Hydraulic lifters DIY repair

In detail: do-it-yourself hydraulic lifters repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

During operation, carbon deposits get under the hydraulic compensator valve, which leads to contamination and loss of mobility. As a result, hydraulic compensators fail and start knocking.

Of course, if there is an opportunity to buy a new kit, it is better to replace it with new ones, but you can try to restore (repair the hydraulic compensators) to sort it out, clean it, after that it will serve for some time.

This video shows the process using the example of the hydraulics of the Mitsubishi GDI 4G15 engine.

Perhaps the most difficult thing is getting to the hydraulic lifters. To do this, you need to remove everything that interferes with getting to the valve cover: a plastic engine cover, an air intake, a throttle valve (5 bolts), a resonator housing, an intake manifold (8 bolts and 2 nuts), an iron corrugation under the DZ ...

It is also necessary to dismantle interfering pipes and hoses, those related to the cooling system should be plugged so as not to waste antifreeze. This will make it possible unscrew 8 bolts around the perimeter and 4 bolts near the candle wells, and remove the cylinder head cover. You can remove the hydraulic lifters by prying the rocker arm, moving it to the side.

To disassemble the wetsuit, you need to flare and remove the retaining ring. Then take out the top and shake out the valve and the rest of the internal parts. This is followed by cleaning and assembly in the reverse order.

An article about what measures need to be taken if hydraulic lifters are noisy - the reasons for the knock, methods for eliminating the problem. At the end of the article - a video on what to do if hydraulic lifters knock.

If the gaps are not properly adjusted, then the valves in the timing belt will also close incorrectly, as a result of which they will burn out, and a knock will appear. In addition, the size of the gaps may change even with severe wear of the timing mechanisms during operation. Since the adjustment of valve thermal clearances is a rather complicated and responsible matter, instead of levers and washers that require complex adjustment, they began to use hydraulic compensators.

Video (click to play).

The hydraulic compensator (hydraulic pusher) is a small mechanism that automatically adjusts the thermal clearances of the timing valves, without any additional settings. This miniature mechanism automatically adjusts the clearances to the desired dimensions by spring and engine oil pressure.

The correct operation of hydraulic lifters is highly dependent on such oil factors as:

quality, freshness, and compliance with the engine manufacturer's recommendations.
level.
pressure.

The use of low-quality engine oils, as well as the long operation of the engine with old (used) oil, leads to the accumulation of carbon deposits, which begin to impede the movement of the compensator's moving elements. In addition, there is a clogging of the cylinder head channels and the holes of the hydraulic lifters.

When the engine oil level exceeds the norm, it foams in the crankcase and loses its homogeneity., with a subsequent change in indicators: viscosity, thermal conductivity and lubrication. The speed of oil passage through the channels depends on the viscosity, which directly affects the operation of the hydraulic compensators - after all, with a strong thickening of the oil, clogging of the channels can occur, and the liquid stops flowing (or starts flowing more slowly) into the expansion joints.

On the other hand, with a highly thinned oil, the pressure in the oil system may drop, and the oil will also poorly enter the expansion joints.And when the oil level in the engine is below normal, the oil pump sucks in air when delivering fluid to the expansion joints, which also negatively affects their operation and leads to a knock at high engine speeds.

Insufficient oil pressure may be due to pump malfunction, as a result of which the oil will be pumped into the hydraulic compensator slowly or not at all. In addition, a decrease in pressure inside the compensator can occur due to oil dilution or clogging of the oil channels of the hydraulic compensator itself.

The solution to the problem with the noise (knocking) of hydraulic lifters consists of two stages:

Change of oil and oil filter, with flushing of the engine.
Inspection (diagnostics) of hydraulic compensators and their replacement or flushing (flushing the compensators is an ambiguous question).

In this case, the second stage will be required only if it was not possible to solve the problem with knocking at the first stage. If, after changing the oil, oil filter and flushing the engine, the knocking stops, then, of course, nothing else is required.

The first stage is the easiest and most affordable: drain the old "working off", fill in the flushing liquid and turn on the engine for 15 minutes. Then drain the "flush", install a new oil filter and fill with new oil.

The second stage is more difficult and time consuming... Here you will need to inspect and check the hydraulic lifters themselves, for which you will have to remove the valve cover.

The most common diagnosis of hydraulic lifters is pushing through them. To do this, you need to release the compensators from the pressure of the camshaft cams by turning the camshaft accordingly (with the short part of the cam towards the compensator so that the cam does not press on it). It is better to push the expansion joints with a wooden pin so as not to damage their surface.

