Adjust valves

[Mac Townsend]

1991 Legacy. Leaking oil from the RH cam cover. And also a lot of what
sounds like tappet/follower noise.

How big a job is it to adjust the valves? I'm not even sure if it's a
single cam or a twin cammer.

 

[johninKY]

Valves are self-adjusting. The "lifters" are either sucking air or very
dirty, maybe both. By sucking air I mean the oil is being aeriated. An
oil/air mixture is being pumped into the lifters. The air compressed and
the lifter collapses. Fix the oil leak. If you aren't much for oil
changes, replace the oil and filter with an oil/ATF mixture. One qt
ATF/10W30 oil. Run this for about 500 miles and then drain. The ATF has
a lot more detergents than conventional motor oil and will remove a lot of
sludge inside the engine.

 

[Rick Courtright]

How big a job is it to adjust the valves? I'm not even sure if it's a
single cam or a twin cammer.

Hi,

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe your engine's got
hydraulic lifters. Tappet noise is quite common in engines from this
general time frame--lots of discussions have been had on what causes it
and how to cure it, from new oil pumps thru a variety of chemical
additives. A search of the archives for "lifter" or "tappet noise" or
similar should give you some ideas.

Good luck,

Rick

 

[Mac Townsend]

ATF/10W30 oil. Run this for about 500 miles and then drain. The ATF
has a lot more detergents than conventional motor oil and will remove
a lot of sludge inside the engine.

Isn't that pretty risky on a 230,000 mile engine?

I just had a service guy tell me that they've seen different brands of
oil filter can greatly affect valve train noise. He suggeted splurging
on an OEM filter.

 

[Edward Hayes]

Forget the ATF as it may very well do much more harm than good. As
said before try fresh oil of the recommended weight and an OEM oil
filter.

 

[y_p_w]

Forget the ATF as it may very well do much more harm than good. As
said before try fresh oil of the recommended weight and an OEM oil
filter.

Yeah - that about the biggest myth in automotive maintenance for
years. Don't know where it started, but it was obviously from
someone who didn't understand what ATF is made of.

<http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/carcare/whattoknow.asp>

Myth #12

Adding a quart of ATF the day before an oil change will clean your
engine. ATF added to the motor oil will clean the engine due to the
high levels of detergent in ATF.

Fact

ATF does not contain detergent chemistry. ATF does contain dispersants,
which have properties similar to detergents. But ATF is not formulated
to withstand the combustion environment inside the engine. Quaker
State® recommends that you keep the fluids where they belong: motor
oil in the crankcase, and automatic transmission fluid in the
transmission.

 

[l.lichtman]

Mac Townsend wrote: (clip) I just had a service guy tell me that
they've seen different brands of oil filter can greatly affect valve
train noise. He suggeted splurging on an OEM filter.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You obviously didn't take his advice, since you are not reporting on
the outcome of an OEM filter. I personally have my doubts that any oil
filter could have that much effect, especially i done at the same time
as an oil change. But I wonder why you haven't tried it. Couldn't
hurt, you know.

 

[Dominic Richens]

1991 Legacy. Leaking oil from the RH cam cover. And also a lot of what
sounds like tappet/follower noise.

How big a job is it to adjust the valves? I'm not even sure if it's a
single cam or a twin cammer.

Don't think they are adjustable in that model. I always have noisy
valve/lifters during the winter when running 5w30 - but that's the price you
pay for wanting a car that starts in -30 C weather.

 

[Rick Courtright]

the outcome of an OEM filter. I personally have my doubts that any oil
filter could have that much effect, especially i done at the same time

Hi,

Before I got a Subaru, I'd have agreed with you. But my experience with
Subies is they really DO seem to work better with OEM filters. Can't say
why that is, but I've tried most of the brands out there on mine and
keep coming back to OEM. It makes a difference in my engine: better oil
pressure, less valve train noise. YMMV, of course!

Rick

 

[Jcee]

I've also seen several 2.2L with hydraulic lifters come in with a loud
tapping noise and after removing the valve cover and rocker arm
assembly, I've found a small piece of plastic or silicone blocking the
oil access port on the underside of the rocker assy. Remove the
blockage, pump up the soft lifters (hold in the small one-way valve with
a pick while pumping up the lifter while immersed in oil) and reinstall.
The noise should be gone...HTH