Thread: Lifter noise ????????

As I understand it you would be better going a thinner (10-15w- 40) oil rather than thicker as the lifters will pump up quicker at start up. Worked for my old 3.5 anyway. Lifters will stay full of oil whilst engine is running explaining the lack of noise following your hill climb senario.
Trying a thinner oil first is going to be cheaper than replacing lifters.
Unsure if changing the filter to the non return valve z89a will make a differance. I'm sure that some one with more insite than I will be along shortly to offer advice.

Unsure if changing the filter to the non return valve z89a will make a
differance

Z89A certainly has a non return valve. Z89A is the correct filter for a late V8 with oil cooler as the long filter can be whacked by the axle on a BIG bump, which does not do good things to oil pressure.
Usually slow oil pressure at start up is from a faulty or poor quality non return valve in the filter letting the oil in the valve train passages leak back down.
Try a new filter before anything else.
If it has done it with several filters, it may be something more serious.
Regards Philip A

Not sure about running thinner oil but a better viscosity range oil should help. I use Penrite 20W-60 equivalent, and change it if the oil light takes more than 2 seconds to go out. Fresh oil takes less time, I suspect the oil stabilisers are starting to break down at 7K. It's also excellent oil for flat tappet engines such as the Rover V8. Been using it for 25 years, swear by it.

Thanks guys, we put shell helix 10w40 in today with a ryco z89a with a non return valve , it picks up preasue quick now but runs a bit less than before as in at idle now it runs 35-40 psi where as before it ran 50-55 but its still within spec, we found a leak in the back of the manifold gasket where the engine is sucking air so with the maifold of we will do the lifters as the vally cover is leaking to, and our new haltech sprint 500 comes next week so to get to the injectors the manifold has to come of cause its a thor manifold not a lucas, only the pommies could design where a simple job like an injetor harness can take a gasket set and two days work :wisted:

Be interested to see what state the valley gasket is in. I had replaced the valley gasket some 20,000 km previous to the recent head gasket problems. It showed evidence of delamination Once I get the rocker arms sorted and continue the rebuild I'll replace it with a metal one from Payen... The original valley gasket was composite and at 130,000 km it also showed evidence of delamination... odd wafer-thin flakes of soft black stuff clinging to the walls of the crankcase behind the pushrods.

Hi every one, we got the engine back togeather with a new cam and lifters and all new gaskets, now at idle we have no oil preasure even the lifters bleed back and the knock, but at 1500 it fine abour 350psi warm, my dad who put it back togeather is a diesel machanic with 37 years experance and even he is a bit stumped because was fine before, we packed it with vaso and primed it with the drill and it was all good just no preasue at idle?

Did you check bearing clearances, mains and big end, also oil reief valve not sticking open. I have usually found that low or no oil pressure at startup and and low oil pressure when hot or working hard is due to excessive bearing to journal clearance, either wrong to start with or worn out bearing shells.
Camshaft bearings that are worn can cause low oil pressure, check that the oil gallery holes are lined up with the cam bearing holes. You could also try shimming/spacing out the oil reief valve spring. Good oil pressure is essential if you want your engine to last. Regards Frank.

the thing is that it was perfect before we put the new cam