>The engine sounds like a watch when you start it cold. This is most likely due to "lifter bleed down" when setting overnight. You should have checked the "dry lash" of the valve train when doing the original install. Most manufacturers will have a "dry lash" setting for Hyd lifters. If this lash is too tight you stand a chance of holding the valves off the seat and burning them. If it's to loose you will have the problem you are experiencing now. Most OHV motors are pretty forgiving with this setting. They have a pretty wide tolerance at which they will work OK. OHC motors are MUCH tighter with this setting. I used to do a LOT of Mitsubishi 2.6 motors. They use lash adjusters. The dry lash setting on these motors must be between .015 and .030. If the lash is much more than .035 you will have lifter noise on a cold start. I would try (as other listers have suggested) taking a SMALL amount at a time off the pedestals until the noise goes away. The only REAL cure for this is to check the "dry lash" which is tough to do now that the lifters are full of oil. Bruce Hevner