Mark-87-951

I finally have my car back together, passed emissions and got the rental car off my back after 3 or so months. I also solved my hard starting problems that have plauged me for a looooong time.

I do now have what sounds like a ticking noise around the cam tower. I thought with my luck I have a bent valve. I tested compression and came back with:

cyl #1
155
150
155

cyl #2
(2) 155

Cyl #3
(2) 155

Cyl #4
(2) 155

The car was warmed up, blocked the throttle open and for once I was able to more than hand tighten the gauge down. I'm surpised at the numbers though but I had previously only hand tightened the gauge as I couldnt get any tool down there at the time.

I'm thinking the numbers eliminate a bent valve unless my gauge went wonky while sitting around for a few years.

I had the header off and the crossover disconnected on the turbo side as well. I've tightened down the header to head nuts with perhaps a bit of change in the sound. I'll have to get under the car to check the six bolts at the crossover.

Another possibility is that I put the Lindsey metal/rubber cam tower gasket on incorrectly as I didn't look to see what side should be up. I pulled three of the access plugs while the car was running and there is oil in there. Thing is, when I first started the car on the 17th I poured at least a 1/2 quart of oil in there. I've since driven it tuesday night and it idled for more than a half hour and has idled a few times for 15 minutes to a half hour since then. I also drove it thursday for the emissions test.

The lifters are almost 5 years old and the car has run low enough on oil a couple times since then to get lifter noise. I foolishly didn't soak the lifters in oil while working on the car this time so they sat around for several months and I didn't think to test them while they were out of the car.

So, I'm thinking check the crossover bolts and if there is no change then I need to pull the cam tower assembly, check the gasket and check the lifters. What do you guys think?

theedge

Can you isolate it to a cylinder? Other things that tick are the injectors and an exhaust leak can make a ticking sound.

See if you can borrow a leak down tester and a compressor with a tank (bigger the better).

Mark-87-951

So good compression numbers are not enough to rule out a bad valve? I had head work done a few years ago.

I was looking to purchase a 5 gal twin tank compressor, more won't fit in my budget. Is that enough?

theedge

A leak down gets air flowing through the engine per cylinder, so it makes it easy to find exhaust leaks.

5 gal is enough ya. My main thing for having a tank is that with a small tank or even worse, no tank then the compressor cycles on and makes it a bitch to listen for the air leaks.

Youre sure its not the injectors ticking? Is it a new sound?

samluke

Its probably just a lazy lifter. It will probably go once the car has been run for a while.

Mark-87-951

It is a new sound. It was loud enough to hear from inside the car. I had the ticking from injectors before but even my mom noticed the engine was louder when she came in the garage.

The sound isnt bad when cruising, hardly noticeable. When I speed up or engine brake I can hear it.

Mark-87-951

That would be nice, especially since I didn't really pay attention to the correct top for the gasket. I'll have to drive to work all next week 20 miles each way, mostly highway. If it doesnt improve I'll have to dig further.

Mark-87-951

Hey, if I get a compressor, didn't SFR have a nifty little attachment for smoking the engine to find leaks? Is that still available or something similar somewhere?

Mark-87-951

Just to update this thread.

I did find that i had put the gasket wrong side up today. Unfortunately I also discovered my rotor had failed at some point. I've started another thread on that. I also discovered an aftermarket gasket at the crossover header connection had blown out a bit. I'll be ordering the lindsey copper set soon to replace that.

That should cover all my noise problems for now. lol