I just got my car back from the shop for a new fan clutch, and replacement of the air check valve that had a hole and sent hot air over the oil pressure sender and melted part of it creating an oil leak at the back of the motor, all fixed now but on return I can hear a ticking sound from the driver’s side (LHD) bank, it is not very loud and I can’t hear it with the hood closed, do I have the dreaded dropped valve seat or could it be something else? Not feeling too good at the moment! Taking it back tomorrow.
Follow up: I just started the motor up again it was warm but not hot, I put a screwdriver on the valve covers with the handle to my ears and everything sounds the same along each valve cover so I am hoping I am all OK and I can still hear the ticking but not so bad, it might be coming from the distributor it does sound a bit like a spark jumping a gap.
A mechanics stethoscope works wonders on listening to things run and the sounds within, bearings in the alternator, valves ticking, so many sounds to listen to. Be forewarned tough, don’t shake the free metal sensor end sticking out of the stethoscope sound body when the earpieces are in your ears … the sound can be quite loud.
Mine had a ticking on acceleration, eventually was more noticeable on a cold start- was a leaking exhaust manifold gasket (to the head). Was hard to pinpoint with all the other underhood noises- I used a length of heater hose as a stethoscope to locate it. A pain in the ass job, on the left side of a LHD car; can’t even imagine having to do the right side with the starter in the way.
Agreed, hard to tell from where I’m sitting but according to the book probably would sound like someone hitting the cylinder head from within the engine with a ball pean hammer.
I would be curious to know where the temp gauge was sitting prior to this clicking or tapping noise. Especially prior to restarting the engine.
Gary, the car was in the shop so it was not run enough to get hot, they put a new fan clutch in and the temp gauge stays right in line with the top of the N and was measured at 190 F by my mechanics, no sign of recent overheating, it was not ticking before so I guess it could be something was disturbed, keeping my fingers crossed but taking it back in this afternoon.
I would suspect that’s the good news then. Sounds like you have something else going on. Apologies, didn’t read the whole thread again, but what type of oil (weight) and when was it last changed. Maybe you need to run some MMO and give it a little warm up run?
Well thanks to everyone for their input, the ticking was quite noticeable when I got the car back, drove it today and got to my mechanics and what do you know as soon as I am there no ticking he listened to it for quite a while and said he did not hear anything bad going on, seems fine now and drives great, now just wish I could get my trunk latch to close properly does not want to align up, that is a minor problem though. As far as the temp reading goes it is 190 F at the top of the N but I don’t trust the accuracy of the barrel gauge especially as my instrument cluster needs all the connections cleaned on it, some day I will get to that! cheers Geoff
I would suspect that’s the good news then. Sounds like you have something else going on. Apologies, didn’t read the whole thread again, but what type of oil (weight) and when was it last changed. Maybe you need to run some MMO and give it a little warm up run?