Bottom end ticking (?)
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 850
Likes: 224
From: US
Sorry for the delay, a leaky rear main seal has developed so other work has halted. Took it to a reputable shop here, confirmed it was rear main seal, but they also looked at the exhaust and could not find any leaks after it cooled off.
some more info:
- no vacuum leaks
- no bad exhaust smell
- idle is smooth (700 +/- 15rpms)
- no luck finding any exhaust leak (while cool)
- noise still present only at idle, anything north of 1,000rpms and it disappears
Possible suspects at the moment: exhaust leak, timing chains, valvetrain
The lack of bad exhaust smell is swaying me away from pre-cats, could a ticking noise be caused from an exhaust leak way back near the muffler? Also, is an exhaust leak only when hot even possible? If manifold were cracked/warped, wouldn’t the noise only be present when cool, and vanish once hot and expanded?
Next time I’m out, planning on getting a recording of the noise next to a solid wall since that is when it’s most noticeable. Once seal is replaced, planning on grabbing a stethoscope and looking for noise that way. If I don’t have any luck after that, might just need to upgrade speaks system or straight pipe it to mask the ticking XD
Any more theories/ideas are welcome! Sorry no real update on the issue, oil spots on the driveway take precedence
some more info:
- no vacuum leaks
- no bad exhaust smell
- idle is smooth (700 +/- 15rpms)
- no luck finding any exhaust leak (while cool)
- noise still present only at idle, anything north of 1,000rpms and it disappears
Possible suspects at the moment: exhaust leak, timing chains, valvetrain
The lack of bad exhaust smell is swaying me away from pre-cats, could a ticking noise be caused from an exhaust leak way back near the muffler? Also, is an exhaust leak only when hot even possible? If manifold were cracked/warped, wouldn’t the noise only be present when cool, and vanish once hot and expanded?
Next time I’m out, planning on getting a recording of the noise next to a solid wall since that is when it’s most noticeable. Once seal is replaced, planning on grabbing a stethoscope and looking for noise that way. If I don’t have any luck after that, might just need to upgrade speaks system or straight pipe it to mask the ticking XD
Any more theories/ideas are welcome! Sorry no real update on the issue, oil spots on the driveway take precedence
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 23
Likes: 10
From: Naples Florida
Wasn’t planning on messing with any of the vacuum lines unless y’all think the ticking noise could be related(?)
Member
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 169
Likes: 45
From: Abita Springs
Since the Tensioners were mentioned here, i have a Q :
From reading about the Tensioner changes for quite a while now, it seems that some people advocated priming the new ones in oil.
Then, later advice i see seems like people learned that priming the new ones made it very difficult to get started in the threads.
So, Today, after a whole lot of info on people installing these, couldn’t we conclude Now, that priming is not necessary since we can later un-plug the coil and spin it over and prime them ??
From reading about the Tensioner changes for quite a while now, it seems that some people advocated priming the new ones in oil.
Then, later advice i see seems like people learned that priming the new ones made it very difficult to get started in the threads.
So, Today, after a whole lot of info on people installing these, couldn’t we conclude Now, that priming is not necessary since we can later un-plug the coil and spin it over and prime them ??
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 23
Likes: 10
From: Naples Florida
Since the Tensioners were mentioned here, i have a Q :
From reading about the Tensioner changes for quite a while now, it seems that some people advocated priming the new ones in oil.
Then, later advice i see seems like people learned that priming the new ones made it very difficult to get started in the threads.
So, Today, after a whole lot of info on people installing these, couldn’t we conclude Now, that priming is not necessary since we can later un-plug the coil and spin it over and prime them ??
From reading about the Tensioner changes for quite a while now, it seems that some people advocated priming the new ones in oil.
Then, later advice i see seems like people learned that priming the new ones made it very difficult to get started in the threads.
So, Today, after a whole lot of info on people installing these, couldn’t we conclude Now, that priming is not necessary since we can later un-plug the coil and spin it over and prime them ??
Not that you asked, but watch out for the little sheet metal gasket when tightening down. It will want to get trapped under a collar on the tensioner and will not seal. The size of the resulting oil puddle will also tell you how well that oil galley is flowing, and mine was flowing at 101%
TLDR: No, I cannot definitively say which method is better.
Last edited by WcwNitro; Jul 26, 2023 at 04:16 PM.
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Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 23
Likes: 10
From: Naples Florida
Ticking unsolved and closed
While investigating for the ticking, I decided to remove the passenger valve cover just to confirm a worst-case suspicion… naturally, the passenger side guide had relocated itself to the oil pan. Ended up skipping a sprocket shortly after, because why the heck wouldn’t it.
Was neck deep in work and school, was quoted $5500 to replace the chains and guides all around or get a reman engine with a 3 year unlimited mile warranty for $7k so a few months later, got a new motor and the ticking is gone. Not the most desirable result and was certainly expensive but no rattles, ticking, or old gasket to worry about anymore.
As far as the noise I originally posted, I am not 100% it was the timing chain ticking like that but now I’ll never know. 2 shops couldn't find an exhaust leak so… oh well I suppose. Will never know.
moral of the story as I see it, if you’ve got the 4.0 sohc and it’s making a ticking/rattle, just pull the valve cover before wasting too much time :(
I am sorry I don’t have an appropriate solution for the ticking that started this thread, but it was probably an exhaust leak or the timing guide. Thank you for the responses!
Was neck deep in work and school, was quoted $5500 to replace the chains and guides all around or get a reman engine with a 3 year unlimited mile warranty for $7k so a few months later, got a new motor and the ticking is gone. Not the most desirable result and was certainly expensive but no rattles, ticking, or old gasket to worry about anymore.
As far as the noise I originally posted, I am not 100% it was the timing chain ticking like that but now I’ll never know. 2 shops couldn't find an exhaust leak so… oh well I suppose. Will never know.
moral of the story as I see it, if you’ve got the 4.0 sohc and it’s making a ticking/rattle, just pull the valve cover before wasting too much time :(
I am sorry I don’t have an appropriate solution for the ticking that started this thread, but it was probably an exhaust leak or the timing guide. Thank you for the responses!
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