I just finished my clutch job and took my car for a spin. When I was driving it my hazard light would keep coming on. I looked and didn't notice anything until I saw the water temp all the way up. I got home and fill it with water, and after that it started to making a loud clicking noise near the distributor , but it is not that. It is something in front of the engine and I think I may have damaged it badly. If you have any ideas are know what the problem is please reply to this. I am going to have a mechanic look at it on Tuesday, but I don't know if he will know what it is! Thanks

79*928 5-speed
Shawn

<img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />

 

Don't drive your car! Have it flatbedded to the mechanic.

You might have a damaged keyway on your drivers side cam. This happened to me last summer. It happens to older models. The bolt holding the cam (s) becomes loose allowing the cam to drift. When this happens the keyway can be sheared off. When that happens the car runs like *&%$ and the cam needs to be replaced (big $).

If your car still runs good (if this is the case); you may have caught it in time. If the keyway is un-damaged you may be able to replace the older bolts with newer/stronger ones and drive away.

Mine just like yours was a tapping just behind the distributor at the very front of the cam tower (where the keyway lives)

 

79,

Did it start clicking when you poured the water in? (poss. shock cooling)

or does it only click when you run the engine?
(poss. water pump impeller demolition?)

Let us know please.

 

Mine started making noise after sitting a spell (an extended weekend). I thought it was a stuck lifter at first (boy was I wrong).

 

Patrick,

Once your's went, did it click all the time, or just sometimes?

 

She clicked all the time. It's not a bad idea to replace those bolts before they become a problem. Used cams are becoming scarce as a result (of lesser quality bolts backing out and keyways shearing). When you do find one used; you will probabley need to re-mill it anyway (ouch)! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

 

Thanks for all your replies, I am going to check them all out. Also the clicking started after I poured the water into the tank. The car drives really good, and all the temperatures guages are normal and my hazard light does not go on anymore.

 

Shawn:

I don't mean to scare you, but my Saab V6 also ran fine until I dropped it off at the dealer for diagnosing a rattling noise. The dealer diagnosed it as a defective (loud) water pump and quoted $600. I thought they were insane, and wanted to pick up the car and take it elsewhere.

At the dealer the engine did not start anymore. It turned out that the key on the crankshaft, that drives the theethed wheel for the timing belt, had sheared off, bending all the valves, etc... The damage was estimated at $7600!!!

Fortunately, a couple of factors helped me: The car had all service done at that dealership, the timing belts on this model are covered until 95k miles, and the defect happened at the dealer. Saab ended up paying everything but $1000.

Now, you don't have that option, as your car is much older and there is no kind of warranty left. I believe that your model has a non-interference engine, which would preserve the valves in a comparable incident - a potential "life saver"...

However, let me suggest to be rather safe than sorry. Have it properly diagnosed, before things get worse! And let us know what it is/was!