Serviceable hydraulic lifters are very difficult to push through, and faulty ones push through quite easily. When pushing through all expansion joints, you can compare which of them are difficult to give in and which are easy. Expansion joints that push through easily compared to others are best replaced.

Flushing the hydraulic lifters themselves is an ambiguous question, since theoretically the expansion joints should be automatically flushed when flushing the engine during the oil change stage. Therefore, removing / disassembling / flushing / assembling / installing expansion joints can be unnecessary work and a waste of time. Especially when there are 16 hydraulic lifters. In this regard, the removal and disassembly of hydraulic lifters is recommended only for a more thorough inspection when there are no other options for solving the problem. And at the same time, you can wash it.

It is also advisable to remove expansion joints if they manage to consider obvious mechanical damage and deformation.

As practice shows, the most common reason for the noisy operation of hydraulic lifters is the use of poor oil - either of poor quality, or old (used), or not recommended by the engine manufacturer.

Therefore, in most cases, the problem of noisy operation of compensators is solved already at the first stage, by changing the oil and filter, as well as by flushing the motor, during which the compensators must also be flushed. And the knock of "hydrics" due to wear or damage happens much less often.

Video on what to do if hydraulic lifters knock:

We change hydraulic lifters with our own hands
Checking hydraulic lifters
Tool for replacing hydraulic lifters
Replacing hydraulic lifters

In this material, we will try to describe in detail all the features and nuances of checking and replacing hydraulic lifters. This element of the vehicle is a hydraulic mechanism. Thanks to it, the optimal clearance in the valve mechanism is set when exposed to extreme temperatures. In the process of heating the power unit, its parts increase in size, as a result of which the gaps between them decrease.The hydraulic compensator plays the role of an element that maintains the optimal clearance between the valve and the camshaft during temperature jumps in the car engine.

When the hydraulic lifter is in good working order, it works efficiently and does not emit extraneous noise. The knock that appears in this mechanism indicates, first of all, its wear. Increased clearances lead to a decrease in the power of the power unit, accelerated valve burnout and an increase in fuel consumption.

Before checking the operation of the hydraulic lifters, determine the main causes of the malfunction. It can be:

- components of the mechanism subject to natural wear and tear. Parts are often and for a long time in continuous motion, touching each other, which violates the tightness of the system;

- insufficient or excessive oil level in the engine crankcase. In both cases, the oil is saturated with air. Consequently, not only the oil fluid itself is compressed in the hydraulic compensator, but also the air that it contains;

- the inner surfaces of the mechanism are heavily soiled. The insides of the hydraulic lifter are filled with particles of dirt and metal. Since this device is made up of high-precision parts, even slight contamination may cause poor performance.

The hydraulic compensator, which is prone to defects, makes a sound unusual for it when the engine is running. These sounds are often attributed to malfunctioning valves. The hydraulic lifters are checked using a phonendoscope. It is applied to the place where the mechanism is located. By comparing the sounds, you will find a malfunctioning element. A strong knock will be heard in the area of the defect. You can make a phonendoscope for testing the state of the hydraulic compensator mechanisms yourself.

Take a metal rod as a basis, in the middle of which attach a plastic or wood handle. A resonator is attached to one of the ends. It can be crafted from a regular metal beer can. Attach the other end to the valve cover and the resonator to your ear.

Malfunctions in the mechanism are also determined by increased knocking. When a faulty hydraulic lifter is found, remove it. Then diagnose it thoroughly. Disassemble the device completely and check all internal components for wear. If the mechanism is easily compressed with your fingers, then it can no longer be restored. If the hydraulic lifter cannot be disassembled, it must also be replaced immediately.

Checking hydraulic lifters is a simple process, but if you are not confident enough in your abilities, contact a car service to qualified specialists.

For this operation, you will be the following tools are required:

- a magnetized screwdriver or, preferably, tweezers;

- device for compression of valve springs;

- inertial remover of valve stem seals;

- three containers with flushing liquid, 5 liters each;

- hardened wire with a diameter of half a millimeter and a length of 10 cm.

After the diagnostics of the hydraulic lifters have been carried out and all the existing problems with the mechanisms have been identified, it will be necessary to dismantle the faulty hydraulic lifter.

The first way to remove a faulty mechanism is to dismantle the element with a magnet. This procedure will be successful only if the hydraulic lifter moves very freely. But it may not be removed due to the sticking of its outer surface, so you have to use a puller. Further, the fate of an element depends on its model. If the hydraulic lifter is not collapsible, then throw it straight into the trash. If it is collapsible, try to "resurrect" it. Conduct a visual inspection of all external work surfaces. If there is any visible damage, it means that he wants to go there, as in the first case.If outwardly everything is in order, the mechanism can be disassembled.

