My car has been making noise like a bad lifter, tapping after warm. Did it consistently for 2 weeks. Took it to motor builder today, no noise. This was loud enough to peg my knock gauge, today no noise, no matter what. Had it hot, cold, beat on it, nothing. WTF? can't find anything. Only did it between 1500 to 2200 rpm, when it did it. Ideas? My engine builder surely thinks I'm crazy. Thanks.
Motor knock update, help.
- Thread starter turbosam6
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Update, if it matters since no one seems to be able to help. Today I drove the car and of course, its making noise again. So I tried to pinpoint it but just seems to come from the driver side valve cover area. I put a screwdriver on it to listen, but can't say for sure if its coming from there. I did pull the belt and started it, but it was still there. Could an exhaust leak, be it header gaskets, cracked header, etc., cause a noise like that? I really don't know if its in the motor, but I would think that would have shown up yesterday. I've had the header fixed, as it was cracked, but it could have cracked again. Any suggestions? BTW, crank endplay was cool at 7-8 thousanths, oil pressure never below 20 psi at hot idle. I may go insane soon. HELP!!!
Intercooler
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Sounds like you may have a bad lifter or weak one. They all make noise so if it isn't dropping metal in the oil don't worry too much about it. Short of taking it apart you may never find it so do what searching you can and leave it be.
Intercooler
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I honestly think it is lifters. What kind do you guys run? I believe the aftermarket lifters aren't reliable over the long haul and fail to pump up properly over time. Pull em and send them out for testing while you stick a new set in
Steve Wood
Active Member
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Did you put heavier oil in it? What, if any, affect did that have on the sound?
Thanks guys. I agree with the lifter, engine guy says no metal in filter. I did try heavier oil, didn't help. These are new comp roller lifters, I would think they'd last longer. It sucks to have a car tap like that, sets off knock sensor when revving or driving under light load.
John Larkin
Sublime Master of Turbology
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Here's a free test, albeit potentially messy. Warm up the engine. Pull off the driver valve cover quickly (watch the hot post on the alternator, it'll spark! 
). Pack all around it with lots of rags. Restart the car. Try to make the noise and watch the valvetrain once oil pressure is up. Shut the car down quickly and see if there is any play between any rockers and valves; there should be none on a hydraulic cam. A cracked rocker shaft can also allow play causing a noise. If the heads were surfaced or the block was decked (or both), you might have a long pushrod now. Who setup your valvetrain? If they didn't check pushrod length very carefully, then this might be a cause. Pick up an adjustable pushrod and recheck with proper lifter preload for length; you'll need access to some quality measuring devices for this though. Check your pushrods on a piece of glass for straightness.
). Pack all around it with lots of rags. Restart the car. Try to make the noise and watch the valvetrain once oil pressure is up. Shut the car down quickly and see if there is any play between any rockers and valves; there should be none on a hydraulic cam. A cracked rocker shaft can also allow play causing a noise. If the heads were surfaced or the block was decked (or both), you might have a long pushrod now. Who setup your valvetrain? If they didn't check pushrod length very carefully, then this might be a cause. Pick up an adjustable pushrod and recheck with proper lifter preload for length; you'll need access to some quality measuring devices for this though. Check your pushrods on a piece of glass for straightness.ACME RACING
( Adult Swim )
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Tapping/clicking sound
Long time ago mine had a ticking noise on the drivers side and after checking everything, i loosened the cam sensor bolt , pushed the sensor down and wiggled it and the sound never came back . (marked it with a long thin screwdriver first with a notch on the base and cover) The sensor wasn't fully seated....try that to see if there's any difference......... alan
Long time ago mine had a ticking noise on the drivers side and after checking everything, i loosened the cam sensor bolt , pushed the sensor down and wiggled it and the sound never came back . (marked it with a long thin screwdriver first with a notch on the base and cover)
The sensor wasn't fully seated....try that to see if there's any difference......... alan 
