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My car is an 85. 135,000 miles on stock engine. The car runs fantastic. On my way home tonight, just driving regular (not driving it hard or anything), a quarter mile from home it started ticking or tapping from the driver side bank. It also backfired a couple times when I gave it a little gas to make it the rest of the way to my driveway. I could hear/feel it coming through the driver side exhaust pipe too, if that makes any sense. (It has true dual exhaust the whole way back). Anyways, the ticking sound sounded like something was tapping on the inside of the valve cover, so I pulled it in the garage and pulled the driver side valve cover thinking it could possibly be a rocker arm that came completely loose or something that was tapping on the valve cover. When I pulled the cover everything looked good under there. Next I pulled the plugs on that side. (Plugs and wires were replaced 2 months ago)They all looked good except one. Cylinder 3. It was really bad. I'm attaching a pic of it. I put a new plug in that I had and fired the engine with the valve cover still off and it's still making the noise. I'm attaching the link to the video I took of it. I uploaded it on YouTube so I could put the link on here. I'm not sure what to do next and I really have no idea what the noise is but I have a feeling I'll have to tear the engine apart. A little background on the car: I've had it for 9 years. I replaced the head gaskets and injectors 10,000 miles ago, about 6 years ago. When that was done I had the heads checked and they checked out ok and need valve guide seals were installed. If anyone can give me an idea of what to do or check next or give me any idea or their opinion of what the noise is it would be a lifesaver. I love driving this car and it is a huge bummer that this happened. Any help or advice would be much appreciated. I love this forum! Thank you in advance.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kVpD9hvdeIQ
Last edited by tuneportbeast; 10-19-2016 at 10:08 PM.
Good question about the oil on the threads. I'm not sure. It could have been from a little oil running down on it while I was pulling it out but I don't think so. I think that's just how it was when I pulled it out. I've never done a compression test before but I imagine it's pretty simple. What will I need to buy? Does Advance sell a tester or loan one out or where should I get one?
You need to get a automotive stethoscope....or just use a very long screw driver. Start the engine and place the screw driver or stethoscope from rocker to rocker to isolate your noise. You could have a collapsed lifter.
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
The SP body is dry and the threads are wet...?!
With that plug looking so clogged, I'm thinking a comp test or leakdown.
Best do a youtube search or find a local shop to do this for you.
And get a quote first, tell'em its a Camaro. See if they add the Corvette tax....
I just did a compression test on each cylinder on the driver side bank.
Cylinder 1 - 135
Cylinder 3 - 144
Cylinder 5 - 134
Cylinder 7 - 146
Cylinder 3 is the one that the real bad spark plug was in and seems to be where the noise is coming from. Advance didn't have a leak down test tool. Do you think it's necessary to do a leak down test? Do those numbers look alright to you guys? What should my next step be? Also the noise doesn't occur when just cranking the engine over without firing it.
I'm going way out in left field here.
Since the latest replacements were plugs and wires, I'm going with a bad wire or a bad connection in the wire to one of the end terminals. It would jump the gap for a while till it burned back enough to create a gap too large to fire every time. That would fill your cylinder with raw gas and spit it into the exhaust port where it could be ignited by exhaust from the other cylinders. (Back fire) With that many miles on the engine the valve guides are probably worn and the seals hard and leaky. With that cylinder not firing every time it would build up a lot of oil and raw gas and cook it onto that plug when it does fire. The clicking could be the spark trying to jump the gap in the bad wire when it has enough energy to fire that plug. NOW, That's just a wild *** guess on my part, so like the others here I'll be watching to see what the real problem and cure is. Just hope it doesn't have to come from a tear-down and autopsy. Good luck and keep posting!
That is a really crazy but brilliant guess in my opinion. It could be. That would be really nice if it was. I'll check the wire and report back. I just talked to a local engine builder, that I am friends with, and showed him the video and he said to check the pushrods to make sure the ends are good and if that's not it, it's probably a valve seal
Through my tinny laptop speakers it sounds like something hitting sheet metal, like perhaps the front of the engine or some such? What happens as you speed up the engine? Of course it gets faster but does it get louder of more eratic? I have to agree that it has the sharp crisp snap of an electric arc which would explain the fouled plug. Easy check is to simply unplug the wire. That would be an easy fix. Valve guide? I really don't think the sound sounds like a guide. Collapsed lifter is easy to check out. Are the rockers all snug? If the lifter collapsed the lift would be limited. Good luck, and hoping to hear your findings.
The rocker arms are all snug. I unplugged the wire from the plug and it is throwing a spark. I then unplugged it from the distributor cap and all together and the engine is still making the noise. He said an intake valve seal. Not the valve guide seal. Also when upping the engine speed the noise is faster and it does seem to be more erratic
Ok, so its not the spark plug wire. I have 2 suggestions that may help you isolate the sound. Try a rubber of vinyl hose, one end to your ear the other move it around and you can isolate the sound. Garden hose will work. The other is to use a large screwdriver, one end, the handle that is, in your ear and the other on a solid part of the engine. Be careful to not hit anything moving while its in your ear or you will get quite a hit. I prefer the hose idea but if its internal to the engine the screwdriver trick works. It sure sound like a "loose" something!
I will keep that in mind. I just pulled the pushrods at that cylinder to inspect them and the one lifter came out with one of the pushrods and fell down in so it's laying sideways on top of the seat its supposed to sit in. You can see it and move it with something stuck down the pushrod hole. What does anyone think the odds are I can get it with a magnet and sit it back down in the seat? I know I'm going to be taking the heads off anyways, however the space it's in in the garage I need empty to move other cars around while it's being fixed. This might be a stupid question but if I can't get the lifter back in its seat can I run it, without the pushrod, just to move it 20 yards to my other garage space?
If you can't get it out with your magnet get a bigger magnet. This should work. If its like any other SBC motor you can get at it by removing the intake manifold. That's much easier than removing the cylinder head.
You might be able to grab that lifter with one of those long claw tip cable tools with the push button on the handle that opens the claw end.Those things are skinny and will go down the pushrod hole pretty easy. The magnet would work too. When you get it in the hole just pull the magnet off while holding the lifter in the hole with a skinny screwdriver or piece of brass tubing.
Last edited by Klondike; 10-20-2016 at 04:51 PM.
Reason: thought of more
Got the lifter back in. I'm going to check comoression on passenger side now and then pull the passenger side valve cover and have a look. Thanks for all the responses so far. I will let you know my findings
I pulled the other valve cover and fired it up. I'm attaching a video of it. The pushrod all the way in the back isn't going up and down. What could that mean? I'm assuming this is the cause of the sound I'm hearing.
10-19-2016, 09:41 PM
85 tapping coming from engine Advice Please
piston slap?
