Engine Noise / Ticking, Knocking, Tapping MERGED

[eric489]

All threads with vague titles regarding engine bay noises are now merged HERE.

If you honestly feel we can diagnose an internal engine problem from a poor description or low-quality video / audio sample, give it a shot.


I own a 1997 gst spyder and there is a ticking noise comming fron the engine. It comes and goes and it mostly sounds bad at idle. I have 97,000 miles on it and i change the oil regularly. I changed it about 2000 miles ago I need help to fix the problem.

 

[sjwelna]

It's lifter tick. What weight oil are you using?

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102506&highlight=lifter+tick

-Steve

 

[eric489]

valvoline 10-40

 

[mazdamx6pwr.com]

Yeah sounds like lifter tick. Check out the link he gave you. Also you can get a new set of lifters on ebay for pretty cheap. $150.00 ish for a full set.

 

[eric489]

I also heard that if you put half aof a quart of at fluid in with the oil and run it for about ten minutes then change the oil again. I was told that this would cleen the engine what do you all think

 

[eric489]

i ment to say half or a quart of AT fluid in the oil.

 

[eric489]

This problem came about very suddenly out of the blue. Not sure why could it be a loose lifter?

 

[dogpoop]

I also heard that if you put half aof a quart of at fluid in with the oil and run it for about ten minutes then change the oil again. I was told that this would cleen the engine what do you all think

I think it's a terrible idea. ATF is for transmissions, not engines. Plus, the ATF may very well "clean" your engine by loosening a lot of gunk and abrasive grime which in turn will circulate in you engine causing damage and possibly clogging lifters even further. It's your car, do what you want -- but you wouldn't catch me doing it in a million years.

 

[mazdamx6pwr.com]

Thats what your fuel filter is for.

Adding ATF has been used alot that and adding a quart diesel fuel. Run the car just for a few minutes and then flush the motor.

 

[dogpoop]

Thats what your fuel filter is for.

Adding ATF has been used alot that and adding a quart diesel fuel. Run the car just for a few minutes and then flush the motor.

I think you mean oil filter in lieu of fuel filter.

The idea that the duty of the oil filter is to clean up the mess caused by putting ATF (and the like) into your crankcase is not what an oil filter is manufactured to do.

Proceed at your own risk.

 

[TracOwner]

About 3 weeks or so ago I was driving about 50 miles on the highway (not really forcing the car) and when I got back home I noticed that the car was making some kind of strange noise similar to the lifter tick I'm having but slightly different. It sounds like something might be lose or something...

Does anybody know what the problem is? When a dsm is about to crankwalk can you hear a strange noise coming out of the crank area?

 

[ddavisaf]

There's a bunch of noise in the head area that people just don't pay attention to most of the time. Your injectors pulse constantly, sounding sort of like lifter tick. Your cams also make noise. Get a piece of hose, and put one end to your ear and use the other end to listen to the motor to try and pin point the sound. Or you can go and have it looked at and get it measured for crank walk.

 

[oddrob]

Could be the PCV Valve, check the rear left corner of the valve cover, pince off the hose and see if it changes.

 

[Larry L]

Well I have this problem, and I cant seem to figure it out. I was driving it and it began making a whinning noise . The noise comes from the engine, and vibrates quite a bit. Also if I go into boost the car will build about 5 psi and thats all. It will then die. It really feels like a balancing shaft is out of sink so I took off the timing cover and both belts are dead on. Also did a compression test and it came out 140, 130, 160, 160. I did it 2 months ago before I installed the new head and Hx-35, and it was 180, 170, 180, 180.

 

[BISHILVR]

Is this car an auto or stick??? You could have balance shaft bearings out if its not tranny related.

 

[Larry L]

Tranny is fine. Never heard of Balance Shaft Bearings going out though.

 

[BOBS90TURBO]

A ballance shaft bearing can go bad, it really does sound like you B-shafts are out of phase, I had that happen and it really virbated bad on the highway at about 60mph and when taking of at about 3000rpm.

 

[Larry L]

Where can I find a new bearing set?

 

[UNDER_PRESSURE]

Where can I find a new bearing set?

Go with OEM mitsu bearning, or get a balance shaft eliminator kit.

 

[Larry L]

thanks alot fellas.

 

[cottonballs43]

This noise just started the other night, pulled the valve cover off the next day, everything looks ok. Sounds like its coming from the head, I'm thinking bad lifter but I honestly don't know. Any ideas as too what is making this noise are very much appreciated

The car has about 145,000 miles on it, 5 speed, bone stock.

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Thanks again
-Steve

 

[GVR4592]

I would check the timing belt tensioner, when they fail the tensioner arm rattles around and it sounds a lot like that. Might as well check the cam timing while you're in there.

 

[cottonballs43]

I honestly wouldn't have even thought to check that, but thank you I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

[cottonballs43]

alright, well.. took all of the timing components off and checked them. everything is fine (just replaced the tensioner, tensioner pulley and idler pulley less then a year ago). All back together now with the exception of the ac line which blew when I moved it. only thing I can think is a bad lifter, it makes the noise for about 1 second when you first start the car and then when ever you hit higher rpms, im guessing one of them has poor oil circulation.... any other ideas?

 

[whiteflash]

My car makes a grinding noise while under boost in 1st-3rd. It doesn't sound or feel like a transmission grind and only makes it in higher RPM's (4.5and up). It just started doing it today and i'm getting kinda worried. any help?