924 Ticking

kdbillings74 · 05-26-2014, 07:15 AM

I have a 924 with a 4 cyl motor. When it is running it studders on acceleration and has a ticking noise coming from the top back of the motor by the firewall. When ever it get up to about 30 it starts running better and there is not as much of a stall.

I was wondering if it sounded like a bad fuel injector or if anyone had heard of this before?

Thanks

mytrplseven · mytrplseven's Garage

A bad injector or valve lifter could be the issue. A company called Witch Hunter (sp) in Bellingham, WA will rebuild your injectors in a week. They're fairly cheap and quick turn around.

fiat22turbo · fiat22turbo's Garage

Is it a 2.0 or 2.5L motor?

The 2.0L motors need to have their valve clearances adjusted periodically and the ticking could be a lifter out of adjustment or worse. They also can have an issue with the camshaft oiling tube failing by either breaking in half or the rubber elbow fails, either way it usually wipes out the camshaft and the lifters and they aren't cheap to replace ($80/ea for the lifters for example).

If it truly is the 2.0L, then that noise could also be in the distributor area and I'd suggest checking the plug wires, cap and rotor for wear. Also the 2.0 has a weird issue where it can be mounted to the head in two orientations, one will be slightly too high and can hit the hood causing weird ignition issues, check for rub marks on the hood where the distributor is.

Generally with the 2.0L, the driveability issues are either bad electrical connections, so I reccommend cleaning and checking every connection in the engine bay and under the dash on a periodic basis, or CIS issues. CIS is a fairly complex system, but as long as you take care of it and ensure it is adjusted properly and free of vacuum leaks it tends to work great.

Slam · 05-26-2014, 08:11 AM

924 or 924S?

If 924, your valves may need adjusting. If the clatter is coming from #4, you should pop your valve cover off and check your cam oiler. It's a tube that runs from the front of the head and is responsible for delivering oil to the cam and lifters. Pop on over to 924board and have a read up on valve adjusting.

As for your stuttering problem, diagnosing CIS running issues can be a bit of a black art. Here again, 924board will have good answers.

If you're talking about a 924S, then I'd agree with mytrplseven - have your injectors looked at. 924S engines sound like insane sewing machines anyway, what with the injectors clattering away...

kdbillings74 · 05-26-2014, 08:14 AM

I am pretty sure it is the 924 with 2.5l I4.

Slam · 05-26-2014, 08:17 AM

What year? If an 87 or 88, then yes.

kdbillings74 · 05-26-2014, 08:21 AM

It is defiantly an 87 with 2.5-Ltr, Bosch Motronic

fiat22turbo · fiat22turbo's Garage

So you have a 924S which is essentually an early 944 in a slibky dress

Still could be lifters, but they are hydraulic in the 2.5. Injectors that arent working as well as they could be can tick more loudly. Check the connectors and maybe have them cleaned and flow tested at an injector shop.

The exhaust manifold or exhaust could be cracked, causing the ticking noise.

kdbillings74 · 05-27-2014, 07:36 AM

Is there an easy way to tell if a injector is clicking. I pulled the spark plugs last night and they all looked like they had white stuff on them.

Slam · 05-27-2014, 09:08 AM

You can disconnect each injector one at a time with the engine running. Of course it'll run like crap but it may tell you if one is noisy. Given your description, I'd perhaps suspect a lifter more than an injector. Have you got a stethoscope you can listen to the valve train with? Can you run the car and post a vid on YouTube?

White stuff or tan stuff on the spark plugs? Can you throw up a pic? Some deposits are normal.