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.

 

[SpawnedX]

You do realize we can't hear this noise based on what we read. Post a video.

 

[Cruz67]

I've had this problem for awhile now. It doesn't really make the noise at idle or when cruising more when you press the gas to rev it up and accelerate. It sounds like its comming from the head area. It also sounds like a loud tick or clacking sound not really a knocking noise I read on hear to pull the spark plug wires one by one but I don't really know what to look for when I do it. I'm building a head for it right now so I'm basically just trying to eliminate knock, so if it is knocking I will go ahead a rebuild the bottom end also. Thanks for any help to help me diagnose this.

 

[constant_proj21]

What have you done so far, as far as self diagnosing goes? Have you pulled the valve cover yet?

 

[Cruz67]

No I haven't what do I look for when I pull the valve cover?

 

[highrever]

yeah i know but i was hoping maybe somebody has heard of something like a water pump bearing or tensioner making noise or

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Although I cant really give an accurate diagnosis with that discription, but a common issue with DSM's is lifter tick. So I would look into that first.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

It could be lifter tick. I cant tell from a desctiption though.

 

[wasabi37]

I think you have an air leak by the intake manifold gasket. I had the same problem after I swapped in the evoIII intake manifold along with the phenolic spacer. Do a boost leak test and see if you can pinpoint where the leak is coming from.
-Brian

 

[highrever]

I dont think these cars have lifters? I popped off the valve cover and the cam shaft opens the valve not lifters unless their hidden to where i can't see.

 

[Calan]

I dont think these cars have lifters?

Type "lifters" into that search box up there at the top ^ and see what happens.

*********

Since searching for information has apparently become a lost art: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-miscellaneous/337788-what-causing-irritating-noise.html

 

[MrBoxx]

These cars have lifters. They're hydraulic, and hidden under the rocker arms. They are notorious for making ticking noises.

Don't strip the valve cover bolts when you put it back on.

 

[scott90gsx420]

Can you give more of a discription of the sound? Is it a rattle, tick, or knock? which side of the engine is it coming from? Does it go away at certain rpm or if u push the clutch in(i hope not..) More info please. As stated though lifters are known to be noisy and Idk about 2g's but i know the 1g are known to have noise oil pumps as well. Which will cause an extremly annoying rattle.

 

[scott90gsx420]

lifter tick as stated above..Rod or bearing knocks are very noticable if its a tick and its coming from the head 90% chance its lifters.

 

[onefast2gdsm]

Check your pcv valve. Disconnect the hose going to intake manifold and try to blow into it. If it doesn't open replace it. I had ticking thinking it was lifters and it was my pcv valve. Check that first before taking off the valve cover. Sounds stupid but just check it.

 

[Cruz67]

I took off my pcv valve and am running the car with out the emmisions stuff on it. It does sounds a lot like lifter tick but sometime its too loud and I second guess myself

Also I am experiencing loss of power you think the knock sensor is picking it up and not letting the car run right?

 

[empie1]

ROd bearings can sound like they are coming from the head if you are inexperienced. You should get someone to help you because you sound like you arnt that knowledgeable. Maybe take a video and post it so we can better understand.

 

[highrever]

the noise is coming from the timing belt sid eof the motor. It sounds like some body put ball bearings in can a started shaking it if that helps narrow the sound down.

 

[scott90gsx420]

Ok well that could be a noisy pump..Mine sounded like a million pebbles getting ground up..Has your oil press done anything weird dropped pressure ect. And try having a buddy push the clutch in while your next to it listening. if he pushes it in and it goes away theres a good chance your hitting crank walk(sorry to say that). If it does not go away id look into something being lose?? has the sound always been there or did it just start? Start by checking the Cw issue if the sound does not go away when pushing the clutch in good thats really expensive, then jack her up pop the covers and start tightening things just to be sure. Check those out and let us know how it goes.

 

[scott90gsx420]

Yes it can sound like its coming from the head but i know when my buds wrx started knocking. it was loud on top but way louder under the car. It could be felt sending mad pulses as it knocked inside the car.As for the tick being picked up by your knock sensor yes it can.. lifters cause a lot of PK issues. Mine were really loud most of the time and i couldn't get above 4700 because of pk would cause my timing to get yanked when they were quite itd pull hard all the way threw.. Started running Lucas oil stabilizer and tick 90%gone and it pulls hard to red line. Give it a try if its lifters it will help.

 

[highrever]

ok that sounds good thanks guys i wlll do that. But quick question what is "crank walk" and what do you have to do to fix this problem. I will definetley keep you guys posted thanks again

oh yeah i forgot to add that your description of your oil pump is kinda of what im hearing to on my car

 

[scott90gsx420]

Il do my best to describe it but i haven't read up much on it 1g are not known to do it. 2g's on the other hand are known to have crank walking issues. Cw is essentially where your thrust bearing goes bad and allows the crank to move back and forth.. look it up on youtube theres a couple vids on there of 2nd gens running where you can hear it and there is also some already pulled down then you could just see it. To fix it i know you'd have to pull the motor and replace the bottom end. All that would be needed idk but ud definitely be looking at new bearings.. id think just bearings and crank but im really not sure. if i remember correctly that sounded more like a really fast rod knock. Has the car always made this sound or did it just start? If it is the pump i wouldn't worry about it.. Other then it being annoying it wont hurt anything. its due to how the gears were cut on them you can get revised pumps with helical cut gears that are quite.

 

[highrever]

Hey i went out their today and drained the oil and filtered it and found no shavings, and i also got a little magnet and put it in the oil pan and tried to cover as much as the pan as i could and came up empty? so i guesss thats a good sign. I also pushed the clutch in and the noise did not stop so that eliminates crank walk. I just bought the car like 5 days ago and the guy didnt know what was wrong with it, he says it started to make a noise one day and he decided to just park it, he told me he scaned it with a code reader and it came up saying something to do with the cam position sensor.

when i started the car and pushed on the gas to rev it it just dies every time and boges down so i hope that gives you some more info

 

[scott90gsx420]

ok well for the rattling sound sounds like the oil pump nothing to worry about. As for timing pull the lower cover off jack the car up and slowely turn the crank clockwise(very important) untill your Crank mariking is on TDC. when it is look at the cam markings and use a ruler to unsure there perfectly straight. Now the cam angle sensor will cause that exact issue. when i first rebuilt my car it would start fine but if i touched the gas it would bog out and die or if it idled for more then a few minutes it would die. I finally figuered out to check the CAS and walla. Set it properly and it fixed the problem. To do that check the Vfaqs they have a good description on how to set the base timing and how to set the ignition timing.

 

[Gysgt Guy]

so i bought my gsx a couple weeks ago and its been having a knock in the motor...just trying to diagnose what it is so i can fix it!!!! i'm doing a compression test when i get home tmrw and i'll update but just wondering if anyone can recognize the knock!

its completely stock, knocks real loud when motor is cold then subsides a bit once warm...it does blow blue smoke after idling about 10 minutes then revving it up(im assuming head gasket) and i noticed when pulling the spark plug cover off there was a bit of oil puddled up (not sure if thats relevant). Also it seems like when at full boost i hear a whiny noise...and no its not the "whooshing" of the turbo .

COLD START
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E753PNpgY0Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

AFTER WARMED UP
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JDtpOIz_TB4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

and oil puddle

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[smorton]

Sounds like lifter tick to start with.... But I dont know... Also sorta sounds like a rod knocking at first =/