First remove the retaining ring, carefully pull out the insides and inspect them. In the event that no visible workings were found, then, most likely, the hydraulic compensator is simply clogged and therefore does not work. Flush all parts with solvent, then refill with oil and check for compression. If the test is successful, then the mechanism can be put back, if not, thrown out.

With diagnostics and dismantling everything is clear, now let's figure out how to replace hydraulic lifters. When replacing the mechanism, flush the entire automotive oil supply system. Change the oil and oil filter, and then check the oil supply to the seat of the hydraulic lifters. Rotate the crankshaft and check the oil supply.

Before doing this, pull out the hydraulic lifter. The manufacturer fills the mechanisms with preservative lubricants, which are not removed during installation. During operation, this grease is mixed with engine oil. It is strictly forbidden to install hydraulic compensators in which there is no oil. As long as the system fills it, critical shock loads are possible.

After the new hydraulic compensator is installed in its seat, you cannot start the power unit. Crank the crankshaft a few turns with the wrench. Then pause for half an hour so that all the details fall into place. This pause must be maintained due to the inertia of the system. The internal pressure of the hydraulic lifter must return to normal.

As you can see, replacing hydraulic lifters is not the most difficult task. But there is one more important point in this issue. If one or more hydraulic lifters fail, a dilemma arises - to replace only one or all at the same time. Everything, in general, depends on your financial situation. If the hydraulic lifters are collapsible, then they can be repaired and prevented separately for each position. But still, a complete comprehensive replacement of all hydraulic lifters is a sure solution to the problem and a certain guarantee for the near future.

If replacing hydraulic lifters becomes difficult for you, contact a car service. The necessary diagnostic work will be carried out there and the hydraulic lifters will be replaced. But remember that it will cost a lot of money, and therefore demand certain guarantees.

All good. It just so happens that the hydraulic compensator breaks down and starts knocking, ringing, etc. Often in such a situation, people simply change the hydraulic lifter. Of course, you can do this, but the cost of one hydraulic compensator, although not large, is still noticeable. And if there are several hydraulic lifters to replace? All 16? The price tag starts to bite openly.

In fact, there is nothing to break down in the hydraulic lifter during operation, all breakdowns are associated with clogging of oil channels with dirt, which simply need to be flushed.

First you need to understand how to distinguish a non-working compensator from a good one. The core of a good expansion joint should not be pressed with a finger. If it is pressed through and returns to its place by the spring, then air has appeared in it.

This can happen for 2 reasons:

1) The hydraulic lifter was stored incorrectly for a long time, and oil slowly leaked out of it (new hydraulic lifters are always empty)
2) The oil channels of the hydraulic compensator are clogged with dirt, where it is necessary the oil does not pass, where it is not necessary it passes, and so on.

In the first case, you can simply put them on the car, and in 10 minutes they will pump over and start working correctly. In the second case, we need to clean it.

First of all, you need to open it. As practice has shown, this is the most difficult part of the repair. For opening, the core is simply knocked out of the case by strong blows of the open part of the glass on a hard surface through the fabric.I wrapped the glass in 4 layers of fabric, tying the ends of the fabric from the back in a knot and holding it.

Do not knock on thin, hard materials such as plywood, etc., they “absorb” the impulse too much, making the task much more difficult. Most likely you will beat off your hands and not get the desired result. I knocked it out on the concrete floor, through thin linoleum (+ 4 layers of fabric), some advise doing it on a piece of wood, but it should be quite massive.

As a result, we have to get a separate case, and a separate core:

Core and body.
The core consists of a cylinder, piston and spring. The piston itself can be easily removed from the cylinder by hand.
The piston has a hydraulic valve that should be cleaned first. To open it, carefully pick out the valve cover with a thin screwdriver:

It is important that under the cover there are 2 small parts, a valve ball and a small spring (it has no flying properties, but it can roll). Here is the actual result of disassembling the core:

All this must be carefully washed so that there are no traces of dirt. Particular attention should be paid to the valve hole:

and a small hole at the bottom of the case (cup), visible in the first photo. Then we collect the piston. On the piston body, carefully, put the ball and the spring:

then we cover it all with a lid and, using a thin screwdriver, push the lid into the mount and put the piston spring on top:

and also, neatly, cover with a cylinder:

then turn over and carefully fill the glass with oil:

Using a thin rod, we push the valve ball, pushing the piston into the glass:

this operation will have to be done several times, slowly adding oil, until air stops coming out from under the valve. Having tried to press on the cylinder with your finger, you must make sure that the piston does not push through. If it works, then put it aside for now and grab the glass (body of the wetsuit). pour a little oil into it, and carefully insert the previously assembled core into it.

