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.

 

[georgiaboy]

Have you tried to bleed the lifters and then soak them in some seafoam or transmission fluid? I have had *some* luck with this, but it doesn't sound to me like you have a rod knock. A rod knock is present most of the time; there are times that you can "load" the crank (put the engine under a load) and have the noise of a rod knock go away, but if you are idling a rod knock should be audible if it is, actually, a rod bearing that is allowing the knock.
Sounds like a lazy lifter...................... Clean the lifters and then do an oil change and let us know the results, please.

-Les

 

[sharky559]

so this is what i did. i dropped the oil pan, didnt see any metal shavings but i did see tiny flacks. found out that on piston two, the rod bearing was really bad. also i try'd to move the rod and it was a lil stiff to move, the other three moved freely. could it also be the rod on that piston that is bad. any help

o yea i checked to see if the crankshaft had any damage and no it didnt. i also used a micro miter and got 45mm on the crankshaft rod bearing journals is that ok

 

[georgiaboy]

When installing bearings, you should use Plastiguage to see what the tolerance is between the bearing and the crank. I don't know off of the top of my head what size the rod journal is, but you should still use Plastiguage to check.
The bearing is in bad shape for a reason. I am not confident that crushing another bearing would fix your problem; you'd probably end up in the same position. Is there any way you can remove the engine and pull it apart and check everything? Sure, it would take longer, but you'd probably find more than one thing that can be improved while putting it back together. While its out you can clean the engine bay, tighten up loose ends in your harness, and more easily reach everything else engine-wise.
Dunno, man. I just hope you are able to back on the road pretty quick. I HATE being out of my DSM's and CSM's!

-Les

 

[blkwdow]

Im no sure if this is normal for dsms or not.. But when i turn my car to the on position i hear a crackling sound coming from under or near the TB...

Here is a video i made of the sound.. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid7.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy275%2Fdrft3z%2Fvideo-2010-09-13-21-32-54.mp4">

 

[luv2rallye]

Can't get your video to work but when key turned to on the IAC does a recalibrate which makes a crackling sound and is normal. Is that what you're hearing?

 

[blkwdow]

gotcha, i dont know why the video isnt working it shows up on photobucket... Ill send a link.

Is it suppose to keep clicking?? Its clicked for 30 seconds before i tried to start it before..

one of these should work

video-2010-09-13-21-32-54.mp4 video by drft3z - Photobucket

video-2010-09-13-21-32-54.mp4 video by drft3z - Photobucket

 

[luv2rallye]

No it only clicks a couple seconds. Your noise is not it and it doesn't sound good. Any recent changes done? Try unplugging the MPI relay to see if noise goes away.

 

[98spydereugene]

Is the video from inside the car or under the hood, I only got audio no video, definitely sounds horrible, no weird smell?

 

[blkwdow]

I pulled the mpi sensor and there was no noise.. The car was making the noise before i changed the valve stem seals i beleive.. After i changed them it was making the noise but it was still starting and running fine.. It sounds like its coming from the isc, but i have a new problem now... My pump is dead. Should i get a rewire kit and see if that helps kick the pump back on or should i just get a new pump and go from there??? I tried jumping it like it said in the haynes manual, and no luck.. It worked and than the car sat for 3 months and is dead now... Strangest car ive ever had

Is the video from inside the car or under the hood, I only got audio no video, definitely sounds horrible, no weird smell?

The sound is from outside with the car not running, its just in the on position...

 

[RLPerformance]

If you jumped the pump and it still didnt work, its likely the pump is bad. But you need to make sure you're getting power supplied to the pump when the key is on (2 second prime) and cranking. Also a good ground. Make sure they are all good before getting a pump.

Its hard to describe the noise without knowing exactly where its coming from. Ive heard clicking, but never a sound like that. Do you have a picture of where you think the noise is coming from? IF not, whenever you get it running again, take a screwdriver and hold it up to your ear and touch different parts near where its clicking. See if you can locate the exact noise and take a picture of it. That will help.

 

[black_eclipse96]

Well guys i cant figure this one out. My motor is making this noise that is coming from the timing belt side/ behind it. It's not rod knock for sure. i will see if i can find a video close to it, so yall can get a better hearing of it.

found it! sounds exactly like it.


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[PhillTSi]

So my 92 Talon Tsi fwd sounds like a Diesel John Deere tractor at idol. The sound seems to be coming from the timing area. When I accelerate past 2,500 rpm the noise fades to just the old tsi running. very odd. The car will still boost fine. but I never took the rpm's over 4k. The sound is quite loud at the rough idol, and it started do this all of the sudden, at start up. Please guide me in the right direction for repairs. This is my daily car for now.

 

[96'4g63gst]

how long has it sounded like this and has the performance had a noticable change since this issue has started. i would bet that it is a timingbelt tension issue. check the factory specs of camgear position in relevance to timing marks. If it suddenly runs like crap since this happened you may have jumped a tooth or two. However, something is out of whack but the thing that worries me is that your timing belt looks like it is not centered on the cam gears. im not sure if that is just the video quality or not. there is one way you can rule out the timing belt by lubricating it with prestone belt dressing(barely any at all we are just trying to see if it changes the sound or not.)
is the engine at normal operating temperature, how hot or cold is the weather? i have heard this sound several times before in another dsm, it only happened when the car had been sitting for 10-24 hours in cold weather.
Does it go away after warming up? Can u hear it when you drive? The only thing that could be causing this in that area would be the serpentine belt or the pulleys that support it.
does it sound like this only without being under load by reving only with the throttlebody butterfly valve? your definetely going to want to change the timing belt or check to see if it is severe knock due to you afr. you might have a simple quick fix but as you know finding it is 95% of the problem. i honestly think it is you cam gear out of timing or a tensioner that needs to be replaced. is it an auto or a manual. check for crankwalk and let me know, so i can better resolve your issue.

