R6XTERRA

Hopefully the gurus can help me out here.

I just had a bunch of work done to my car last week. One of the items was a valve adjustment. Well its a week later and they are "ticking again" even at idle. Is this normal?.....should I take it back and get them to do it again.

Thanks,
Jeff

buckdr1

Jeff, is it quieter than when you brought it in? They are Solid lifters and will make some noise. Hope they tightend the "set" screws/nuts properly.
Bill

R6XTERRA

It was quieter for about 3 days (Non existent)...now it ticks like before. Its not loud. I can here it when the window is down at idle and driving.

All the other clean 964's i drove sounded like mine did when i just had them adjusted. Non existent. Now its back...Pretty ****ty considering I just spent $1300.00 in small service issues.

Ps. Do you think I should take it back?

Thanks
Jeff

springer3

Why would you take it back if they screwed up the first time? Be sure to ask for a different tech. It is normal to hear a little bit of valve tapping, but if they are done correctly, no particular valve will make a noise that stands above the rest. A well adjusted valve train sounds great - very even and quite soft and subtle. If it sounds annoying, you probably have uneven and incorrect adjustment. There is a little art to getting it right, but an experienced mechanic should have no problem.

I get a little scared when they are too quiet - they might be getting too close, and that will cause greater problems than getting the clearance too large. The most common mistake is to get the clearance too large, and if there is variation, that makes it sound worse. Fortunately, it causes no harm if the clearance is only a little bit to great.

Sorry you have a problem - hope it is resolved soon.

ulfpc

I am of the same opinion as springer3. If its to quiet its
worrying, if it ticks a little thats allright.
I would let the garage have a second chance
and hear there opinion.

Good Luck
Ulf

andrew911

Mine were adjusted for the first 15K service- ticked before at original factory settings (although I got the car at 13K miles), they ticked right after the 15K service, and they tick now at 17K miles. Especially noticable when driving on a highway next to a concrete half-wall with the top down...I have to laugh as it sounds like a bunch of old typewriters turned on .

Is it possible you simply didn't notice the noise when you first got the car back, or different conditions (colder/warmer motor or colder/warmer out) not sure if that makes a difference?

My guess is the ticking you're hearing is normal- I assume you used a reputable shop that fixes 911's normally?

By the way, the 993's were the first 911 with hydraulic lifters that didn't make the noises our 964's make...I like it- reminds me I'm in a real 911, as silly as the sound is

R6XTERRA

Absolutely, I used a shop recommended from the UCRPCA forum. I may be overexagerating a little. I am not 100% sure if they were supposed to tick a little. It may be just fine. They are going to look at it next week.

I was a little alarmed. I think you guys may have set me straight.


andrew911,

As you said...I mostly here it when running along the concrete barriers on the hwy at low speeds or idle....only.

Thanks for your input guys....I think it may just be in my head.

Jeff

Jeff Curtis

Jeff, they may tick a little, that's okay...but it should be a bit quieter than when you took the car in for service, that is, if it truly needed a valve adjustment. Often a valve adjustment can be performed and NOTHING was really adjusted too much. What I mean is that a technician can go across the whole valve train and really not have to tighten anything up considerably...so if the car ticked before, it's possible it might be a bit quieter now, but also consider an EXHAUST LEAK - being that they obviously have to remove your exhaust.

As for saying the 964 has "solid lifters", that is not correct...it has NO lifters!

We have overhead cams (a shame we don't have the vinyle graphics or a logo that says so on the rocker panels eh? ) the rocker arms run directly off the lobes of the camshaft and the adjustable "elephants feet" (sometimes referred to as valve tappets) are incorporated into the rocker arms and screw in/out as necessary to adjust for valve to tappet clearance.

These tappets make direct contact with the end of the valve stem to push it open or release tension on the valve to close.

If our engines did have hydraulic lifters, the valvetrain would be pretty quiet, with solid lifters, well, that's where them big V-8 motors get their valvetrain noise...we have overhead cams, no pushrods or lifters required.

Sorry, felt the need to clear that up...it's the "Techie" in me.

R6XTERRA

Jeff Curtis ,

It is a little quieter than before i brought it in...for sure. The only reason I took it to get the valves adjusted was becasue the engine was rebuilt from top to bottom 4k miles ago and it was recommneded to get them re-adjusted.

Jeff

andrew911

Jeff- sorry if I gave technical mis-information- that's a pet peeve of mine and I committed myself For instance, everyone talking about the new chrysler Hemi engine, and it doesn't even have hemispherical heads- just the marketing name "Hemi" being used (nice power though)- that irks me as I keep reading articles that open up with talk about the hemi history, then they go right into the new 2005 300c with the "new hemi motor"

I guess to clairify, I believe the 993's are the first 911's that don't need the valve adjustments like we have.

By the way, my mechanic did comment that not much adjustment was required in my motor, so that could also be why I didn't really notice any changes to the ticking noise level before and after adjustment.

R6Exterra, have it checked for piece of mind, but if they tell you it's normal, at least now you have confirmed that some ticking is OK, and even desirable in a properly adjusted motor.

delhi

hey! it's not a lexus ok. Mantis Racing (if you did bring it there) is a big shop. i doubt they would do shoddy work. lots of PCA members go there. Last thing they want is complains in the PCAUCR forum. hehehehe

R6XTERRA

DELHI,

I never posted names....in this thread....hehehehehe. Just asking the question. I am learning everyday. They are going to check it out anyway...I would like a piece of mind. I am sure its all in my head.

Ps. I have the exhaust going on today. I can hardly wait. Soon enough I won't here anything. Wooohooo.

Jeff

Arjan B.

Jeff,

I made a mistake when I djusted the valves of my car back in November.....
I checked the clearance between the cam and the rocker arm, and not between the cam and the rocker arm srew. Please check my "100.000 miles service, do it yourself" from last Oktober/November. I had the same problem then, started the car the first time, and sounded like a 1100 cc Ford Fietsa....
The valve train should make a noice, but not too much. May be the guys made a mistake, or your valves where too tight before adjustment.

I would not drive too far if the clearance is too much, you will damage your cam and rockerarm because of the distance which is too big between the two parts. Starts working like a hammer.

axl911

Just wait until you do the adjustment yourself for the first time and hearing the ticking.

You will go crazy thinking how your ruined your engine.



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anthony
smoky 92