He pushes in there with his hands, but with good effort. I also recommend covering the housing oil supply hole with a cloth, from there it will sprinkle with oil.

Once again we check that the core is not pressed through, wipe it with a cloth and put it aside (ready for installation)
PS: Store the hydraulic lifter only with the open part of the glass facing up, as in the last photo.

Author; Dmitry Grigoriev Saint Petersburg

I am publishing the report of the forum user https://my.housecope.com/wp-content/uploads/ext/3433 on the independent replacement of hydraulic lifters.

The path is the simplest, fastest and most effective in moderation.

1. We go to the correct autoshop. (I personally go to METRO since there was no leftist there due to non-Russian owners, and 1.5 - 2 times cheaper than everywhere else).
2. We are looking for a wonderful mixture on the shelves called LiquiMolly Flushing hydraulic compensators or something like that (name in German). Now it costs 211 rubles.
3. We estimate how many liters of oil we have left in the crankcase at the moment. I had 6G74 in the region of 3 liters, since the bottle for 6 is designed - we take it twice, anyway, change the oil soon.
4. Fill. We drive intensively for 1 day.
5. Forget about the knock of hydraulic lifters. It appears a little at startup, but quickly disappears.
THE ADDITIVE IS NO HARMFUL AND CAN BE ENDLESSLY LONG IN OIL

The path is more correct but also more difficult.

Theory. Why are the GC knocking.
There are two main reasons - a low supply (or rather, pressure) of oil into the pipeline by a pump (how it is treated without disassembly, I can tell anyone interested, the servicemen told me - I was in shock), but this happens quite rarely, and the main reason is coking of the channels and cavities of the GC with carbon products , and most importantly, from the use of Castrol-type oils - their clogging with specific yellow deposits and an incomprehensible composition. (I don’t know why this is so, but these oils don’t say that g..but but you will wash off the deposits - horseradish, it looks like they add linseed oil or castor oil - hence the name).
Therefore, sediments and coked channels will be washed.

1. We take a test oil of the Spectrol type (PRESENT, AND NOT IN THE STORE.). It is advisable to have 2 cans, since such an amount of crap that will come out of the car with proper flushing - you have not seen even when flushing grandfather's penny.

2.In order not to spoil the dumb engines with crooked hands and left (what if?) Spectrol, I pour the ER additive from the AGA store into the oil long before flushing. There is a lot of good from it, but a little harm to the environment. But since our country has signed the Kyoto Protocol, I fit into the emission standards
A lot of both good and bad reviews have been written about this additive, I will just say that I do not care that it is sold by an old cunning Jew and that he is welded on it. I know that this additive is ordinary 100% chlorinated paraffin wax (which really costs not $ 10, but $ 1 per ounce), absolutely harmless to the engine and to oil in small doses, which Smooths out all roughness at a micro-level and reduces friction REALLY. (Once I drove about 20 km on it without oil in the old eight. And nothing. Survived and now drives. The effect is visual - the engine after filling the ER seemed to be turned off, it works much quieter.)
What is it for when flushing? And so that the engine from skillful little hands does not suddenly knock. And if God forbid knocks, then you have tried very hard to achieve this.
You can pour into ER oil less than indicated on the package. Even 10 grams works. But 50-100 grams is better.

3. Maniacs can omit the previous point. Next comes the actual flushing. For half a canister of about Spectrol or a little more, we pour the engine for 5 minutes and drain. Everything with the old filter (if it has been standing for a long time, then it is better to put a new one and then throw it away) It turns out 3-4 full flushes, and the last one needs to be done a little longer than 7-10 minutes and keep the speed for all flushes 1500-2200, since the flushing is more liquid and the pump your full of holes does not drive it as it should at idle. Hence the oil light is on. Therefore, I recommend ER, so that your engine does not have oil hunger even for 700 min-1.

4. So, we washed it, wondered at the amount of shit like resin in color, defended the machine by letting the rinse merge, changed the filter, screwed on the plug and.

