Rockit

Mostly when I start the car hot or cold all the valves clatter all at once for about a second then go right away. Sometimes if I drive the car everyday it tends not to do this.

Is this pretty much normal for cars that are driven once a week or so or are the lifters worn and leaking?

It has done this with other weight oils I've used.

1995 C2

_snowbird_

what weights have you used?

Tlaloc75

Seems normal to me. If it stays noisy then you can look into replacing the lifter cartridges. But getting a little noise occasionally at startup is part of the experience.

IainM

No expert but I'd guess the lifter seals are shot and they're not holding pressure

pp000830

Not normal, need new hydraulic lifter cartridges. Home many miles on the clock?

Tlaloc75

I have new lifters and do hear some clatter for a fraction of a second on some startups. Maybe a second, that the op reports, is too long, but a little clatter on startup doesn't seem like an issue to me.

kjr914

I too have new lifters (at least under the lower valve covers), and have some slight rattle (?) sometimes on startup that tails off quickly. An experienced mechanic said it maybe in the hydraulic chain tensioner area (forgot the exact words he said), so in the rear chain housings, not lifters.

Rockit

Thanks for the replies.... At some point when I do the top end I will replace the lifters and chains & tensioners..

I'm glad others noticed it so it sounds like a characteristic of these engines based on mileages wear and oil you use.

My 95 has 185k and the engine has never been apart. I did not do a leak down. I have to tell you the car runs perfectly.

I don't burn a drop of oil in 4,000. My oil is still clear and I can barley read it on the stick its so clean. When I got the car I bypassed the air injector. Before variorum
these engines did run cleaner and I think because of that the heads last longer.