Living in Japan and not speaking the language fluently has made it difficult for me to find a Mitsubishi dealer in this area with whom I can communicate, so I'm turning to you guys. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

My RVR has developed an intermittent valve tappet noise, like you might hear briefly when starting your car in the morning after the oil has drained to the crankcase. The noise starts gradually, is accompanied by a noticeable loss of power, and usually quits when I stop the car or let off the gas suddenly. Some days, it happens regularly, and some days, not at all.

I thought the problem might be sludge, since it is such an old car and I don't know its history. But, I had the motor flushed recently, and the noise continues.

Any ideas?

sounds like your valve clearences are wrong because when it comes to compress the mixture one of your valves could be open there for it will be losing power

I pretty sure you have a 4g63 engine in your car. Mitsu's are know for loud lifter noises, because oil hole on the lifter is very small. There are a couple of ways to try to get rid of taps.

You can flush the motor out (which you already have done)
You can take each lifter out and clean them
Best way, if you don't mind spending $100. Buy a new set of "Revised" lifters 2g or 3g (3g being the newest and the best choice). The oiling hole is large then the one that originally came on the car.

Here are the VFaq's on how to remove them and clean them. If your RVR is a turbo, there will be extra steps in removing the intercooler. Also if it is a turbo you may notice some power increase, if your lifter were ticking so loud your knock sensor may have picked it up and thought it was knock.

Vfaq

Hope this helps.

John

I have a '93 RVR sports gear with 4g63 motor and know of the tapping lifters. As they have a small oil gallerys to the lifters I think that there are air locks occuring or something similar. Anyway I add 50-100mm of desiel fuel to my engine oil and tapping disappears in 30 seconds and does not return.

I discovered this when changing my oil, I normally put about 300 mm of desiel in the engine oil to clean it up before dropping the oil. Desiel was the penetrating oil in the old days and smells very similar to expensive engine flushes. Also my brother is a mechanic for Toyota and they use desiel. Makes sence to me and I have been doing this for years with no problems. Just got to be carful not to add o much as oil pressure will be too low.


Loss of power though with tapping occurs does not sound good and could to be a bent valve sticking. These motors have the ability to touch pistons with valves so if the timing belt was changed it is always important to turn motor over slowly to make sure timing is correct. Previously some one may have turned over the engine to quick with incorrect valve timing and ....ouch. Its a long shot. Hope for the best and expect the worst.