Engine Ticking, no knock retard or codes???

[cabech984]

As the title says, I am getting an intermittent ticking/tapping noise in the top end of the engine at idle. it seems to be intermittent w/ rpm's as well. The engine has about 1 hour of run time on it, zero driving miles.

Knock is @ zero
no engine codes
FPS is @ 43 psi (vacuum hose off)
Idling @ 800 rpms
oil pressure is 35-40 psi warm


I have a used aftermarket erson 208/208 flat tappet cam(looked ok when installing)
New Lifters

Could I need to do an oil change asap and see if any metallic stuff is in there? It seems to run fine, just some tapping which Ive heard is not uncommon for aftermarket cams??

 

[86 TR]

You say the cam is used. Approx. how many miles on it?? If you take a fairly used camshaft and put new lifters on it, it could wipe a lobe because each lifter has its own wear pattern to each lobe and could possible wear out the cam. Ive put new lifters on a cam that had about 1,000 miles on it with no problem but Ive heard of people doing this on a cam that has say 30,000 miles and then they wipe a lobe. Im not saying this is the problem, but if you want piece of mind I would take the valve covers off and start it. And watch to see if each pushrod is spinning as it should. If I remember correctly the number 3 exhaust lifter will rotate in the opposite direction as opposed to the others.

The cam I used in my car was a reed 210-205 from the buick club and it ticks a little bit on idle. It almost sounds like a solid cam until you rev it then the noise gets quieter.

Did you break it in properly??

 

[cabech984]

thats what it seems like, I am unsure of the mileage on the cam, but it had(before I installed it) little to no noticible wear, black lobes, as well as the lifters almost looked new.

Not mechanically related, but if my O2 Sensor mV are in the low 400's @ idle w/ a TT open loop chip(nominal is 750-770@ idle) could my noise be there too??

 

[cabech984]

I have ran the engine at idle for less than 1 hour on the current oil, would now be a good time to change? Maybe check for metal in the oil??

 

[86 TR]

Yeah I would change the oil to get all of the assembly lube and other stuff out of it. When I rebuilt my engine I ran it for about and hour or 2 drained it changed the filter. Then I drove it for about 300 miles changed it again with a new filter. And then I poured the coals to it and it runs great yet to this day. Once you change the oil and filter, cut the filter apart and inspect the media for any abnormal signs. Like metallic particles, etc.

As for as the O2#'s that wont do anything to make the engine tick. My O2's are around 400-600 on idle and bouncing around quite a bit.

Another thing that can resemble a lifter tick is a worn out cam sensor. It usually only makes noise when its cold. Once it warms up the noise ususally goes away.

 

[cabech984]

Drained oil into clean pan, some metal dust was found in there, no chunks or anything big, looked ok to me?

Could a misadjusted cam sensor cause anything to knock?? Or perhaps I should pull the pan to inspect? Maybe a rod bearing?

I dunno, it definatly sounds like an unprimed lifter, but its intermittent with and without RPM's.

 

[cabech984]

fixed a few unrelated problems, got it running again. After letting it idle and trying the screwdriver to the ear method, the "tapping" noise seems to have went away!! I am getting around 20 psi @ 800 RPM's (hot idle). is that acceptable? I am using Castrol GTX 10W-30 (5.5 qts), a PF52 & no Oil Cooler.

 

[Black Power]

keep an eye on that oil brotha. cam glitter is a horrible thing to see....

 

[cabech984]

keep an eye on that oil brotha. cam glitter is a horrible thing to see....

I have no way of knowing mileage, but I'll probably change it in about a week of part time driving. Is any metallic stuff acceptable after changing the oil during the first 500 miles or so?