No Help:Tapping Noise after Valve Gasket Replacement!
10-31-2007, 01:48 PM
#1
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No Help:Tapping Noise after Valve Gasket Replacement!
1) 1995 Carrera 4 (NB)
2) ~75k
3) No Mods
4) Tapping noise from lower left valve cover; like someone inside with a little hammer trying to get out.
5) Major Service 60k completed. Recent oil change 2k ago; leaking lower valve gaskets replaced yesterday.
The car is and has been running like a jewel. But the weeping lower valve covers had gotten on my nerves. Took it to reputable shop yesterday and they replace both sides. Upon arrival back home, I notice a distinct "tap-tap-tap", or "tick-tick-tick" noise coming from the lower left side of the engine. Never heard it before and it wasn't present before the new gaskets were put in. Called the shop back, and they think it's a stuck lifter, or my valve guides are shot. Huh? WTF?? The car doesn't burn oil, (1 qt, every 2000-2500) no smoke, and no blue smoke when standing on it until redline in 3rd.
Read some other threads....could they have overtightened the covers, such that the rockers or lifters are now coming into contact with the cover? I'm not a wrench so please excuse my ignorance. I just know the car wasn't making that noise before the gaskets were replaced. Thoughts? TIA.
2) ~75k
3) No Mods
4) Tapping noise from lower left valve cover; like someone inside with a little hammer trying to get out.
5) Major Service 60k completed. Recent oil change 2k ago; leaking lower valve gaskets replaced yesterday.
The car is and has been running like a jewel. But the weeping lower valve covers had gotten on my nerves. Took it to reputable shop yesterday and they replace both sides. Upon arrival back home, I notice a distinct "tap-tap-tap", or "tick-tick-tick" noise coming from the lower left side of the engine. Never heard it before and it wasn't present before the new gaskets were put in. Called the shop back, and they think it's a stuck lifter, or my valve guides are shot. Huh? WTF?? The car doesn't burn oil, (1 qt, every 2000-2500) no smoke, and no blue smoke when standing on it until redline in 3rd.
Read some other threads....could they have overtightened the covers, such that the rockers or lifters are now coming into contact with the cover? I'm not a wrench so please excuse my ignorance. I just know the car wasn't making that noise before the gaskets were replaced. Thoughts? TIA.
Last edited by FLYT993; 11-01-2007 at 09:19 PM.
10-31-2007, 02:23 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
What do you mean by "sit"....my car rarely "sits" for more than 3 days, and even when it has, on occasion, sat for a week, I've never heard the noise.
10-31-2007, 02:27 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
Sometimes, if I don't drive the car for a week or 10 days, it ticks for an hour, only on one side. Wrench doesn't seem concerned so I'm not.
Since I haven't replaced the valve covers myself, I can't offer any suggestion more than my limited--and perhaps irrelevant-- experience.
Since I haven't replaced the valve covers myself, I can't offer any suggestion more than my limited--and perhaps irrelevant-- experience.
10-31-2007, 03:00 PM
#7
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10-31-2007, 03:19 PM
#8
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Dan: are you absolutely sure there wasn't a 'ticking' before that you didn't notice? If I stick my head down low kneeling back there while the car's idling my ears will zero in on individual noises that I never hear when driving the car.
10-31-2007, 03:20 PM
#9
Drifting
I had the same problem recently, same exact area, and it turned out to be two finger tight spark plugs. No more porblem. It would not be out of the norm for them to have removed your plugs to do the covers. All your lower (and upper) plugs on the Drivers side of the 993 are easily accessible, the lowers being the easiest of all. Just use a sparkplug socket and and a 8" or so extension to reach up in each hole and gently tighten the plugs. You may find one that is especially loose. You can do this on your back and not even have to raise the car up! I would have PM'd you but you are not set up for PMs.
Last edited by Marlon; 10-31-2007 at 04:34 PM.
10-31-2007, 05:01 PM
#10
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Thread Starter
I had the same problem recently, same exact area, and it turned out to be two finger tight spark plugs. No more porblem. It would not be out of the norm for them to have removed your plugs to do the covers. All your lower (and upper) plugs on the Drivers side of the 993 are easily accessible, the lowers being the easiest of all. Just use a sparkplug socket and and a 8" or so extension to reach up in each hole and gently tighten the plugs. You may find one that is especially loose. You can do this on your back and not even have to raise the car up! I would have PM'd you but you are not set up for PMs.
10-31-2007, 05:30 PM
#12
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
I had the same problem recently, same exact area, and it turned out to be two finger tight spark plugs. No more porblem. It would not be out of the norm for them to have removed your plugs to do the covers. All your lower (and upper) plugs on the Drivers side of the 993 are easily accessible, the lowers being the easiest of all. Just use a sparkplug socket and and a 8" or so extension to reach up in each hole and gently tighten the plugs. You may find one that is especially loose. You can do this on your back and not even have to raise the car up! I would have PM'd you but you are not set up for PMs.
10-31-2007, 07:06 PM
#14
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Thread Starter
You know, I thought the same thing, but then realized...no way. I'm constantly listening and feeling the car for anything "weird." It's not subtle..very pronounced and obvious. In fact, Robin and I just looked over the car a few weeks ago, and he said, engine sounds great.
10-31-2007, 07:12 PM
#15
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Thread Starter
How would the lifters "dry" out? The biggest clue for me is, this tapping noise did NOT EXIST before I had the gaskets replaced.....now it does. There has to be a connection/relationship there.
It's like going to the dentist to have a tooth fixed, and when you leave your lip hurts, and your lip wasn't hurting before you sat in that chair for a few hours.
I know that sounds simple but how tricky can this be. The car was running fine, no unknown noises before the repair. Now it has this freakin' tapping, coming from the area where the work was done.