5. FINALLY BOUGHT NORMAL OIL. Next are my personal claims that any reader can safely score.
So. The experience of chemical production and repair of many pieces of iron led me to the following. Any of the best oil in our country is 80% leftist. All non-groceries can only be bought at DutyFree Sheremetyevo (just kidding) METRO stores or by acquaintances.
Further. I personally do not recommend pouring synthetics and, in general, oils of a category higher than SF into old engines, and even more so with problems with regard to the GC or oil pump. The exception is LiquiMolly. This oil contains molybdenum disulfide, which is not at all the same as just liquid, say fully synthetic Mobil1 of category SJ and higher.
Okay, I will not spread for a long time, I will just say that the highest effect is achieved from LiquiMolli, then there are professional barrel oils, but not all of them, and as a result, strangely enough, Korean oil in ZIC tin cans, and semi-synthetics SF, showed itself very well. The quality is very good (again, if not a leftist, but the tin is more difficult to forge, therefore it is not easy to find it on sale) Personally, after trying everything, I pour it. In moments of suspicion of an engine illness, LiMoly is better. Well, if you chose something else, then you will have to fill in the hydraulic compensator additive again. This will also clean up the GC and give a good effect.

ATTENTION! ALL THIS IS JUST IF YOUR GC ARE NOT COMPLETELY BROKEN. Otherwise, there is simply nothing to restore.

On many imported, and more recently, on domestic cars, hydraulic valve clearance compensators are used in the gas distribution mechanisms. There are several types of their execution, depending on their location in the valve drive mechanism.

They are installed at the end of the lever valve drive, the most unreliable device in operation, since the hydraulic compensator experiences a “break” load at the time of operation. Which leads to its early deterioration and failure.Bollard (support) hydraulic compensators are also used, which are installed in the rupture of the valve drive rod. Typically such a system is common on V-shaped engines with a lower camshaft. Also, the same type of hydraulic compensators are installed in systems with the opposite location of the hydraulic compensator in the shoulder of the valve drive lever. By the type of valve drive on classic engines of cars of the VAZ family. They also find applications for systems with the installation of hydraulic compensators in the inside of the valve drive glass. On the principle of front-wheel drive VAZ vehicles. By the way, it is such a system for the location of hydraulic lifters that has found application on 16 valve engines of VAZ and GAZ cars.

One of the laborious processes in the work is to determine the location of the inoperative hydraulic compensator. Typically, the characteristic constant clicking sound occurs on a well-heated car engine when the oil viscosity is at its lowest.
Since the sound spreads well over the metal, it is sometimes quite difficult to determine which compensator is not working properly. In order to facilitate this process, you should use a non-tricky device. Which is a table rod about 700 mm long and about 5 mm in diameter. The torso ions from the drive for opening the rear trunk lid of classic Zhiguli are ideal for this.

An empty beer can with a cut off top is attached to one end of the rod. A wooden handle is installed in the middle of the rod, so that the hand will not absorb the transmitted noise from the engine to the ear, which should be presented to the inner cavity of the tin can. With the help of this simple device, you can quite easily determine the location of a faulty hydraulic lifter in the engine.
After that, you should remove the suspicious hydraulic compensator. Disassemble and rinse. Carefully inspect its working surfaces, if they show signs of significant wear, then most likely you will have to replace it with a new one. The average price for one new hydraulic compensator ranges from $ 20-45 US.

If the visible wear of the hydraulic compensator is not great, then you can confine yourself to rinsing them in acetone or a suitable solvent, applying appropriate safety measures when working with easily volatile substances. This will require their complete disassembly. This work should be done with extreme care. Bollard hydraulic compensators are disassembled by removing the stopper with a screwdriver.
The hydraulic compensators, which are installed at the ends of the valve drive levers, are disassembled in the same way. In order to remove the hydraulic compensator from the glass body, where this system is used, the glass should be hit several times against the surface of soft iron. Under the forces of inertia, the hydraulic compensator will come out of the body of the glass. Do not flush the hydraulic lifters before disassembling them, since the lack of lubrication makes them very difficult to disassemble.

Before installing the hydraulic lifters in place, they should be filled with oil to 50-70%, and check their performance by gently squeezing them in a clamp. A serviceable hydraulic lifter will provide significant compression resistance. And only after a lapse of time of about 30 seconds, to lose resistance to compression. Do not install empty hydraulic compensators, this can lead to significant shock loads after the first start of the engine. After installing the filled hydraulic lifters on the engine, wait at least 15 minutes before starting the engine for the first time. To squeeze out excess oil from the cavities of the hydraulic lifters.

According to the laws of physics, metal expands when heated and contracts when cooled.When assembling the gas distribution mechanism (timing) of an internal combustion engine, this property is taken into account, and the parts are assembled with gaps. The size of the thermal gaps is set by the manufacturer and entered in the vehicle passport.