 

[black_eclipse96]

how long has it sounded like this and has the performance had a noticable change since this issue has started. i would bet that it is a timingbelt tension issue. check the factory specs of camgear position in relevance to timing marks. If it suddenly runs like crap since this happened you may have jumped a tooth or two. However, something is out of whack but the thing that worries me is that your timing belt looks like it is not centered on the cam gears. im not sure if that is just the video quality or not. there is one way you can rule out the timing belt by lubricating it with prestone belt dressing(barely any at all we are just trying to see if it changes the sound or not.)
is the engine at normal operating temperature, how hot or cold is the weather? i have heard this sound several times before in another dsm, it only happened when the car had been sitting for 10-24 hours in cold weather.
Does it go away after warming up? Can u hear it when you drive? The only thing that could be causing this in that area would be the serpentine belt or the pulleys that support it.
does it sound like this only without being under load by reving only with the throttlebody butterfly valve? your definetely going to want to change the timing belt or check to see if it is severe knock due to you afr. you might have a simple quick fix but as you know finding it is 95% of the problem. i honestly think it is you cam gear out of timing or a tensioner that needs to be replaced. is it an auto or a manual. check for crankwalk and let me know, so i can better resolve your issue.

well i have been having a problem with power for a while now. This just started this morning when i started it. i would say its about 95 degrees right now. This isn't my vid. i found it and posted it up because thats exactly how it sounds. i took the rest of the belts off and no change. so im thinking it has something to do with timing components. it makes this sound hot or cold. at idle you can still hear it, just not as loud. revving only makes it worse. timiing belt has already been changed not sure of the components though. im a little worried that this might be a expensive fix.

 

[Pablo1o]

Hi

You can also check Crank Pulley. It might be a problem with that.

 

[EglTalon_ESi]

yeah i would go with checking out the pulleys.

 

[black_eclipse96]

well im think im going to go ahead and replace everything on that side except oil pump. If im already going that far i might as well change the head gasket

 

[JoshCorlin]

Im gonna say check you crank pulley.The rubber on mine was starting to seperate, so when the rpms went up, it started to wobble. The noise was pretty similar.

 

[DJ23GSX]

Im getting this weird noise around valve cover/timing gears area of the engine. This just started after the car has been sitting for a few months waiting for a tranny. It seems to be worse when the car is completely cold and tends to get a little quieter as the car warms up. The only thing I did to the motor while it was sitting was put on new alt and ps belts and a fresh oil change using mobil one 10w30 fully synthetic.



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Uploaded with <a target='_blank' href='http://imageshack.us'>ImageShack.us</a>


Any help or ideas what to look for is much appreciated.

 

[BLINKY619]

bearing? have you checked your timing?

 

[DJ23GSX]

bearing? have you checked your timing?

I've checked the timing with a light and its dead on 5*. The mark don't budge so I'm think the pulley isn't seperating. The timing marks on the cam gears line up perfect when the dowel pins are at 12 o'clock. I haven't pulled off the lower covers to check the marks down there yet. I am also thinking its a bearing cause somedays I won't hear it all and on some days it goes away when the car is warm.

That video was a cold start after sitting all night and all day. Thats when its at its worse

On a side note I bought the car 99% stock (thermal catback) and it only has 83k miles on it. Its no beat to crap rat if that matters at all .

 

[WickedQuikAWD]

It is hard to tell from your video, but if the sound goes away after the car is warmed up it could be the lifters. There are several options for better than stock replacement.

Be careful with the Mobil 1. My shop builds very high performance boat racing engines, and several failures have been attributed to a breakdown in viscosity when mobil 1 is overheated by even 10 degrees. Basically, if the oil is ever overheated it starts to lose its lubricating properties which in turn causes engine failure. Several independent studies were done and they all showed that even one overheating cycle ruins mobil one oil.

Personally i would use Amsoil turbo formula.

 

[DJ23GSX]

It is hard to tell from your video, but if the sound goes away after the car is warmed up it could be the lifters. There are several options for better than stock replacement.

Be careful with the Mobil 1. My shop builds very high performance boat racing engines, and several failures have been attributed to a breakdown in viscosity when mobil 1 is overheated by even 10 degrees. Basically, if the oil is ever overheated it starts to lose its lubricating properties which in turn causes engine failure. Several independent studies were done and they all showed that even one overheating cycle ruins mobil one oil.

Personally i would use Amsoil turbo formula.

I suppose it could be the oil but considering its only got about 15 miles of driving on this oil change and absolutely no overheating I'm not 100% sold on that. I'm also wondering if my oil pump maybe on it way out. I don't have much faith in the stock oil guage but it seems to move quite a bit slower than any of my other dsm's and don't look like it reads as high on the guage either under load.

 

[black_eclipse96]

okay well i found out what the problem was. i broke the balance shaft belt

 

[cwriley]

on my 1993 eclipse n/t i have a clicking noise during harsh acceleration (when car is rocked back).

symptoms: it does it going straight or turning, it doesnt matter, its a clicking sounds like a loose piece of metal banging back and forth between 2 other pieces of metal.it usually does it around 4k+ rpms, but i can rev it up slowly without it doing it.

parts thrown at it so far: replaced both cv axles, all struts, motor mounts, lower control arm bushings, swaybar links, trans is freshly rebuilt (within last 10k miles).

i was thinking suspension, i know both balljoints are shot and one wheel bearing is starting but i thought both of those would click going around corners mainly

any ideas?