Lifter Noise

[WFish]

I know this is the wrong forum to ask this in, but it's the only one I ever get answers from. I'm looking at buying a 92 Dodge Caravan with a 3.3 v6 and I think the lifters are making noise. It has 120k on it. Is it going to be a worn out mess? I'm not familiar with how these engines last. The seller is someone I know firly well and they say that it has been well cared for.

Thanks and sorry for posting in the wrong forum!
Walter

[rumblefish360]

Reguarding the performance of the liffters in the 3.3, I would hate to do a swap out on a ride you just got. They are a mech moving part that can wear out.
My 3.3 in my '95 Concord has over 200,000 miles and does not leak, drip or burn any oil.
I'm getting 25 Hwy MPG's before tune up.

[71chargerse]

these motors last 200k if taken care of, the weak spot is the trannys. maybe oil pressure is lower than it should be . being the motr has a lot of miles.

[pishta]

"[One engineer] told me that noisy tappet replacement was our fifth biggest warranty item on the 3.3, but when they got the suspect parts back to engineering, they weren't noisy. I fought to get a service bulletin written on this, to check for interference before doing a costly cam/tappet replacement, but another engineer [tried to cover up with] the claim that it "helped attenuate" engine noise. On a visit to Trenton Engine, I found the line worker who assembled the heads and asked him why he didn't notify engineering about this. "I did, but was told not to worry about it" he replied..."

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/33.html

[6pakman]

what do you think keeps the dealership service dept busy? jobs like that. buy the time it starts to happen, its outta warrenty!!!

[MoparMarcIdaho]

A goofy setup to say the least,lifters in the end of rockers,the absolute end of pressure system,should replace rockers and lifters if thats it.My experence on these mills is the first thing to get noisy is usually piston slap.if its noticable at startup and quiets down some after its warm,and the lifters check out OK then put in some slick 50 and trade er off.

[pishta]

MoparMarcIdaho, check your sources...3.3 had pushrods, lifters and rocker arms, running off a centrally mounted camshaft. It was also designed and built by MOPAR. Are you thinking about the Mitsu 3.0 V6?

[MoparMarcIdaho]

thats it for sure,sorry guys guess I am as dumb as I look after all.

[WFish]

Thanks!!