tapping problem - bad lifter or rod knock?

[dls93tsi]

So my car died. Again. It started making a loud tapping noise one day. The tapping occurs once the motor has a little heat in it and gets worse until it is a considerably loud rapping sound. I have isolated the source of the sound to the left side of the motor, in the left-most cylinder(cant remember if thats #1 or #4). I first checked the timing to make sure my belts were tight, which they are, and the valve timing is dead on. I then did a compression test to see if maybe i blew out a ring and it was piston slap or if a valve had floated and bent, but the compression test blew 135-145 across the board.

I was thinking, or rather, hoping that it is a really bad lifter, but I know the noise isnt just the usual lifter tick. Can lifters completely fail? Or am I looking at rod knock or a bad bearing it the bottom end? I am fairly sure that most of the vibration and noise is coming from the head, but I could be mistaken.

Any comments or suggestions? I need to have the car back up a.s.a.p. so please, ill take anything at this point

 

[ICGerms]

Have you checked your oil level, lately?

 

[wolf20043]

Sounds like a possible bearing, having vibration and all. Drain the oil and look in the bottom of the pan for metal shavings.
Mike

 

[dls93tsi]

oil level was a little low, but not catastrophically low and it wasnt low for very long cause i check it regularly...so no one thinks it could be a lifter?

 

[I_eat_DSM's]

If there are no metal shavings in your oil then that would point more towards a lifter, but until you check your oil we really won't know, and because of the vibration and the described intensity of the noise I'm personally led to believe it's in the bottom end and I will assume the others were as well. So change your oil!

 

[ddavisaf]

Rear balance shaft bearing sounds kaput. Like everyone said, drain the oil into a clear container and check it for metal shavings.

 

[wolf20043]

Rear balance shaft bearing sounds kaput. Like everyone said, drain the oil into a clear container and check it for metal shavings.

I was almost thinking the same thing
Mike

 

[ddavisaf]

 

[dls93tsi]

I dont have any balance shafts.

 

[wolf20043]

I dont have any balance shafts.

Yea. I saw that in Your profile, which is why I said possibly an rod knocking. I would still check Your oil for shavings.
Mike