Bad lifter? Something else?
 

So today I was driving my car how I normally drive it and I heard this ticking noise. Doesn't really tick as bad at idle as it does at higher rpm. Around 2k rpms you can hear a fast rapid clicking noise. It really sounds like its only 1 but not even sure if that is what im hearing. Tomorrow I dont have work so im planning to pop the valve cover off and take a look. Can anyone help me out in what to look for etc. What else may be causing the ticking problem? Thanks alot, really appreciate it guys.

theres a way to fill the lifters back up if they ran dry somehow. its in the mitsu manual. basically sit the car at idle and hold the rpm to 3000rpm for 15 seconds and let off, then repeat 10-15 times and if it goes away its the lifter, if not then something else is loose in there. how bad does it sound? its not super loud is it?

Mmm, alright I can try that.. and no its not super loud at all but is noticeable.

If you have a downpipe, you might want to check it for clearance issues. I had a bad ticking metal on metal noise a while back and found out it was my downpipe hitting the case. I banged up the dp and no hittin now :)

take a peep under the valve cover to see if there is anything thereout of place

Here is a video, taking the cover off soon, just wanted to get some more opinions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldx5DfanUlg

that sounds like rod knock. stop running the car and remove the oil pan and check for rod bearing play before you cause anymore harm to your motor. If it is rod knock and you continue to run the car the bearing shavings will destroy everything oil touches including the turbo, cams, oil pump, oil cooler, and the list just goes on and on.

drain the oil first, but as you're draining it look for gold shavings/ flakes if you see them you spun a rod bearing. i hope you didn't, but it sounds like you did.

pull the pan, make sure you take it off carefully with a pry bar, don't bend the edges if you can avoid it. then if its not rod knock put it back on using RTV gray silicone.

make another video and put the camera to the valve cover and then down to the pan.. if it gets louder at the pan in the video its rod knock.

I dont plan on starting the car again if thats the news, ill drain the oil and see if there are shavings in it :( ugh

Well, it sounds like a lifter to me.

sounded like a collapsed lifter even tho i couldnt really hear it well

Well I guess what im going to do bleed the lifters to see if it still happens. If not then the next step.

I had the same valvetrain noise in my Evo about 4 months ago...I ended up using Justice Brothers engine treatment and the noise went away.

http://justicebrothers.com/pages/pro..._additives.htm

Good Luck, hope it's not something bad.

sounds too high pitched & fast to be in the bottom end, most likely just a bad lifter.


when you pull the VC to check the lifters check for any binding, wear or looseness of the roller bearing on the rockers, had a customer car once that had a bad (stuck) roller on one rocker & it sounded identical to a bad lifter

I know the sound quality on the video is bad but thats what it sounds like fast rapid clicking coming from the valves. I had the car running today for couple minutes and tried to listen in the bottom end and I really dont think its a bearing. Im going to take out the lifters tomorrow or saturday and bleed them and hope it goes away. If not ill drain my oil and look for shavings. However it is october and starting to get cold in Connecticut. I know these motors are notorious for noise and never really experienced it in the cold with 272s, and supertech valve springs and retainers. So im hoping thats why they are ticking. Wish me luck lol.