Need help identifying problem with RB30E in skyline

[gemini]

OK, my mum has a skyline and the lifters are extremely noisy.

The only time the noise goes down is when the engine gets really hot but they are still pretty noisy.

We took the car to a mechanic and he said that the oil pickup in the sump could be damaged because the sump has a MASSIVE dent in it.

We got this engine put in it after the original died on us so im guessing they must have damaged it somehow. ( long story with these wankers )

Im now not sure if it could be the oil pickup or the lifters or both because when the car is cold, the noise is constant but as it warms up, the noise is tick tick tick silent tick tick tick silent etc.

I took the oil cap off and stuck my finger inside, felt around and noticed little bits of hard stuff could it be metal shavings ?

If it was my car, i would gladly rip the rocker cover off and the sump and check it my self but my mum doesnt want me to touch her car lol

So what i wanna know is, if its both the lifters and the oil pickup, how much is it going to cost to fix ?

Should i be concerned about the metal shavings ?

Besides the noise, the car runs fine and has tons of power but i have noticed that as it does the ticking noise, I can actually hear the exuast putting ( you have to pay close attention to notice) at the exact same time.

So could the valves be damaged to ?

[Nobody Actually]

all i can say is if they are infact metal shavings, and not bits of old, hard and brittle head gasket, be concerned

[VL Berlina 5speed]

have you try "lifter free" its a additive u add in when u change the oil, its ment to free up stick lifters and brake down some of that hard dryed oil in the top.
so if ur allow do a oil change, filter change and add some of this addivite (bout 12 bux a bottle)
do it, might stop the nosie


and as for the dent, i dont know if that would cause it althought it seams right in therioy, it might not be true or im just lucky, my sump has the bigest F-en dent in it ive seen, my engien takes 0ne liter less of oil now (rufferly) coz of the dent

[hakhawk]

hmm, if the dent has damaged the oil pickup, im guessing that it wont be getting as much oil as normal, and could possibly be starving the lifters and possibly the whole top end of much needed oil, which could be causing it to bind and start leaving metal shavings, not good.

if your mum wont let you take off the cover, why not drop it down to a mechanic to have a look, tell them you dont want anything fixed just yet, just what it could be.

[Bax]

yeah i'd be doing what 5speed said, start the car and get it up to operating temp, after a drive one day bring it home and drop the oil into a bucket while its steaming hot.

get some cheapish oil and put it in your car and drive around for the rest of the day with the cheap oil, come home with it hot and drop it out.

buy yourself some good quality oil of the correct weight, 15-40 i think it is? then add your lifter free stuff, nulon makes the best stuff.

you could check out the oil on the second dump and see whats coming out, i say second because it'd be clearer to see, no carbon in the oil.

and then after (whatever the bottle says) if the noise is still there get them replaced.

Lifters in rb30's are noisy, and sounds perfectly normal to me.. So I'd ignore the dent.

[gemini]

OK, thanks guys ill get the additive and the oil and see how it goes.

[gemini]

Hey guys just a quik question, i drove the car for about 2 hours to get it really hot, i got home and drained the oil asap, now is it safe to pour in the new oil while the engine is still hot ?

Or should i ket it cool down a little. I dont wanna crack the head or anything lol

[ucwepn]

Yeah its fine to put the new oil in when its hot/warm, It might not be the lifters making the noise, broken exhaust manifold studs make the same kind of noise. This was the case with mine, replaced the stud, noise gone.

It will be worth checking before replacing any lifters as they are not cheap.