<VV> Knocking lifter

[Eric S. Eberhard]

I, too, have been involved with Tesla and drove most prototypes and 
helped a bit with design issues and was a founding investor.  It has 
been fun!  Due to a lot of complicated things we are no longer 
involved except for the stock.  I never got to go to Lotus, though, 
so you got one on me :-)

The angle of the push rod is important and could be the 
problem.  Mine looked mashed at the tip.  And then failed.  To be 
picky (as some have pointed out) that part is not really machined, 
but installed by the machine shop (so I don't know why people need to 
be so picky) -- in any case I had to take the head off and send it 
back.  Actually -- I am not sure I can think of 10 things that would 
mash the end except a bad angle or a deviant rocker.  A loose nut, 
loss of oil, all kinds of things can cause lifter noise, but mashing 
the end like that is fairly specific.  Perhaps others have more ideas 
-- but consider the mashed end ... Eric



At 06:46 AM 9/25/2009, Richard Bremner wrote:
>Eric,
>
>Thanks for the reply and suggestion, though I'm intrigued as to what
>the other 10 might be!
>
>Also intrigued that your brother founded tesla - I've been lucky
>enough to drive the Roadster and see it being assembled at the Lotus
>factory in England. The car is very impressive.
>
>Kind regards,
>
>Richard
>On 25 Sep 2009, at 00:53, Eric S. Eberhard wrote:
>
>>I once had a machine shop put the wrong angle on the holes in the
>>head for the push rods (180 degrees off -- e.g. tilted to the
>>opposite side) ... it ran for a while, then flattened rods, and if
>>I kept going, snapped them.  So if the head was machined by a
>>genius like the guy that did my heads ... that might be the
>>problem.  Of course I could think of 10 more reasonable things, but
>>since it happened to me I thought I'd pass it along.  BTW -- if you
>>had not said that the push rod was burred I would perhaps suspect
>>that the adjusting nut is just backing off (easy fix, put nut flat
>>on anvil and bash with sledge hammer 3-4 times, re-install). Eric
>>
>>
>>This email sent by:
>>
>>Eric S. Eberhard
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>>Martin.  http://www.teslamotors.com
>>
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>>
>>
>
>


This email sent by:

Eric S. Eberhard
(928) 567-3727          Voice
(928) 567-6122          Fax
(928) 301-7537                           Cell

For Metropolis support and VICS MBA Support!!!!    http://www.vicsmba.com

Fun personal pictures:  Includes horses, dogs, Corvairs, and 
more.  http://www.vicsmba.com/ourpics/index.html

Tesla Motors builds electric sports cars.  Founded by my brother 
Martin.  http://www.teslamotors.com

This is where we go on vacation every year -- come join 
us!  http://www.sprucedaleranch.com