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.

 

[pj91gsx]

It can also be a power steering pump low on fluid.

i would think a balance shaft would probably make that noise if you forgot to tighten it or if it spun that bearing.

 

[Husler005 TSi]

yeah, checked out the power steering and it was fine. I had the timing and balance shaft belts replaced a while back (4 years ago) along with the water pump and harmonic balancer. It started when the head was redone. I am at a loss at this point. I may end up rebuilding the engine after all.

 

[Nito15]

Sounds like a sticky lifter or rocker ticking. I had similar symtoms with my 1g a while back after doing a head rebuild and suspected improper t-belt adjustment at install. I then re-did my timing belt and still the same. Never had any mechanical problems though. Again the noise seemed to disappear once 3k rpm was reached (mostly when the engine was cold). I drove the car like that for about 3 years and never had a problem. Looking back, I would now suspect the oil passages in the head might not be clogged a little. Do you live in a cold climate environment. I would like to know if you are you using 10-30 W motor oil.

 

[JBDdsmer610]

Mabey i'll just get down to buisness and do a 5 speed swap for the 3rd time. mabey it will help me narrow it down a little bit but i guess i'll see what happens.

 

[ranger87]

I got a suggestion, possibly a lobe on one of the cams getting a flat spot, thats the same sound we used to get with monster cam small blocks (v8) after a few low pressure shutdowns. Figured u already checked everything else, and you could thow lifters at it all day with no change except when you put moly lube on and it creates a temporary cushion. I know my v8 analogy is kind of a long shot but you still have cams that do wear.

 

[ryan82273]

JBDdsmer610 do you know jeff822 by any chance. i am trying to get ahold of him about a problem he had last year. i need to know how he fixed the problem. if you could have him email me at [email protected].

 

[talontuner1997]

ok so heres my problem. timing belt jumped and i bent 6 intake valves, had the valves replaced by a shop and put the head back on the car, started it up and i have a loud noise coming from the timing area, i removed accessory belts and the noise is still present. The noise gets louder as i rev the car. what do you guys think it is. heres the video clip. car is 97 tsi

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[pj91gsx]

that reminds me of my friends blow turbo, does the turbo make boost? all that would be turning are the balance shafts, pistons/rods, crank, flywheel, and turbo then right?

 

[talontuner1997]

its not the turbo. the turbo was fine before the valves got bent, and the turbo is fairly new

 

[AWDTSIer]

Is the timing belt rubbing the cover maybe?

 

[talontuner1997]

no its not. can anyone confirm if the kevlar timing belt is directional? it has arrows pointing to the greddy sign on it.

 

[AWDTSIer]

Myself im not sure but the arrows obviously arent there for decoration..

 

[talontuner1997]

well, i wouldnt see why it would be directional though its the same as a normal belt. just stronger. because if this is the case the belt is on the wrong way the arrows are pointing in the wrong direction of the way the cams spin. i want to be 100% positive that the belt can go on either way and if on the wrong way can make the car sound like that.

 

[AWDTSIer]

Ya i mean i dont see y it would be directional honestly. Thats a good question.

 

[talontuner1997]

yea dont know

 

[LTUDSM]

when you did your timing belt,did you replaced old tensioners to a new ones???,i had that noise,when m tensioners where bad,so i replaced these to a new ones,and the sound went away... Plus check the harmonic balancer pulley,it could be on a way out too...

 

[talontuner1997]

ya the auto tensioner and pully are new.

 

[DSM1G90]

Wonder if your timing cover is whining against the oil pump/balance shaft(if still included) sprocket... Being a high pitched sound meaning a fast turning sprocket and whine increases with the increase of motor RPM's

 

[talontuner1997]

well im thinking maybe it could be the harmonic balancer on the crank but how can i tell?

 

[DSM1G90]

Take the belts off that crank pulley and see if the outer section of that pulley is beginning to come loose from the inner stucture of the pulley - with that rubber divider section is showing any breaking apart.

Also, you can also chek with the motor running if the pulley itself is running smooth or has some wobble to it....or, you just didn't put the pulley itself back on square to the crank sprocket causing wobble.

Good luck - DSM

 

[GSXdsm97]

well i just recently put two new FRONT axles on my gsx, now i am gettting a grinding or a clicking sound in every gear. if I am in nutral. the sound isnt there if i coast the sound isnt there any ideas. on what this could be? O I already tried disconnecting the EGR and the purge sensors

 

[mcarruthers]

Where does it sound like the clicking is comming from. Front or back. Wheels or engine? A little more info would help determine what it could be.

 

[TheMadCheshire]

Where did you get the axles from? Rebuilt or new? A clicking noise under acceleration can be caused by a bad inner cv joint. Rebuilt axles aren't always perfect when the customer receives them. I HATE autozone half shafts, too many horror stories about those at my shop.

 

[GSXdsm97]

yea I they are new but from autozone.. I believe. um the noise sounds like its up front and as for the wheels it cant be because like i said when I take it out of gear it goes away. Its hard to explain the actual noise but I know its from up front maybe I got bad axles. the weird this is the sound started like a week or so after the axles were put in, not right awya

 

[mcarruthers]

Start with lifting the car and moving the front wheels up and down, side to side (checking for play). This might rule out the possibility of a bad wheel bearing. If you have play in the wheel, could point towards a bad bearing.