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I checked fluids, belts, hoses, changed the air filter over the weekend and now I hear a rhythmic clicking sound from the engine. It is loud enough to hear from the driver's seat if the window is down (with the car in the driveway). Everything seems to be fine - smooth idle, acceleration. I noticed a small leak of oil (?) that appears to be located mid-body. I will have to lift the car to get a closer look. Anyway, I can't figure out at this point if I am just imagining things or whether I have a potential problem that needs future attention. Any thoughts?
If it's louder than just a clicketty-clack of firing infectors, then it may be a sticky lifter or a broken spring or such. None of that is fatal, so don't be too concerned. If it is a loud moise, you should investigate. It's often very hard to determine exactly where the noise is emanating, so you will need a couple of friends' advice from under and above, with the hood open and away from a garage (at least that has been it for me). Do you drive often, and are they long trips? Because the car will need to be opened-up and allowed to warm fully and stretch its legs regularly, or lifters may begin to stick a bit. Again this is my experience with the 4 I've owned.
FWIW, I cured my clicking injectors with the RMB install. It worked great......I can't hear the injectors unless I have my head in the engine bay, and now the blower whine covers that........
ditto - sticky lifters of injectors. I have a cure for the sticky lifters if you are brave enough. I have used it in every car I have ever owned except the recently acquired Porsche.
Kerosene.
Example - I had a 1980 280zx. Ran great but did have a lifter tick from sitting so long. I drained the oil out and put in about a gallon of kerosene. Started her up and let it run for awhile, standing there in case it started to make funny noises. Ran for a good 10 minutes, shut it down. Drained Kerosene and added cheap oil. Ran the oil for about 10 minutes. Drained oil and changed the filter. Added some good oil and engine sounded great - no more ticks.
Even after thousands of miles, the oil in the car always looked like new. Never had a problem.
The only thing I can think of that COULD be bad about doing this. If the engine has been poorly cared for and there is alot of gunk.....the kerosene could possibly knock off some big hunks which could then block oil passages.
I had a 92 Grand Marquis that my son abused and never changed oil in 3 years....oil was black and thick. I drained it, actually filled it all the way up with kerosene to the valve covers and let it sit overnight. Next day, drained some out, ran her for 10 minutes.........changed oil etc.......I drove that car for years after that and again, every oil change the oil still had it's color etc.....
Now these were not aluminum engines. I would think it would still be fine tho as long as you ran it for just 5-10 minutes....NO REVVING up....
I have used this method in many, many cars......drove them all for years and all my cars had well over 150k on the odometer. Wagon I have now has 212k and runs like new........
On an '81 it is most likely sticking hydraulic lifter(s), rather than injector noise. It's a fairly common occurance.
To cure it, either add a bottle of Rislone to the engine oil, or my prefered method, just prior to an oil change, add half a quart or so of transmission fluid to the engine oil, drive the car aggressively at highway speeds for approx. 20 miles, then immediately drain the oil and replace the filter.
Originally posted by Gretch FWIW, I cured my clicking injectors with the RMB install. It worked great......I can't hear the injectors unless I have my head in the engine bay, and now the blower whine covers that........
Originally posted by ajmarton I checked fluids, belts, hoses, changed the air filter over the weekend and now I hear a rhythmic clicking sound from the engine. It is loud enough to hear from the driver's seat if the window is down (with the car in the driveway). Everything seems to be fine - smooth idle, acceleration. I noticed a small leak of oil (?) that appears to be located mid-body. I will have to lift the car to get a closer look. Anyway, I can't figure out at this point if I am just imagining things or whether I have a potential problem that needs future attention. Any thoughts?
Where are you at in L.A.? I'm at the 2/134 junction in Glendale, high above beautiful downtown L.A. And I have my very own stethoscope, the perfect tool for finding noises. I'll PM you with contact info if you want to come by, we can share a listen. Or PM me just in case your contact info isn't in yet.
Originally posted by donberry Example - I had a 1980 280zx......
Neat trick... I wonder what the actual problem was that you solved this way, since the Z doesn't have lifters. It has solid rocker arms that rest on the top of the valve, underside of the cam, and the top of the adjuster. Maybe there was a problem getting oil to the cam lobes, and you opened something up that allowed more oil to get to the lobes...
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