Engine Tapping Noise Not Valve Clearance Related
 

Valve clearances professionally adjusted and stethoscope test shows it's coming from the block area and particularly louder on right bank. Somebody tell me if this is normal or not. Noise disappear when on throttle and car is currently running great. Videos below from around the engine and one from the cabin. Thank you


http://youtu.be/1RoifKr4A8E

http://youtu.be/1YLQ3NdsiEc

Maybe you hear something not in the vid but the clatter sounds like valves to me, they'll still make noise after an adjustment....when they don't make noise you have an issue...too tight.

Have you checked to see if you have a chain tensioner going soft?

Rahl

No. How do you check? And the mechanic wiuld have identified this correct?

I agree. Yes the video doesn't really highlight the tapping.

When a Carrera tensioner is failing you have chain noise until about 2000 to 2200 then the noise goes away. Tensioner still needs to be changed.
Bruce

Just a note, shops will error to too loose rather than too tight.

We just adjusted buddies 86, he was told by the shop he could not adjust any further. I was like really? Okay so we tackled it and tested all the shop's adjustments. well guess what we found? 4 out 6 were loose.

Put her back together, no more tappet noises :D

Block area? Explain. Out to in: cam tower, heads, cylinder, case (block) Stethoscope should be pretty localized vs "area"

Sounds like valves to me.

Sounds pretty normal to me. A clackety valve is a happy valve.

As flat6pac mentioned above the rattling noise will be at idle thru about 2,000rpm to 2,500rpm. The danger is that a loose chain can jump a tooth and valve timing will be lost causing collision between the valves and pistons.

If the noise does go away above 2,000rpm it is "most likely" loose valves.

Rahl

Rattling noise sounds like a chain being drug over a metal garbage can with played out tensioners. Not hearing that.

I say this based on reading Bruce Anderson's 911 Performance Handbook. Not from personal experience.

The noise is a long, long way from a rattling noise.

I bet all is just fine and DRACO's comment is the answer. The tech just added a little insurance so the job would not come back.

Sounds like too much rocker to valve clearance to me.

Thanks for the replies so far gentlemen. When I get the chance I will recheck and locate the exact source if the tapping. Repeat beyond idling engine sounds normal with no tapping or any chain noise.

another fairly recent post here on same subject on a 3.2 eventually reported the noise was from a worn guide - do a search for it

Sounds EXACTLY like my old 3.0 with new 3.2 tensioners just installed, and the lash was set too loose.

Sounded just like that, note for note, same cadence. Drove me crazy, imagining stuff.

loose #3
 

I had a VERY respected shop adjust valves on my 84 wide body. There was obviously a LOUD valve. Got it back, same noise, send it could be a valve guide. I knew it wasn't, never even smoke on start up. Took it to another shop, #3 was 10mm loose. Readjusted, not a noise.

Won't worn guides result in bad leakdown numbers not 2%?

No, but the valve will wiggle, and possibly clatter when seating. Usually you will get increased oil consumption, and or deposits on the exhaust valves. Puffs of smoke can come out the exhaust during downshifts, but not when accelerating.

1/4 quart after 2k miles and no such smoke.

Once my injectors came on with key on....made a lot of noise like yours. That said I just finished a top-end job on my 3.2 (broken head stud). The shop set the valves and said I needed to drive it for 1,000-1,500 miles to let the heads settle, and then re-torque the heads. They said the valves could get louder until the re-torque. My valves sound like yours..but only once the oil is warm. When it is not, they are quiet.

Does it make your noise all the time, or only once the oil is warm...meaning near the first white line? Does your car make any other noises when on the road/under load? I hear a deep knock from your in car video....that sounds different to me then the valve tappet noise from the engine compartment.