# Ticking sound from engine



## nyit240 (Jun 17, 2002)

Lately when i start the engine or rev it a little hard on stop and go or high way I can hear some ticking sound from the engine. It's NOT those deisel engine ticking sound. It sounded like pistons/valves/metal chain rubbing on the engine block. Any idea? The car has 122000miles now. hope this is not a bad sign


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## minute rice sentra (Mar 21, 2003)

Does it sound like maybe valves? It could be as simple as adjusting your valve clearance, have you checked the oil yet?

EDIT: I forgot the GA's had hydraulic lifters so they can't really be adjusted to my knowledge, here's a little something from the service manual, if there's more than a 1mm or .04" gap between the rocker arm and the lifter with the valve closed, air could be trapped in the lifter and needs to be bled out by running the engine at 1,000 rpm under no load for about 10 minutes, but if the lifters are still noisy they need to be replaced.


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## sentrastud (May 3, 2002)

It might be the timing chain tensioner, usually when this goes, your engine sounds like a diesel at idle. If its not completly broken thoguh it may produced the sound your hearing. It will sound sort of like a repeating scraping noise. 

It could also be a little bit of valve slap or valve lash. Getting your valves adjusted would clear that. 

-Nick


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## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

worst case could be bearings


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## Elbow Greese (Feb 22, 2004)

To continue the thread with similar symptoms, my GA16i just started making this noise today, but only when engine is under load (sounds like it would be valve tapping).
Is this air trapped in the system that idling at 1000rpm or so for 10 min would take care of?
If not, how would one go about replacing the lifters, or is this a mechanics job?
Thanks!
Todd


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## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

My 87 pulsar(e16i)..made a kind of tapping ticking noise when I bought it..sounded like the rocker arms were tapping the valve cover...got real bad about 5 thousand miles later, opened the valve cover and my rocker arm shaft was busted right in half(the bolts holding the shaft to the cylinder head worked there way out over time and ended up busting the shaft)...well I got a used shaft for 10 bucks and slapped it on, I also adjusted the valve lash(think thats what ya call it)with a feeler gauge(really don't know if I did it right)...Put everything back together and the sucker still made a light tapping noise...I said screw it and 20,000 miles later its still making that same noise, no better and no worse...

Dave


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## 50dollasentra (Jan 11, 2004)

My 89 Sentra has a new head and all and it still taps. Then i found that the Timing Chain Wore a hole in the cover. That set me back $100. But since that got fixed it still taps. Im startin to think that the cam might be too tight and makes that ticking noise. You might want to check that out because my car started tappin at about the same mileage.


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## sentrastud (May 3, 2002)

50dollasentra said:


> My 89 Sentra has a new head and all and it still taps. Then i found that the Timing Chain Wore a hole in the cover. That set me back $100. But since that got fixed it still taps. Im startin to think that the cam might be too tight and makes that ticking noise. You might want to check that out because my car started tappin at about the same mileage.


Did you just replace the cover, or did you have the black plastic chain tensioner replaced too??? Thats the chain wears a hole in the cover, becuase the tensioner is broken.

-Nick


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## Mervic (May 1, 2002)

Elbow Greese said:


> To continue the thread with similar symptoms, my GA16i just started making this noise today, but only when engine is under load (sounds like it would be valve tapping).


 Just a guess, maybe your engine is detonating. Detonation sounds like marbles in paint spray can. DOes it make the noise under no load? Is it worse uphill? Try higher octane gas and check your ignition timing.


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## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

Mervic said:


> Just a guess, maybe your engine is detonating. Detonation sounds like marbles in paint spray can. DOes it make the noise under no load? Is it worse uphill? Try higher octane gas and check your ignition timing.


thats what i was wondering, like a slight pinging or something, like if timing was barely to far or a lot of carbon build up


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## Elbow Greese (Feb 22, 2004)

Well, unfortunatly it's worse than that.
My T-chain broke! - or at least that's what the mechanic told me.
I'll be able to dig in and check it out more later in the week.
Is this engine an interference design? (Will the pistons hit and bend the valves when the chain goes?)
Seems kinda wierd for it to snap so quickly after just starting to hear the rattle noise (1 day!).
Anyone know of a good writeup on how to change the chain on one of these beasts?
I've done it before on my truck, so I know the general process, it's just the transverse mounted engine that's got me scratching my head a bit.
Thanks for the input!
Todd


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## Gsolo (Sep 11, 2003)

Elbow Greese said:


> Well, unfortunatly it's worse than that.
> My T-chain broke! - or at least that's what the mechanic told me.
> I'll be able to dig in and check it out more later in the week.
> Is this engine an interference design? (Will the pistons hit and bend the valves when the chain goes?)
> ...


yes its interference. and to change it on transverse engine you pound it with a 9iron a few times


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## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

minute rice sentra said:


> EDIT: I forgot the GA's had hydraulic lifters so they can't really be adjusted to my knowledge...


The '89 B12 I had with the 12-valve engine had a crate GA15i in it (Believe it or not, they exist) and the valves had screw adjusters, not hydraulics like the GA16i...identical-looking valve train otherwise. I was surprised, so after finding no one had data on how to set the lash, I set all valves at .011 hot.


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## Bugalou (Mar 31, 2004)

I know some engines have some kind of protection in case a timing belt goes, does a Ca18de have it??

Dave


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## sentrastud (May 3, 2002)

Elbow Greese said:


> Well, unfortunatly it's worse than that.
> My T-chain broke! - or at least that's what the mechanic told me.
> I'll be able to dig in and check it out more later in the week.
> Is this engine an interference design? (Will the pistons hit and bend the valves when the chain goes?)
> ...



It does seem kinda wierd for it to break so quickly? Are you sure he didnt say chain guide, or tensioner??? 
The best write up that I know of is the Haynes Repair Manual for the Sentras of our vintage. You can pick one up for 10 bucks at Pep Boys or Canadian Tire.

-Nick


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## recycled_toddler (Feb 4, 2004)

I don't go to Pep Boys anymore; They terminated a whole slew of Army Reservists/National Guard personnel last year for responding to call-up from their units. Federal law protects their jobs, yet Pep Boys had the audacity to write to the Department of Defense and tell them that their employees would serve America better as Pep Boys employees at home. The Feds response? Predictably...none. The Reservists/Guards reported to duty and Pep Boys canned them. Heh...


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## Elbow Greese (Feb 22, 2004)

sentrastud said:


> It does seem kinda wierd for it to break so quickly? Are you sure he didnt say chain guide, or tensioner???
> The best write up that I know of is the Haynes Repair Manual for the Sentras of our vintage. You can pick one up for 10 bucks at Pep Boys or Canadian Tire.
> 
> -Nick


Ya I thought so too.
I haven't been able to open it up to look for myself yet though.
working late sucks sometimes (especially when you want to get things done otherwise!)
I've read through the Haynes manual a couple times already. I'm confident I can do the job if I take my time, but I'm concerned about the valves - if it is infact the chain that broke. Do these heads tend to warp a bit when they are removed?
I know that's the case with my aluminum Toyota head on my truck (22r series motor for anyone interested).
I'd be concerned of not getting the head to seat correctly if I do remove it.
Thanks for the input!
Todd


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