What is a lifter?
 

I have a 2000 GT 4.6L. I have posted numerous times on here explaining my problem I am having with my car. I took it to a Mechanic down the street from me. He told me that the tapping noise I have, sounds like a lifter. Either a lifter or a Roller Rocker. But most likely he said is a Lifter. So what exactually is a Lifter? He also told me that he would be willing to fix the problem for $400. Is that a good price or no? He is going to put a stethascpoe on it sometime early this week to pin point where the noise is coming from then go from there. I will replace all of the lifters or rockers when the work gets done. And hopefully I can help him in assisting fixing the problem. Any info on what a Lifter is would really help me understand this. Thank you in advance.

well, if he is going to try and replace the lifters in your car, take it somewhere else because your car dosn't have any lifters. Lifters are a small round tube that holds the pushrod in place and rides on top of the single cam in center of the engine, lifters were last used in mustangs in 1995.

Your car is a Single Over head Cam (SOHC) which is also known as Modular. In this valve train setup you have a cam in each head that makes direct contact with the rockers and which opens the valves


Steven

PS for a more complete explanation, go to Howstuffworks.com and look up camshaft they show you all the valvetrain layouts :)

Do you have any idea on what it could be then if its not a lifter? Also how far is to far in fixing an engine?

How many miles on your car? Is it past the warranty period? Have you tried taking it to a Ford dealer to ask them about the problem?

Have you tried using a stethiscope or similar device to check where the knock or ping is coming from? Have you tried running a thinner grade of oil? Higher grade of fuel? Have you had the engine flushed?

I am running 98 gas. I have went to 5W20 oil. Millage is 30,700+, and 2 months out of warrenty. Ford wont touch it unless I pay for it cause I bought it used. Went to a guy who works on the 4.6's and he told me its either a lifter or a spring valve. Going to take it to a place tomorrow to have it listened to with a stethascope and also have a compression test done to it.

He is probably talking about the cam followers. They are like rocker arms, but they ride under the cam to open and close your valves. I work on a fleet of crown Vic with 4.6 and had to replace a few.

I guess you could say that the lifter locates the pushrod, but thats not its only job. If you connected the pushrod directly to the cam, it would either have to be a very tough cam or you'd be changing cams an pushrods on a regular basis.

The lifter has a very important job converting the rotary motion of the cam to the recipicating (I beleive thats the right term) motion of the valve train. I can't rember how, but the diameter of the lifter has something to do with the ramp design of the cam. larger diameter lifters can sustain more aggressive ramp action (an advatage I beleive the Ford has over brand X), Back in the old days (like around when moses was mountain climbing) they used a thingy called a mushroom lifter in order to use a more aggressive cam. Then along came the roller lifter and the mushroom lifter has been pretty much relagated to special use.

Ever think that maybe your timing chains or the tensioners might be worn out or bad?

This may not be your problem but...long ago when I wore a Bowtie...Chevy had batch of bad cams. Some of the lobes of the cam would wear excessively and the valves would begin to tap. They told me this after I blew my 350...

Just a thought...