lifter/timing tick?

[0range_240]

Ive still got a loud ticking coming from my motor, it is definitely metal on metal, and has become slightly louder over the last week or two. It's a constant tick, although only appears above 2500 rpm, and is louder when the car is accelerating in gear, than if just revved in neutral. And makes no noise while the car is decelerating.

btw, I have checked the tensioners on my timing chain and are in good condition still, so for now im leaning away from that possibility

but when I checked my rocker/lifter assembly after the car had been warmed up, two of my lifters had some movement. however it seemed you could move them MORE side-to-side than up and down, but regardless it was enough to be able to make them "tick" when you shook them by hand. furthermore the sound becomes slightly less noticeable when the engine has warmed up. How sure can I be that this noise is being caused by faulty lifters?

[lovemysan2]

Well you can check the bottom end by pulling the plug wires one at a time to see if the tick goes away. I had a similar problem with my SER. It turned out to be trashed rod bearings.

[0range_240]

did that, made no differencethe noise only appears when load is applied to the engine, or atleast it becomes more audible

[lovemysan2]

The lifter tick I have experienced is not load sensitive at all. Its either there or gone. What about the exhaust manifold gasket? Its not coming from there is it.

[s13EastTN]

I only get a tick at a certain throttle position, from like 2.5-3.5 and I can't really hear anything above that, as it's only when I barely touch the throttle, and I can't imagine it being a good thing to rev your engine to 4k w/ just a small amount of throttle. This doesn't happen in 5th gear however. Is that lifters possibly?

[0range_240]

I haven't really checked the manifold gasket, im not sure if its coming from there location of the noise is very hard to isolate. However I know that someone has removed that manifold before, because where there used to be studs sticking out now half are bolts going in, and in almost every hole there is a different sized head on the bolt, so that cant be right. I agree that if it were lifters the sound would not be more noticeable while under load. I guess from this I can only assume it can be either a fuel or exhaust problem? I cant think of anything else

also, my power seems to be very on and off, and the power up high is really weak, even for a KA