Lifter noise when cold - LeSabre Buick Cars & Trucks

A tapping noise that starts out cold and goes away when warm is usually caused by a valve lifter inside the engine. The lifter may be worn/leaking down and will be noisy until it fills with oil pressure. You can try an oil additive ( Lucas Oil Additive ) available at most part stores works very well with noisy lifters. Another noise that can happen cold and go away when warm is an exhaust manifold leak. However, this is normally a ticking type sound rather than a tapping sound.

the hydraulics will leak down after the engine has been stopped for a while . The noise on start up will be until the oil again fills the lifters. If it is getting really cold (under 32F of close to 0 c) then you may have to consider a lighter viscosity grade of engine oil (10w-20 or 15w -30) the manual will have the recommended viscosity of oil for cold areas or you can check with the oil catalogue at any auto parts store.

Because the lifter leaks down when the engine is cold and then pumps up later tells me that the lifter is faulty and needs to be replaced. I would recommend using someone who is qualified for the job. This isn't a skill level D job.

There is,If you do the lifter you could be after something else,The noise sounds like a collapsed lifter,A collapse lifter can cause a misfire,The 2003 GMC sierra or I should say the 4.8 engines suffer from a cut O-ring between the oil pump screen and the oil pump causing oil areation,resulting in lifter noise,The noise will be present a cold start and then diminish at warm up.

I dont think and intake gasket will cause lifter noise. It may cause a rough idle and or a miss at idle on cold start up . as the engine warms up the miss or rough idle will decrease . As for the lifter noise this could be cause by the lifter bleeding down or poor oil presure . On your model of engine there is no adjustment on the rocker arms for lifter noise . They are a 0 lash type .

This is most likely a noisy lifter (or valve tappet). In cold weather, the clearances in the valve train open up because metal contracts due to the cold. Once the oil pressure comes up after start the noise goes away because the larger clearance fills with oil and the lifter becomes "cushioned" with the oil. The proper fix is to have the valves adjusted. I believe in your model, that is done by putting shims on the lifters. This will quiet the noisy lifters. In the short term, you can try using a lighter weight oil for cold weather. This will get the oil to the lifters faster after start up and quiet the tapping more quickly. Once the weather warms again, shift back to the normal weight.

Over time and miles the lifters tend to collapse and the only way to quiet the noise is to replace them or use something like lucas to try to keep the pressure up in the lifters. If you did replace the lifters it would help with performance because when the lifters start to collapse the valves do not open all of the way. Hope this helps!

You problem is most likely just lifter noise. This is common with a lot of Ford engines with self adjusting lifters. Although lifter noise is bothersome it doesn't pose a serious problem. Unless your engine starts to miss or your gas mileage drops way off lifter noise is just an annoying problem.
I would recommend that you add some Sea Foam Engine Treatment($6-$8) to your oil. This is not an oil treatment it's more of an engine cleaner. If this works you'll need to add it every 2nd or 3rd oil change.
If this doesn't take care of the problem then depending on your engine you may have adjustable rockers that would allow you to remedy the problem. If not, your options are limited to living with it or replacing the lifters and possibly other valve train parts.

Get the heads worked on or replaced it might need a valve lashment.

Sounds like a stuck valve lifter. I'd use some oil additive for unsticking lifters.