Tracking down a engine tick...

[TType85]

I posted this video before and am still trying to get to the bottom of it.

Since this video I have had the oil pan and front cover off the car. The timing chain is good, no bearing material in the oil and nothing looked unusual when I had the pan off. The noise is still there with the accessories disconnected. No exhaust leaks.

The pan is a custom deep sump with a baffle in the front and back.

I am wondering if that sound could be a counterweight hitting the front baffle? The vibration I can feel through the cam sensor cap does not "sync" up with the tick. If I put my hand on the pan when it is running I can feel the tick. You can't feel it from the top of the motor. This sound really is pretty loud sitting in traffic, I can hear it with the windows down.

If it's not the counterweight/pan I probably will end up pulling the motor and freshening it up since this sound really bothers me.

 

[wickedtt]

I hate to say it but it sounds like one of the camshaft lobes wiped out. By any chance is this a flat tap cam?? How long has it been like this? Pull the valve covers and verify each rocker is moving about the same amount.

 

[TType85]

I hate to say it but it sounds like one of the camshaft lobes wiped out. By any chance is this a flat tap cam?? How long has it been like this? Pull the valve covers and verify each rocker is moving about the same amount.

Yes, flat tappet. It's been this way at least since I got the car running last year after sitting for nearly 8 years. The car seems to run fine, it pulls decent, no smoke.

 

[ikle]

How I track down any odd noises in the engine compartment is I use a long phillips drive screw driver. I put the end of the screw driver on the part in question and the handle to my ear, if the noise is coming from that part you will hear it through the screw driver. I know it sounds a little old fashion but it really works,earlier this year I had a noise coming from the left front side of the motor and couldn't tell if it was coming from the cam sensor, alternator or the idler pulley. Did the screw driver trick and it ended up being the idler pulley bearing." Never attempt to put the end of the screw driver to any moving part, like the idler pulley. If the part in question is a moving part put the end of the screw driver on the bracket it is mounted to. I don't want to see anyone getting hurt."

 

[scgnx2]

Yes, flat tappet. It's been this way at least since I got the car running last year after sitting for nearly 8 years. The car seems to run fine, it pulls decent, no smoke.

When my stock cam wiped, I started noticing small amounts of very fine metal dust on the dipstick. It ran good, but had that "ticking" sound.
Pulled the passenger side valve cover and noticed one of the rockers not moving as much as the others when I cranked the engine over by hand.

 

[mgmshar]

That's interesting. May engine makes the exact same noise. Only does it after warm-up, and I've tried everything I can think of to find it. All I know for sure is that it's internal to the engine (not something driven by the belt).

My engine has made this noise since I bought the car in 2000. Many mods and quarter mile passes later, it sounds the same.

I've always assumed that it was a piston pin that was a little loose, a piston that was a little undersize causing some piston slap, or a high leakdown lifter. Some day I'll figure it out. For now, it's never appeared to cause a problem, so it's been moved to the back of my to-do list. If you figure out what it is, for God sakes post it. Would love to know what this is after 12 years...

Thanks,

Mike
Sent from my HTC Droid Incredible using Turbo Buick

 

[trbojo]

check your crank sensor after it's warmed up...see if the balancer ring is hittng it...had the same thing right before a rod bearing spun, and found out the crank was flexed.....