A hydraulic lifter is an essential engine component which ensures smooth and quiet engine operation.Noticing and replacing a problematic lifter as soon as it is identified can prevent further engine damage.
Signs of Faulty Hydraulic Lifter
It is important to ensure every component of your hydraulic lifter is working properly.
Identifying a bad lifter and replacing it before it affects other parts is paramount for optimum engine performance.
Remember, a hydraulic lifter has many parts including hydraulic cylinders, tubes, motors, pumps etc.
A defective hydraulic lifter can be identified by following symptoms;
1. Noisiness
Noise is an easy to notice sign and is the most obvious way of detecting a malfunction in a hydraulic lifter.
In most cases, when a hydraulic lifter is working properly, you will only notice:
- Knocking or,
- Ping sound
Of course, after sometime, the sound may change to “tapping”. This valve chatter is as a result of reduced contact between camshaft and valve.
The sound level due to defective lifter can increased when the engine is hot or cold depending on what triggered it.
Among the main causes of this annoying noise in hydraulic lifter may include:
- Blocked engine, which may be due to dirt
- Wear and tear
- Sticking hydraulic valve
2. Loss of Engine Power
The main function of a hydraulic lifter is to ensure optimum valve operation when engine is running. A bad lifter is unable to maintain the valve clearance when the engine is running leading to lose of engine output
The possible cause of this is hydraulic lifter wear and tear, poor maintenance, dirt build-up in the engine among others.
3. Rough Running Engine
Engine valves must close the cylinders properly when the engine is running and also open to allow proper internal combustion. Damaged or worn out lifters can lead to incorrect valve operation thus resulting to engine malfunctions and eventually failure.
This can be caused by prolonged poor engine maintenance services, wear and tear or oil sludge in the lifter.
4. Check Engine Light
An illuminated check engine light on the vehicle dashboard is another symptom of a faulty hydraulic valve. Check engine light can be caused by to hydraulic lifter problems like engine malfunction, clogged engine valve, slow engine, etc.
Possible Options to Solve Problems in Faulty Hydraulic Lifter
How then can you rectify a faulty hydraulic lifter issue for optimum engine performance. In this section, we explore possible solutions for the above mentioned hydraulic lifter problems.
· Consider Parts Replacement
One way of solving a faulty hydraulic valve issue is through replacement of a non-functional filter as soon as possible. This will avert further damage of other components that may occur as a result of faulty hydraulic lifter.
While you may want to simply replace the damaged lifter, professionals do recommend complete lifter replacement. This is because one faulty lifter maybe an indicator that other lifters will soon be faulty.
Hydraulic lifter replacement cost is determined by a lot of factors such as vehicle model, age, engine design, etc. Old vehicles may function with refurbished lifter that cost less than new hydraulic lifters.
New and fairly used vehicles will need new hydraulic lifters for them to function well.
Additionally, the replacement process may vary from simple to complex process depending on engine design. For some engines, the process maybe simple while in other vehicles it may be labor intense leading to engine disassembly.
· Repairs can be an Option
Whereas worn out and severely damaged lifters are replaced, some lifter problems can be addressed through repairs.
There are various repair options that can be carried out to rectify a faulty hydraulic lifter situation;
1. Oil Change and Additives
One of the major causes of faults in hydraulic lifters is build-up of oil deposits and use of degraded oils. Using good quality oils in your engine can prevent these deposits thus solving this problem.
In some instances, using oil additives enables lifter cleaning as well as sludge breakdown thus preventing oil build-ups in the lifter.
This is less costly compared to hydraulic lifter replacement.
This solution only works if the fault is as a result of dirty oil deposits in the lifter.
2. Lifter Maintenance
Lifter maintenance should be carried out periodically and it involves removing the lifter and soaking it in a suitable solvent.
This process dissolves all the deposits and build-ups on the lifter thus leaving it clean and lighter for proper functioning.
Its cost fluctuates depending on the labor involved.
3. Camshaft Maintenance
Proper hydraulic lifter functioning is also determined by the state of the camshaft. Therefore, it is important to also check and replace worn out camshaft.
This is because, a damaged camshaft will easily damage the replaced lifter, hence replacing both of them together is ideal.
Preventive Maintenance
While it is okay to repair and replace damaged hydraulic lifters, having a preventive measure in place is much better.
Some of the preventive measures that you can apply include; use of proper filters and regular engine service and oil change.
Carrying out regular engine service will help you prevent frequent filter faults and thus prolonging their lifespan.
Use of good quality and manufacture recommended oil will ensure your lifters are in good working conditions.
Using good quality filters reduce contamination as result of oil deposits. This significantly addressed the issue of faulty lifters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is advisable to address faulty hydraulic lifters whenever they occur to prevent further damage of your engine.
