Weird ticking from the head!!!

[babiebluboi]

My car is misfiring, and being the dumb ass that I am, I kept boosting. I heard a snap or some weird noise. Now there's a ticking noise when ever the car is on. When the car is idling, it ticks. When I rev, the tick gets more rapid. Does anybody have any idea what it is that I messed up? I hope it's nothing too serious, ### I don't wanna keep driving it if it's hella bad.

 

[ADrewzki]

It's probably bad. Maybe a bent/broken valve if it's having trouble idling. Maybe a spun bearing if you have no oil pressure.

 

[Cool Mr Steve]

If you haven't done so, research "lifter tick". PROBABLY it's not that simple, but lets hope... Also, it might be a good idea to do a compression test. Hopefully you didn't break anything though. Is your car running any rougher? Good luck!

 

[alex]

I was just thinking of doing a compression test. That will tell you if your valves are bent due to jumped/slipped timing or whatever it could be. The lifters on the 1g and 2g make a little tickign noise due to there is too big of a gap and then tend to stick. You can easily get those replace for $105 on ebay.

 

[91tsirasinhell]

u could also check the timing belt to see if it has jumped time. Mine did once and it started ticking really loud and ran really rough. good luck!

 

[alex]

u could also check the timing belt to see if it has jumped time. Mine did once and it started ticking really loud and ran really rough. good luck!

How can you check the timing belt to see if it jumped time just by looking at it? The only way you could if the belt was off the cams or somthing.

 

[babiebluboi]

The car makes the ticking noise, but driving doesn't seem any different. The idle is a little funky though. Sometimes it a little above 1k, then sometimes it's below 500.

 

[Cool Mr Steve]

How can you check the timing belt to see if it jumped time just by looking at it? The only way you could if the belt was off the cams or somthing.

You check the timing belt by seeing if the timing marks on the cam gears line up properly. If they do not line up properly it means that the timing belt jumped teeth (unless it was initially installed improperly, but thats not the issue here...).

Update your profile, it will help whenever you have another problem. Do you have a vacuum/boost gauge? If so, what is it doing at idle? Try to get in a compression test as soon as possible.

 

[alex]

You check the timing belt by seeing if the timing marks on the cam gears line up properly. If they do not line up properly it means that the timing belt jumped teeth (unless it was initially installed improperly, but thats not the issue here...).

Update your profile, it will help whenever you have another problem. Do you have a vacuum/boost gauge? If so, what is it doing at idle? Try to get in a compression test as soon as possible.

I can't beleive I didnt think of that considering I just put my head back together today andhad to line the gears up like that.

 

[babiebluboi]

Yea I have an aftermarket boost gauge. Normally it's at -25, but when I let go of the gas, it drops hella low sometimes. (I don't know if that matters.) I'll try to get a compression test ASAP then. Do you know roughly how much a compression costs usually? I'll make sure to ask the shop to check my timing belt as well.

It COULD possibly be my timing belt/timing. My car DOES have 91k miles on it and I haven't changed the timing belt yet. It that too many miles on the original timing belt?

 

[alex]

To do a compression test, just go to your local automotive store and buy one for $20 or so, and you can do it yourself, plus have the tool forever. You just take out your spark plug wires and spark plugs, put the compression tester in there, and turn the engine over 3 times. You do that in each cylinder. You shouldnt have a 16 PSI drop between each cylinder.

 

[babiebluboi]

So 16 PSI drop between each cylinder is the average? If so, what's considered "failing" the compression test?

 

[alex]

Your compression should be around 185-135. If you have a blown head gasket, you will have like a 90 or somthing in there.

 

[Cool Mr Steve]

Yea I have an aftermarket boost gauge. Normally it's at -25, but when I let go of the gas, it drops hella low sometimes. (I don't know if that matters.) I'll try to get a compression test ASAP then. Do you know roughly how much a compression costs usually? I'll make sure to ask the shop to check my timing belt as well.

-25in/hg??? Is that at idle??? I know in most cars that would point to overly advanced ignition timing, but I'm not sure what it would be attributed to in our cars. Possibly check to see what your throttle body plate is doing? What I mean is check for buildup or a very tightly closed TB butterfly plate. It seems as though that may cause higher vacuum. What I was curious of also, though, was if it is steady at idle. As far as a compression test, I have always done my own because it is incredibly simple, so I would have no idea what a shop would charge.