ka24e knocking/ticking noise

[carkook]

Hey I have an 89 240sx with the single slammer, its making an awful ticking noise. At first it was a combination of the hydraulic lifters, exhause manifold. As the rpm's go up so does the ticking. Well now I have taken apart the rocker assembly and bled each lifter individually and fixed the exhaust leak from the manifold.

I tried the old hose trick to try and pinpoint the sound, I opened the valve cover cap while its running for a second then closing it, then opening it and closing it, to try and see if the noise is coming from the valve train or timing chain cover. It doesnt get louder when I do that so it must be from the block.

Its defanitly coming from the engine, so it must be either a rodknock or a bad bearing correct? I just want to hear some other opinions so discuss!

all help is appreciated.

[MikEEEx3]

i have the samething. at first i had a chain slapping because one of the glides broke, but then i did get a bearing noise is its a slight knock and not a rediculous loud knock thn it will be your bearing and if its louder (you will know) then its the rod.

my bearing and rod are busted but the car will turn over i just do drive it.

[ss82480]

I have a dual cam, but I thought my timing chain was taking a crap on me and ended up it was my water pump ticking. Not saying this is your issue but maybe take off the water pump belt and start it up(dont let it run long, obviously)

[carkook]

Thanks for the replies but when I took off the valve cap if the noise were caused by the timing chain or valve train it would have gotten louder ruling out any issues with the timing chain(which is also new), and the water pump was replaced when I bought the car less then a few months ago.

Im pretty sure its rodknock considering its very loud. Im very dissapointed with my ka after all this work I put into it decides to do this, I guess thats wat happens when previous owners dont take car of it. I do commute it a 100 miles a day and beat on it, but I mean nothing rediculous.

[pionekss14]

yea i had the same problem with my ka which im working on as week speak...i had the same noise and i didnt really know what it was but i found out it was the timing chain hitting the valve cover i just took out the motor cuz its alota work to do with my motor to change it...

[carkook]

yea i had the same problem with my ka which im working on as week speak...i had the same noise and i didnt really know what it was but i found out it was the timing chain hitting the valve cover i just took out the motor cuz its alota work to do with my motor to change it...

Im not sure why you think its the same problem, as I already said the timing chain is almost brand new, like I also said before if it were that the noise would be much more noticable when you pull of the valve cover cap.

Its almost like a rattling/ticking noise coming from in the block, its the same loudness no matter what side or height you try and listen from. So what is within the block itself that could fail and make this noise?

[carkook]

Heres a video I took right after the compression check which turned out 170,150,175,185http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2wd691h&s=5

[carkook]

So today I made a ghetto leak down test, and it seemed to me that the exhaust valve on the piston with 150psi compression test rating is leaking a small, but very noticable amount. Does this mean the valve is bent?

[jeu510]

what you can do is drain your oil and screen the oil that is coming out to see if you can see any metal flakes.....(it will look like some metalic paint) if you see your oil like metalic paint, then you are very likely to have a rod knock (bearing is grinding away)

it does sound very much like you have a rod knock tho....but i couldnt listen long enough to tell....

[carkook]

Yeah, sorry I used my cell phone. Its weird because its coming from the top of the block/combustion chamber. I made a ghetto leakdown tester and im pretty sure the exhaust valve(yeah singular as in one SOHC POWA) on the second cylinder is messed up. It leaks a considerable amount of air. Im gona do the test one more time today to make sure before I start taking the head off and apart. Im also gona add a small amount of oil to it and do another compression test to see if the rings are holding or not.

Thanks for one of the only intelligent replies Ive gotten in a while!

[Vegascorbin]

I think you are on the right track. I was not able to listen to your video (i'm at work) but your compression test shows a problem with #2. If you broke a valve spring the ticking could be the piston hitting the valve.

These engines are interferance engines. That means the piston will hit the vales it they are not fully closed.

I say pull the head to confirm but looks like it is engine rebuild time. If you are putting 100 miles a day on it then a rebuild would be worth it in increased reliability (my two cents)

[carkook]

Well from the top (with the valve cover off) everything looks perfect, no noticable defects in the springs. But yeah it has to be that the valve isnt closing completely and not only is it not holding perfect compression, the piston is hitting it.

But im very low on cash and most likely will be finding another head that has no problems and swaping it out with mine.

Thanks, im pretty sure I have this thing figured out.