KA24E ticking

[somedude]

my KA started ticking last week. but i dont think its a valve. it only happens around 2500rpm and above, BUT only when not under load. i'll take off in first and give only a slight push on the throttle and let rev out( not to redline or any where near just to around 2500/3000 rpm). let off and it goes away,shift, does the same thing in second(assume it makes it through 3rd and other gears but cant hear over other road noise). but if i let it rev out as i explained then give more throttle lets say half, and put it under the additional load the tick will go away. and if you hold it at a steady speed and listen closely to the noise, it varys in pitch. the coming and going in this pattern leads ME to believe its not a valve. i would think if ti was a valve, the noise would be constant.

i recently replaced the timing set about 2 weeks prior. so i think that i possibly could have overtightened the tensioner body and pinched the piston in the body so the piston cant extend far enough to take up the slack in the timing chain. this could explain the vary in pitch cuz its the timing chain slap. and the reason it goes away under load because that takes up the slack?

or i overtightened the bolt holding the tensioner guide on and the gui9de cannot swing out enough to tighten the chain? but i didnt really he-man it( the bolt or the tensioner for that matter) or anything. and with the spring pressure and the oil pressure of the tensioner the guide should be pressed out freely?

anything sound reasonable? or possbly familiar? i just dont want to let it go and think nothing will come of it cuz i know it will bite me in the ars

[somedude]

hello? well i guess no one cares but in case someone should stumble on to this here is some more info. i took my valve cover off and messed with the tensioner. i could push on the piston and it moved in and out of its bore easily(there was spring pressure but not hanging up one the body) so i dont think its that. i did some research and it seems that lifters are sometimes the problem but coming and going of my tick doesnt seem lifterish to me.

[slyedog240sx]

change your oil and run some lucas in there and see if that helps.btw if your vc is off check your valve lash

[somedude]

i've changed the oil(tryed the simple stuff first) i run Delo 400 15w-40 its free to me. so maybe its too thick? but i've been running it for a few months and never had aproblem.

i didnt think you could check valve lash with hydraulic lifters? well i guess you can put dont think it would be helpful. when its running the oil pressure holds the lifter against the valve for zero lash

[240sxmech]

No you cant check valve lash because you have hydraulic lifers but you can see which one or more are loose . What all did you replace when you did your work a couple of weeks ago be more specific? Hit me back up and ill help you out.

[somedude]

thanks man i appreciate it. i did the full timing set(chain, gears, guides, and tensioner) and the water pump since i had it off. and thats all i did. didnt mess with the valves, rockers, or the rocker shafts. just did what had to be done.

when you say which ones are loose. . . do you mean to check the lifters to make sure one or more arent seized in its bore? or if the rocker itself or the shaft is worn and there is excessive side to side play in the rocker?

ive thought of all these as possibilities. but i keep second guessing myself what the problem is and how to go about fixin it.

[WestCo Justin]

i've changed the oil(tryed the simple stuff first) i run Delo 400 15w-40 its free to me. so maybe its too thick? but i've been running it for a few months and never had aproblem.

i didnt think you could check valve lash with hydraulic lifters? well i guess you can put dont think it would be helpful. when its running the oil pressure holds the lifter against the valve for zero lash

Yeah thats a bit too thick if you're getting valvetrain noise. Try 10w30 or even a 5w30.

I get a similar noise when its close to time to change oil and when Im running the car hard at the track and its cooling down in between runs. Ive also tried an additive we have here at the dealership and it works well. Something like Lucas should do the trick.

[somedude]

i havent got around to changing my oil yet. but today i drive for a while(been making a lot of short trips lately 5 minutes and under) and every thing got thoroughly warmed up and the oil thins, if you hold it at an rpm that makes the tick and hold it for 5 seconds or so it will stop. obviously its lifter related to go away like that, but how? if the oil is too thick and i'm getting noise than why does it go away likeits getting plenty of oil?

[240sxmech]

you have either one or more lifters sticking on you.take the valve cover off and roll your cam around to tdc for each cylinder and when at tdc see if your rocker has alot of play against the tip of the valve stem if there is alot you will notice it and that is your bad one or ones.

[somedude]

if i do have a bad lifter(which aparently i do) would i do anymore damage by driving with it like it is? and what actually causes a lifter to go bad? is it something i neglected to do or just luck of the draw sort of thing?

[240sxmech]

jst the noise and they go out all the time at no fault to you

[somedude]

one more question, what is a good price for new lifters?