Tony

Only if you dont put oil in it...then you will have more noises.

Its sounds valve train related..not a rod at IMHO.

narrow it down to front...back...left..rigth etc if you can. The stethascope wil do that the second you place it on a cam cover.

Big Dave

Conceivably, yes, but you'll spray oil all over the place.

PorKen

It looks like an '86?

If it was an '85, I'd suspect a stuck cam chain tensioner.

'85 tensioner needs part A updated from a flat plate, to the '86 cap, below.

SeanR

Porken, that was my thought also.

BC

Thanks guys. I'll get the stethoscope. It was another thought I had that it could be some sort of issue with the chain tensioner. Car DID NOT have this particular noise when I ran it on Sunday night before it quit on me. The lifters made noise but quieted down mostly after running a bit.

Well, I was going to do the cam covers anyway....

BC

I have been doing this for years.

BC

Ken - its the car most special in your own heart - the 86.5

nosnow

My 86.5 had similar noise from a bad injector. I replaced the injectors and the noise went away. Not sure if that is the issue but might be worth checking with a stethoscope/hose.

PorKen

Isn't that speshul.

'86.5 5-speed = schweet.

AO

Stuck lifter... or one that has lost its oil. How long have you run the engine like this?

Remember this? It was lifters. Cure was to let it run!

frustrated

I had a sudden noise like that apparently coming from the top front of the engine. Took it to the garage who fitted the new cam belt. They looked really worried but having left it there they came back to me and had fixed it. A squirt of WD40 on the AC compressor belt cured it. Even they couldn't believe a belt could make that kind of noise but it did.

Mongo

I also concur with a stuck lifter. Mine does the same noise if it sits for more than a week.

BC

I'll put some seafoam in the oil then too. Maybe get some auto-RX.

BC

Sure as hell sounds similar.

AO

Yep... scared the crap out me. You need to run the engine - get it hot so the oil thins out and can pump up the lifters. 20 minutes should do it.