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.

 

[ClevelandDSM]

Make sure the axel(s) are fully seated

 

[GSXdsm97]

yea i lifted the car and im not getting any movement. also when i take it out of gear it doesnt make that sound thats why I dont think its the wheel bearing.

 

[Husler005 TSi]

I use Mobil1 10W30 SYN. When I took out/replaced the lash adjusters I did pop out the rockers... I wonder if I did something incorrectly or did not seat one of them properly. I have no performance issues, it just makes that noise under 3k RPM or so and with low oil pressure. It also depends on the climate. I am from Michigan and I notice the noise as the car warms up. It sometimes sticks around even when I am driving on the highway at normal temperatures. I can't figure it out for the life of me... I guess I will have to let it pass; it has not affected anything on the car, it just sounds so annoying!

 

[Defiant]

I'd still suspect the harmonic balancer, but I always do.

 

[dsmpat95]

Its a rare 6 bolt crankwalk syptom, just kidding. It may just be a lifter, 2g lifters suck by the way. Change your oil and check for metal, if none, it may just be that lifter noise.

 

[EclipticalGS]

I live in Grand Rapids too, check with a stethoscope, if the noise ain't coming from your transmission, you may be fooled from where the noise is coming from, stick your head next to the tranny when the rattle noise is there. If that's it, input shaft, throw-out bearing, etc. only if its a stick. input shafts can rattle and then disappear at 4000rpm .
also some valves like to tick. could be bent, seated improperly. or harmonic balancers make a ticking noise. same as a rattle, once you get up to rpms, noise goes away...

For our sake, get a stethoscope and find where it is. there is a lot that can tick....it could even really be a rattle snake pissed off at you that your driving him through these cold ass temps. in MI! .

 

[soulweaver]

It has to be a tappit. My car made the same noise untill i did a complete cylinder head rebuild.

 

[Nvisabl]

Sounds like a spun balance shaft bearing to me. Playing card in a bicycle spoke about 2x the engine rpm?

 

[trig]

Hey guys, I've got a faint grinding noise coming from the front of the car. Almost sounds like a wheel bearing grind but it goes away when I put a bit of presure on my gear shifter. It doesn't matter if the clutch is in or gear etc, and gets louder with speed. Any ideas?

 

[thatblondechik]

If it goes away when you put pressure on the shift linkage, then I'd say a tranny issue. Gears aren't engaging fully and when you push the linkage, it forces it into place. Not a tranny guru, but that's what it sounds like IMO.

 

[lucid15]

I have a weird high pitch sort of noise only under lower RPMs (1-3.5k) then it goes away when im under boost. My friends 98 GSX does this as well. Doesnt sound really serious, is this just the nature of the car?

 

[myturbo]

We need more info is it like a tick or screach etc

 

[Srt4RacerDave]

I know the alternator belt in our cars is prone to screeching. Maybe check into that? Pop the hood and feel how loose the belt is. If you can move it a decent amount, tighten it up real quick. Almost every DSM I've personally seen has had that happen at one time or another. When it happened to me, it DID only do it at car startup and at lower RPM. Hope that helps.

 

[brownfinger]

I get a nasty squeel from a bearing in my trans on start-up in cold weather. It's almost a howl. My trans has 212,000 mi on it, so I'm more embarrassed than confused by it. With the hood up you can clearly hear that it's comming from the trans and not the other side of the engine bay

 

[lucid15]

Its not a screetching noise, i reall cant describe it. Its like idk, ill try to get a vid or something. I just had all my belts replaced and nothing. COuld it be my timing belt?

 

[JusMX141]

It could be that the shift cables are out of adjustment to the point where the gears are rubbing against the shifting forks. If that's the case, you're causing alot of unwanted wear on the shifting forks.

Try adjusting the shifter cables until the noise stops.

 

[sparco431]

so i have a 96 gst and a 98 gs. now whenever i turn either one of them on (mainly when it is really cold outside, or it has just rained or something) a really loud squeeky noise comes on and off for a little while and gradually goes away. whenever im taking off from 1st gear if i let go of the clutch slowly the noise comes goes away as soon as its in gear. it does this in both of my cars, but on the gst its much louder and lasts longer and is screechier. im thinking its the alternator belt on the gs because i just got a new one and am thinking maybe its loose? i dunno, any help would be nice thanks

 

[BigSorn]

check your belts, the should only be able to move about a 1/2 an inch.

 

[kidderkennels]

sound like your belts...my old honda used to do it...it was a loose alternator belt

 

[sparco431]

How do I tighten the alternator belt?

 

[Freeze]

loosen the two bolts on the alternator put something between the alternator and the block, put a little tension on the alternator and then tighten the bolts back up

 

[Defiant]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/pro...-just-time-pics-video.html?highlight=harmonic

 

[92talontsibryce]

i know im pulling up a old post but im having this problem too. today on the way into town i gave it a little gas and when it started boosting this really weird gringing sound started. i dont know what it is. well when i got to town i pulled over and popped the hood and it sounds like my head is ticking. i dont think its the lifters bc i just put 3g lifters in. the only thing i know is wrong with my car is i need to replace the crank pulley but i dont thin that would have anything to do with the noises. does anyone know what this could be?

I was thinking maybe my oil pump is going out and no oil is getting to the head and thats why the lifters are ticking. and the grinding noise could be the oil pump. does anyone thin this is possible?

Thanks in advance
Bryce

 

[richardc475]

When driving and on the throttle i get a sound like a really bad wheel bearing but when I let off the gas it goes away completely, doesn't make the sound when I downshift hard either, it happens as soon as I press the peddle. It also doesn't make the sound when it is in neutral and revved. any ideas?

cars is a 1990 AWD.

 

[badabing33a]

wheel bearings make a sound when the wheels are moving if its worn. if it doesnt make the noise when in nuetral, or only on the gas, it doesnt sound like a wheel bearing. wheel bearings make the noise whenever the wheel is moving. can you tell if its only from one side? front or back? to me, it sounds like something in the drivetrain like an axle or something along that line. hard to say.