Hey everybody... long time listener, first time caller....

Any ideas on this noise that I'm hearing?

96 Eagle Talon. Just rebuilt cylinder head after oil starvation. (I know, I know...)

Valve job (heavily carbonized head), new gaskets, new timing belt, new alternator and AC/PS belts, new EGR valve, new lifters/lash adjsuters (screwdriver trick worked well!), new fuel filter, flushed coolant, changed oil 10w30, and oil filter.

Engine tick (clack?) at idle increases with RPMs and gets louder as engine revs higher. Engine seems to run fine otherwise, but the noise is killing me. It idled for an hour after the head was rebuilt, and operated at normal temps after the coolant flush. No stutter, no problems with compression. Just a loud clicking noise.

My potential culprits are:

1. Water pump? not leaking, but would it make a clicking sound if a blade was messed up?

2. Timing belt cover? this doesn't seem to be it, but I'm considering
taking it off completely just to rule it out.

3. Spun bearing? would it make this sound at idle or only at higher RPM? I haven't pulled the oil pan to see, but that's the next step.

4. Engine mount bolts? only has two of the three in there, couldn't get the other one to go back in. could this be the cause of clanking?

5. Spark plugs not seated tight enough? they won't get any tighter and they are torqued in properly.

6. Valve rockers? changed the lash adjusters, but do these need to be changed too?

I am totally stumped and can't figure this out. It runs, but I'm afraid to drive it. I'm about to tow it in and pay the $100 for the "experts" to diagnose it, but I wanted to check with you guys first.

Thanks!

TexasTalon

If the engine was oil starved, I have my money on spun bearings.

Check for ANY silver flecks in your oil.

Thanks! I'll check the bearings and post results.

Just to check:
Up and down movement of piston connecting rods is bad.
Side to side movement piston connecting rods is okay.

My car did the exact same thing last weekend. Very loud ticking/knocking. The rate of knocking/ticking changes with the idle and rpms when driven. It sounds like its coming from the head but Im not sure. Im pulling my valve cover this weekend to inspect.


96 Talon ESi Mods
GST Muffler
injen short ram intake
magnecore 8.5mm wires
EGR removal/blockoff
front/rear strut tower bars
GSX dual piston calipers

Oil starvation, very high posibility of spun bearing.

There is always the lifters making noise, but you said replaced. Rocker either are fine or broen in pieces otherwise they really dont' go bad unless they break.

When your head work was done did the machine shop check valve stem install height?

Pleas get theengine fully supported in your engine bay... Or do youmean only two out of the three bolts on the side engine mount going into the block?



http://www.exileracing.com
una salus victus
Mods List: http://highlander.dsmpower.com/sig.htm

I'd also have to go with a spun rod bearing. BTW where in Texas are you?

Yep, replaced the lifters, bathed them in oil prior to installation, and tried to pump them. They don't pump very much, do they? Maybe just a fraction of a centimeter.

The rockers have a notch on them where they fit onto the valve stem, but that's normal, right? Otherwise, they are still in one piece.

I'm pretty sure the shop checked valve stem height, they said they did, but I didn't double check this prior to installation. Hmmm...that's something to take a look at, too...

Yes, on the side engine mount that goes into the block, of the three bolts that are almost impossible to get out, only two are holding that bracket onto the block. I had to cut one to get it off in order to access the timing belt.

I'm going to pull the oil pan this weekend and check the bearings on the rods... hopefully before the weather gets much colder. What should I be looking for? Looseness up and down, right? Also, discoloration from heat and/or scoring on the bearing halves themselves? If it's loose, can I just tighten it back up or replace it with a larger size bearing?

Top end work was a real education. Not sure that I'm up to the challenge of pulling the block and fooling with the crank and all that...

BTW - I'm in north Austin up near where they make the computers.

Best wishes and thanks for the help in advance!

TexasTalon

Look up Brynden. He's on this board, lives in northeast (i think?) Austin, works for Dell. He can probably help you out.