Minivan content stuck lifter: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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July 19, 2010 8:35 p.m. scooterfrog New Reader

ok you guys know everything. I mostly lurk. car in question 2001 cry-sler town and country. this thing has been trouble from the get go.
85000 miles engine tick sounds like a lifter to me (and various mechanics. ) they say drive it till it busts and put a new engine in or walk away.

I actually like the thing its just unreliable and hauls the wife +3. I cant get any money for it on craigs list with the tick. I.

tried seafoam... right now it is the only thing wrong with it. (because we paid to fix everything else) am crossing my fingers and saying it sorted out now

it's a know problem with the engines (seems like I had all the know problems. note to self ask here then google, then buy)

I am seeing reman and junk yard engines from 800 (JY) to 1800 (reman) it's a 3.8 hell if I am swapping will anything else fit right in. ( nitro comes with a 3.8 and a 4.2 is it the same 3.8 or did I just blow up 'known weak point' tranny)

so is there an easy fix... a magic crankcase potion how many hours would a shop charge me for a long block swap (I know my mechanics rate, and I know he can beat book)
July 19, 2010 10:03 p.m. Vigo HalfDork

Bad lifters sounds like a case of 'replace lifters' to me

Yeh, itd be a bitch to do it in the car, but i dont see why you'd bother to replace an engine that had one bad seal in one small part.. I dont know what your opinion is of them, but honestly, the 3.8s are long lasting and hard to ruin. There's nowhere to go but down as far as easy swaps.
July 20, 2010 6:51 a.m. 1988RedT2 Reader

I know nothing about the Chrysler engine, but I do know this: I had a ticking HLA perhaps 120k into the life of my '89 Mazda 626 2.2. I bought one HLA from the dealer for like 30 bucks, pulled the cam caps, pushed on the HLA's until I found one with a little give in it. Pulled it out and replaced it with the new one and put it back together. Total cost: 30 bucks and a Saturday afternoon. The noise was gone and it ran flawlessly for years after that and was still fine when I sold it.

Edit: I see that the 3.8 is a pushrod engine, so the job is prolly gonna take a little longer.
July 20, 2010 7:26 a.m. scooterfrog New Reader

In reply to Vigo:

replace engine. more than one mechanic told me ... drive it till it dies... then replace the engine because it could die catastrophically. I wouldn't replace an engine that runs well now. (doh) new bigger engine was just thinking out loud. ( I often find my self say "oh no did I say that out loud")

I think the 3.8 moves the minivan well enough.

so sounds like find bad lifter and replace. hard to do on the car. (at least too hard for me)

how will it "fail" I am guessing the valve will stop opening and economy will suffer so will power end up running on 5 cyl instead of 6....or will it really be catastrophic... leave wife by side of dark road with 3 kids at 2 am and no cell cignal.
July 20, 2010 8:02 a.m. ansonivan HalfDork

I think it's worth trying some snake oil, I've had marvel mystery brand snake oil clear up two lifter ticks on bmw m52/s52 engines. I dumped in a full quart, drove the car until at operating temperature, let it soak for a few days and then changed the oil and filter.
July 20, 2010 11:02 a.m. iceracer Dork

Mystery Oil has been a cure all for many problems. Years ago I fixed several engines that had clattery lifters with the Bardahl treatment. Engine flush to clean things then fresh oil with 1 qt Bardahl. Replacing an engine due to sticky lifters is overkill and who is the say the jy engine if used, doesn't have the same problem.
July 20, 2010 11:38 a.m. 1988RedT2 Reader

Buy the wife a AAA membership and drive it 'til it gets worse, then swap vehicles with her and drive it 'til it dies. And try the snake oil thing.
July 20, 2010 11:41 a.m. scooterfrog New Reader

In reply to iceracer:

again I had no plan to replace the engine because of the lifter. but when it blew up.

Ill try a different magic potion
July 20, 2010 12:02 p.m. 44Dwarf HalfDork

I love marvel but for lifter nothing beats RISLONE in the big yellow can. Use a quart and 1/2 at oil change and by the time your next oil change is due the tick will be gone but add the rest of the second quart. Stuff works.

http://www.barsproducts.com/100QR.htm

they say 1 quart use 1.5... 44
July 20, 2010 12:45 p.m. Vigo HalfDork

I agree with all the mystery oil recommendations..

It would be very hard to fix on the car, and would also cost a lot if you had someone else do it, so i say try every snake oil out there until you find the combo that works!
July 20, 2010 12:49 p.m. ansonivan HalfDork

Also bear in mind that snake oils offer little in the way of lubrication, too much of a good thing can result in engine damage. If you're going to try a seriously heavy dose (read greater than 1/4 total oil volume) I would recommend running the car only at light load and then letting it sit a few days before changing the oil.
July 20, 2010 2:35 p.m. 1988RedT2 Reader

Free replacement engine sounds nice. I'd look into that too!
July 20, 2010 10:19 p.m. scooterfrog New Reader

In reply to racinginc215:

mine's is an 01 and it does not have a lifetime warranty. not eve 7/70 ( but that's up too)
July 20, 2010 10:22 p.m. scooterfrog New Reader

ansonivan wrote:

Also bear in mind that snake oils offer little in the way of lubrication, too much of a good thing can result in engine damage. If you're going to try a seriously heavy dose (read greater than 1/4 total oil volume) I would recommend running the car only at light load and then letting it sit a few days before changing the oil.

already thought of that. I know that the seafoam is more of a solvent than a lubircant. one pint in a 5 quart pan is about an eighth. I agree a quart or more of that stuff seems like a bad idea to drive on..