I have a 98 camaro with a 3800 engine. I bought it with a blown head gasket. I would run and sounded good "except for the miss". I paid a local shop a little over 1500 to fix the head gasket. now it has a tapping noise..shop says it is a lifter problem...is this normal after a changing head gaskets?

 

well no not really but if the motors got high miles it could be. how much oil pressure do u have? lifter may have went or it could be the rocker is adjusted wrong, if there adjustable on a 98.

 

it has 121,000 miles. oil pressure is fine..it didn't tap before i brought in. Maybe they didn't adjust the rocker right..hope that's it.

 

guy at the shop told me the lifter is not priming up. he now wants $500 to change lifter...

 

i dont know how good of an idea it is to change only one lifter. im sure it will work but it will be different than the rest.

 

You could try to change your oil to a good synthetic like Castrol or Royal purple. You could also try to run some seafoam thru it. If I remember right you put a pint in the car a couple of day before you change the oil then swap in the synthetic oil and a new filter. The lifter might come around. It worth the try.

 

I will try it...