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.

 

[Spanky_DSM]

Come on tuners?! The sound is getting worst! It sounds like its coming from the left side of the bay while driving.

 

[Talondvr]

Have you checked the pulley. inspect the car some more and report back with your findings. Maybe a pic of the belts n pulleys. Does it do it at all if you just pop the hood and rev it? Need some checks done and report back. The more info the more likely you'll get clear direction on what to look at next. We (tuners) do want to help but just need more info and investigation from you.

 

[Spanky_DSM]

Have you checked the pulley. inspect the car some more and report back with your findings. Maybe a pic of the belts n pulleys. Does it do it at all if you just pop the hood and rev it? Need some checks done and report back. The more info the more likely you'll get clear direction on what to look at next. We (tuners) do want to help but just need more info and investigation from you.

if im in neutral revving it wont make the noise. the noise comes only when im driving and usually goes away by giving it some good gas and letting go. But if im rolling and the noise is chiming in, putting it in neutral i can still hear it. its jst when i come to a stop it goes away.

It kind of sounds like when a starter is loose and you hear that grind when turning on your car.

 

[jackblack65]

Obviously lifters and its a good thing you caught it early before valve damage followed

 

[re-rx7]

This^^ me 2. It was just strange how it went from from fine to really bad in a few days.

 

[xXEclipse]

here is a better vid, I was watching some Rod Knock vids and its not nearly as loud and sounds nothing like my situation, but check it out.. Im thinking of taking my valve cover off, bleeding and inspecting the lifters and puting em in to see if it helps.. If its Rods im gonna be selling the car before it gets worse.

Please Be Lifters - YouTube

 

[GSLENK]

Rod knock:
Engine tick 2 - YouTube
This is the rod knock, when before, I thought it was lifter noise.

Lifter Tick with rod knock:
real lifter noise - YouTube
This is the sound of lifter tick in the first 10 or first 20 seconds. then the familiar rod knock kicks in with increased rpm. I cleaned, repacked the lifters, and some of them werent adaquately filled (in the nest video). Some collapsed before they lubed up. they almost sound like loud fuel injectors. You should be able to tell the difference. if not, the difference between the 2 vids is lifter noise. rod knock exists in both.

Lifters sound relatively soft and constant, rod knock sound more like a rapping that is louder under loads

You sir, unfortunately have rod knock.

You will need a rebuild. You could technically cheap out, but, it will be temparory. How long will it last? idk. Should you do it? No. Could you? yes. Should you do it to sell the car? #### NO.


HERES A QUICK TEST BEFORE YOU DIG INTO THE TOP OR BOTTOM!!!!!!!!
You need:
1 spare spark plug
1 aligator clip jumper wire (about 2-3 feet long)

Take boot off of cylinder 1.
Plug the spare spark plug into the boot (must be working plug)
Ground the outside of the plug by aligator clipping it to the neg batt terminal
(the spare plug keeps the potential current imbalance from destroying your coil)
Start the engine, rev it to see if it makes noise. if it makes noise, that is not your bad cylinder.
Repeat on 2-4.

One cylinder will shut up when you pull its spark, or else you may have 2 bad cylinders (unlikely, idk if possible but certainly unlikely)

This way you dont waste your time doing the unnecessary.

If you wanna clean your lifters, be my guest, but im 99% positive that is rod knock from a spun bearing. You will have to clean you lifters anyways when you rebuild so it wont be a total waste.

 

[1Gina2G]

Yea it sounds like you have lifter tick there buddy. Does it go away if let it idle a little bit? Mine does and it sounds like what you got. Some times its loud and sometimes it doesnt tick at all. I dont know if that is how it is for you. But you shuld also get your idle down a little bit.

You lower your idle by turning the bliss screw on the TB (throttle boddy).

sorry not (bliss) biss

what is the biss screw?

 

[xXEclipse]

on to my next question, how does this come to happen.

 

[Sean99RS]

I've recently developed this issue on my 99 RS (420A). Since it's now cheaper (unless you find a deal) to have someplace change the oil i took it to Firestone.. unfortunately they only run synthetic oil. I live in south florida so 5W is too thin. Anyways, I now have the tapping coming from the valve cover. Here's what I've determined. It happens on startup when the engine idle's higher but goes away once the engine "settles down". It will then do it on accelleration, getting louder @ 2k and 3K rpms. This morning i replaced the oil with 10W-40 and let the engine idle for 15 minutes to let the oil circulate. Problem persists. I have not yet taken the valve cover off and checked the lifters, however i plan on doing that tonight. I can post a video tonight when i get home for you all to listen. Engine has 79k on it.

 

[tcbikerguy6]

I recently broke a timing belt and had the head and timing belt fixed. Car runs fine except when you get it up to 3800-4000 rpm and up it sounds like it kicks into vtac.. The car vibrates a little bit also at that range. Has anyone heard of anything like this?

 

[JusMX141]

Balance shafts out of phase?

 

[tcbikerguy6]

The balance shaft gear looked alright, the belt was fine as well. Is there a good way to tell if that was the problem or not?

Thanks

 

[JusMX141]

The rear shaft being out of phase has nothing to do with the condition of the pulley or the belt itself.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/290468-oil-pump-sprocket-phase-engine-viration.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/189219-balance-shaft-out-phase-180-degress-off.html

 

[tcbikerguy6]

Thanks, The engine is being rebuilt at the moment. A BSE Kit is being installed so that should take care of the problem.

 

[JusMX141]

Then what exactly was the objective of this thread?

 

[tcbikerguy6]

Then what exactly was the objective of this thread?

To see if someone had similar problems and to see if I was dumb for just rebuilding the complete engine. It never made the noise before the timing belt busted, after it got fixed was when it started.

The car ran fine but I hated the noise and wouldn't let it rev over 4000.

 

[triggerx]

I have no idea where to even start with this. All of a sudden I started to notice a loud clicking noise during acceleration. Only happens while the car is moving, accelerating at a decent pace and in between like 3500 to 5500 rpms
If I had to take a shot in the dark I'd say it might be the turbo. It's pretty dam loud.

*****just drove the car around the block and I can't even reproduce the noise it was making. Hope it doesn't come back.

 

[BoxheadTim]

Can you provoke it when going around corners?

 

[avengerscoot]

If your thinking turbo, pull the intake off the turbo inlet and check for shaft play...my small 16g ported and clipped itself and it was a hell of a "clicking" noise!

 

[bryanwheat]

Could be detonation. Sounds like a loose bracket rattling around.

 

[2GEffect6]

Listen to the noise at the end of the video when i brake its a creeking noise coming from the driverside wheel

101 1948 - YouTube

 

[EvilTSi_97]

Are you sure it's just that one wheel that's causing the issue? If so, have you been able to take the wheel off and take a look at the brake components to make sure everything is tightened up and where it should be? Never hurts to check for corrosion, lack of lubrication, or even a damaged part. Take a look under there and see what you find.

 

[luv2rallye]

Sounds like it may be the dust shield or low pad wear indicator rubbing.

 

[92AWDTalonTSI]

I don't think he means the squeal. I think he is talking about the creaking sound while applying the breaks. Almost like the wheel is loose.