Lifters

[zee <zee@domain.elided>]

> 1)How likely is it that oil pressure is good
given I only have 1 bad lifter? (140K on engine, Truck wasn't driven
for several years before I bought it a year ago, runs excellent
otherwise) 2) could their be a problem with oil distribution given
the recent discussion on the poor quality of the stock gauge.
3)Assumeing the worst -- I check the pressure with a good gauge and it
comes out low,what do I check for on the oil pump?  



I would guess that your oil pressure is going to be OK. With 1 noisy
lifter you may just want to clean it out. When I had noisy lifters it
also coincided with an abnormality.  The engine was fine for at least a
year after I bought the truck and then went noisy slowly. Someone
previous to me had replaced three push rods with ones that seemed to be
the same length but the cups were slightly different, and one of the
original push rods had a chip out of it. I pulled the heads off for a
valve job a couple of weeks ago and replaced all the lifters,(same old
cam,I know,I know). Sounds great now. I wouldn't worry about the stock
gauge, it is not really worth a damn as an instrument most of the time.

all the best


Bryan