Stuck hydraulic lifters on cold or hot – what is the reason?

Often on the network you can see messages from car owners that hydraulic lifters are clearly knocking on a hot or cold power system of a car. This malfunction cannot be ignored, since failure to eliminate the malfunction can lead to malfunctions in the power system. To find out what the hydraulic lifters are knocking on, you need to understand the principles of operation of these components.
How to determine the knock of hydraulic lifters

The hydraulic compensator is a part that organizes the automatic adjustment of the clearances at the motor valves. This is a complex device with small technological clearances; by its design, it is a piston.

The element interacts with the camshaft cam - during operation, a force is realized to the bottom of the compensator.

Due to the formation of the required pressure in the oil system of the motor, the lubricant is transferred into the cavity of the hydraulic compensator through special valves.

When the hydraulic lifters are faulty, the knock resembles a clatter, it is heard from under the motor valve cover. The frequency and severity of sounds can be different. They often get worse as the engine rpm increases or subside after warming up.

How to understand that hydraulic lifters are knocking

In the power system of a modern internal combustion engine, there are several pistons. Therefore, we denote that the compensators are knocking more than one at a time. It is necessary to determine the specific malfunction, which can be done by different methods.

The most rational solution would be to contact the service station, where the masters determine the noise using an acoustic device. Such an analysis is the most effective way to find out what expansion joints are knocking, and at the same time find out which one is faulty. It is also possible to carry out diagnostics by disassembling the engine:

The valve cover is removed.

The assembly is inspected - it is important that all hydraulic lifters are in a fixed position by means of the camshaft cover.

Each element is pushed individually.

If the piston is seized, it will not move by hand. The hydraulic compensator, which is easily recessed, has the least pressure, and it makes sounds.

It is possible to determine how the hydraulic lifters knock on a diesel engine in the same ways, the sounds that occur are similar to those identical in the power system running on gasoline.
Design problems of why hydraulic lifters knock

The hydraulic lifters rattle very pronounced, the causes of the phenomenon are the following problems:

the setting of valve clearances during the operation of the car is carried out incorrectly;

there is no valve clearance adjustment.

At the same time, it is important to understand that hydraulic lifters ring in different conditions, and the cause of the malfunction depends on this, namely:

at high loads on the engine;

immediately after parking or shortly after the start.

The reason for the knock of hydraulic lifters on a cold one: what problems arise most often

As practice shows, after the car is idle, the work of the compensators is disrupted, and knocks appear in several cases:

with mechanical damage to the mechanism;

in case of difficulties in transferring oil.