Bad oil pressure, loose lifter?

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:52 am

I just went to take the car out for a bit of a drive and i noticed something knocking within my engine. I called my friends that know a bit more than me and they're saying it's a loose lifter and to check my oil level when i got home. Sure enough, I only had one quart of oil left in the pan. So i put 2 more quarts in and will get another one in today to retain maximum oil pressure (which is what i think caused the loose lifter). But if the car doesnt "fix itself" by getting the lifter back in place from having good oil pressure again, then whats the procedure to go about fixing a loose lifter? It's a 2003 Vibe 1zz-fe FWD. Thanks for your help!

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:43 am

How does a lifter not working drain many quarts of oil?

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:30 am

The Vibe DOHC engine has lifters??????? Many componenents inside the engine can be damaged from poor maintenance and lack of oil. Seldom does adding oil to the correct level correct the problem (noise) as the damage has been done due to the lack of oil and requires repair, not just filling with oil. Check your oil level often......it only takes 30 seconds to do so.

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:12 am

Yes the vibe's engine has lifters. And upon inspection today, i found that it was not a bad lifter. It's rod knock, so therefore it needs to be taken to a dealership. The damage has been done however...sigh. Does anyone know how much it would run me to fix this problem? And I am 100% sure of this being rod knock. We (my friend and myself) took off the valve cover and peeked inside. No bad lifters. So now i run a risk of blowing the rod through the side of my block everytime i drive it....i'm lucky it's a toyota engine

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:14 am

And for northvibe, it's not the lifter at all...it's just been many many miles since my last change...and it being winter does not help up here. I just need to get to a dealership as soon as possible.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 7:13 am

I knew it wasnt a lifter thats why I had asked why they thought it would be. Well not that oil is added is it knocking? The question really is...how did you get quarts low on oil with out knowing???

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:08 am

Quote, originally posted by THE VIBERATOR Â»Yes the vibe's engine has lifters....As can be seen in this pic, the Vibe engine does NOT have lifters, rocker arms or pushrods, etc, etc. The cam lobes are located directly over the valves and actuate same via a mechanical (not hydraulic) shim and bucket valve train similar to a motorcycle engine. http://smg.photobucket.com/alb...5.jpg

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 8:46 am

djb383: Well....you'll have to find me a different picture then, cause that one isnt working northvibe, there seems to be a problem on my car of late with disappearing oil actually some oil is leaking out of the right side of the valve cover. I have a bad valve cover gasket, which would explain the excessively low oil. Since it's a 2003 model, my oil light doesnt go on until i go BELOW 1 quart i believe...and since i was at or slightly above a quart, the oil light didnt go on. Also, it is still knocking. So there's obviously rod knock.

prathman · Post by **prathman** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:05 am

Quote, originally posted by THE VIBERATOR Â»Since it's a 2003 model, my oil light doesnt go on until i go BELOW 1 quart i believe... This is the case in general on most cars - the oil *pressure* light is not a good indicator of low oil level. By the time the light comes on there might hardly be any oil left in the engine. The level has to be checked manually to avoid letting it get dangerously low.Hope you have a good independent mechanic you can trust to give you an honest assessment and estimate for engine repairs.

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:23 am

Quote, originally posted by prathman Â»This is the case in general on most cars - the oil *pressure* light is not a good indicator of low oil level. By the time the light comes on there might hardly be any oil left in the engine. The level has to be checked manually to avoid letting it get dangerously low.Hope you have a good independent mechanic you can trust to give you an honest assessment and estimate for engine repairs.I am going to have to call tomorrow. I just got mono, so this really kinda blows....very bad timing lol. Maybe insurance will cover it....

ou.grizzly · Post by **ou.grizzly** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:25 am

The oil light and oil pressure recently took a dive in another vehicle of ours 2 weeks ago (Not a Vibe)Within 10 minutes we took it to an oil change shop, it is about 1.5 quarts low, had the oil changed (needed it since it was almost at 4,600 miles and suppose to be changed every 3,000). Yet the engine has been using a quart an oil every oil change which we are not a fan of.The pressure and oil light returned to normal. So it can be a few things in our situation:1. Faulty oil sending unit2. Broken oil pressure relief valve3. Tired oil pump4. Loose Main BearingLet's just say the engine will more than likely be repaired, torn down, or replaced with one from a junkyard. As for it being low on oil, when was the last time it was changed?

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:53 am

Quote, originally posted by THE VIBERATOR Â»djb383: Well....you'll have to find me a different picture then, cause that one isnt working........... Maybe this one works.http://smg.photobucket.com/alb...3.jpg

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:45 am

That one works. The valvetrain has lifters...they're located underneath each lobe. I touched them myself. pushed on them to make sure they weren't loose, which they arent. So now where does that leave me....It wouldnt be anything to do with the oil. As far as I know, having low oil doesnt equate to any knocking...Honestly I just don't know what it could be.

ou.grizzly · Post by **ou.grizzly** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:51 am

I thought valves will tap, not knock?Knocking is more an issue with a piston rod correct? Look at my list I posted above.

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:30 am

A tap or knock....whatever it is. It's not a bent valve, if it was, I'd be throwing a CEL and i'd see smoke coming out the tailpipe. I am not throwing a CEL, if that helps...it's most likely a piston rod, and i'm afraid of sending that thing flying through the block if i drive the car.

djb383 · Post by **djb383** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 1:58 am

What you are calling "lifters" are actually buckets/shims and that is where you check the valve clearance, when the cam lobe base circle is directly above the bucket/shim. The Vibe has a mechanical valve train, not hydraulic, so there will be some mechanical ticking/clicking when the valves have the proper factory spec clearance.

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 4:10 am

Ah yes...thats right. Well I can assure you that there is no problem with those buckets or shims...The knocking seems to be coming from deep inside the engine...and i'm assuming its a piston rod Also..i noticed that there is quite a bit of ticking at idle, but its been like that since the day i got it and now i know why. Because of the mechanical valvetrain. Like you say it makes a tick when the valves have the right clearance. This noise is definitely not a tick or click, it's a knock and without throwing a CEL I'm very certain it's a piston rod.

THE VIBERATOR · Post by **THE VIBERATOR** » Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:41 am

JUST GOT SOME VERY GOOD NEWS!!!My car is going to be saved by a very good friend of mine...one if his mechanics will R&R my engine for 500 bucks...it's not real cheap, but it's probably the cheapest deal I'll find around here. Wish me luck!I'm literally praying my car comes out in one piece

Bad oil pressure, loose lifter?

Bad oil pressure, loose lifter?

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