How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

[Vinci]

I've got a noise in my C20XE for a few months now and it seems like it is getting worse. It doesn't seem to have to do anything with warm or cold, it's always present. It seems like it is coming from an injector, at least it certainly seems to come from that area. The engine sounds a bit like a diesel engine, steady tick that goes up and down with revving. Engine pulls like a train, revs beautifully, no smoke no problems other than that irritating noise!

It's especially present around 2000 rpm and gets a little higher pitched when I release the throttle. Reason why I suspect it is an injector is that it doesn't seem to get any louder when I open the oil cap.... Any way I can check this or should I just start with an injector clean up, I do own an ultrasonic cleaner.

P.S. This is a bit how it sounds:
B18C Ticky Ticky Injectors or Tappets - YouTube

But I can shoot a video of the sound of my own engine sometime soon....

Thanks for any ideas!

[DarrenH]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

is there a doctor in the house ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-154006-Mechanics-Stethoscope/dp/B001C0RYPG

[Vinci]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Thanks, yes someone on the Dutch forums also said this would help. Does it really? Seems like these ar emade for very low level sound rather than the devilish orchestra from an engine??

[easytrans]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

is there a doctor in the house ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-1.../dp/B001C0RYPG

Or the quick old fashion method of a long shank screwdriver (with the hard plastic handle pressed against the ear and the blade touching various areas of the engine listening for the source and change of noise).

Laurie.

EDIT: does it work ? Hell yes "! try my screwdriver option and you will soon be convinced. /EDIT

[BlackBox]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

is there a doctor in the house ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-1.../dp/B001C0RYPG

Works on the same principal of the device I made to listen to engine knock when tuning the ecu, "metal tube bolted to engine-pvc pipe-ear defenders"

Can you hear anything ... hell yes ... loads ... very clear.

Lauries screwdriver also works very well too ...

[Vinci]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Lmao!

Alright, funny thing is, yesterday I experimented a bit and after driving the car nicely up to temps I went to rev it like a maniac for a little while. Didn't appear to help, though this morning I thought I'd have a go to shoot a little vid of it it hardly ticked! Then drove it up to temps and still didn't really, maybe very very slightly...

Now what?? Hope it stays!

[BlackBox]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Sounds like a sticking tappet, do you leave the car standing for any length of time ... days?

[easytrans]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Well I took my 16v GTE off the road over 10 years ago specifically to replace the hydraulic tappets and a bit of paintwork (the tappets were getting very clattery back then) but having restored the car last August and done about 2k with it (still not having swapped the tappets) its a quiet as a mouse so maybe in another 10 years ???? I still have the new followers that Garry Poole "Astrasylum" got for me back then .....


Lets hope your clatter remains missing like mine


Laurie.

[Vinci]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

The vids from this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z7eeANZQMs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVCyz3izp60

The sound quality is rather poor, it was filmed with my phone... The engine noise in reality is a little more subtle....

Oh and I do leave the car for a few days now and then, but also frequently do long distances. It is the family car now though, so the rides done in it are usually rather slow and tame, not what the engine was designed for I guess...

[Vinci]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Alright, just made an hour drive on the motorway and the tick is back, as said it is there whether the engine is hot or cold. Perhaps it is an injector afterall, shot some new footage...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBSo2Fq-YeQ

[BlackBox]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Sounds like tappets ... injectors make a different sound from what I can remember.

When I first ran my engine after 8 years off the road and never being started it made that noise for months and months ... now it doesn't .... I didn't do anything, just ran it ...

[Vinci]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

So, are you saying I should just leave it for some more time? What if it is a bearing or sticky valve or something else that is serious? This engine was not ticking at all for about two and a half years I drove it for about 15000 miles. Before that it was in my basement for about three years before I actually had all the parts complete (got it for little money as just an engine block with a revised head fitted)

Maybe I should just buy some new INA tappets just to be sure, maybe this head has been fitted with some junk Ebay tappets for all I know?

[crocket81]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Its the tappets mate,mine sounded exactally the same.Would do it some days but not others hot or cold didnt make a difference and it still pulled like a train!

[BlackBox]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

So you have recently re-run this engine after it's been standing for some time? In that case just run it ... sticky valve?? Hardly ... I can't see how, anyways if a valve was sticking you's prob know about it !!

Nah, just run it and change the oil a little more frequently ... as said, it'll not stifle the power anyway ...

[Vinci]

Re: How to distinguish tappets ticking from injector ticking??

Well not exactly recently, been driving it or about 2.5 years now after it's been sitting still for 3 years. Of the 2.5 year it's just been the past three months it's been ticking....

If it can't damage the engine I'll just give it some more time and keep an eye on it. I've been using 5W40 from day 1, should I try something else?

Sorry for all the noob questions, I know a lot more than I did three years ago, but still in the learning curve... Electrics are more my cup of tea than these freaking meachanics!!