure the problem.

Option 2. A detergent of some kind.

Option 3. Replace the faulty lifter.

Option 4. Sell me the G20 and be done with it. (99 G20 is the car i've wanted to do a swap in)

My friend burned oil on his 98 SR20DE with 0 weight Mobile 1. Went back to 10w30 and its' fine now.



Terrin
92 SE-R