my engine is making noise Any ideas?

[dhen]

Hi everyone,

I just got my CA running again. It's making a noise, though. I think (hope) that this is the lower timing cover rubbing on timing belt tensioner on the driver's side, but it's not easy to pinpoint where it's coming from. It's definitely coming from the front of the engine, though.

The reason I say the lower timing cover is that it was kind of banged up earlier. It's very hard to pull it off to check on my car because I don't have much space.

Oil pressure, temperature is good. I drove it for a mile, and that seemed fine. It doesn't get louder when I rev up. I did find some metal in the oil when I first drained it, but since it's freshly rebuilt (and I had to tap a bolt hole) that didn't surprise me.

Anyway, I uploaded a video from my ipod for people to comment on.

Any ideas are welcome

Thanks

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXVILPdCREA[/youtube]

[mbmbmb23]

I hope it is something simple, but....to me it sounds a bit like a spun bearing.

[dhen]

I took the belt off, which disabled the alternator and water pump. The sound seems to have improved. What do you guys think?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZJl24s6Wnw[/youtube]

Edit: The tensioner is on the passenger side, I know, since I installed it. I don't know why I wrote that it was on the other side. We all have our days...

[sjbsuperman1425]

it really doesn't sound any different to me...

[dhen]

Yeah, it's still there, but a little quieter I think. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking. I'm not experienced enough to know for sure, which is why I posted it here.

Since It's coming from the front, I disconnected the coil pack to cylinder one to see if it sounds any different. What do you think?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pviI32TDtNs[/youtube]

[boost_boy]

Here's a few pointers as I've heard that noise before.

1. Make sure water pump pulley bolts are tightened to sufficently.

2. Make sure crank pully bolt is tightened sufficently.

3. Make sure crank angle sensor is installed correctly and tightened sufficiently.

4. Make sure all timing covers are installed tightened sufficently.

5. Makes sure timing belt tensioner is installed correctly and tightened sufficiently.

That is not rod bearing noise either, so don't let these guys scare you. On a better note, glad to see you got the car running again.

[dhen]

Here's a few pointers as I've heard that noise before.

1. Make sure water pump pulley bolts are tightened to sufficently.

2. Make sure crank pully bolt is tightened sufficently.

3. Make sure crank angle sensor is installed correctly and tightened sufficiently.

4. Make sure all timing covers are installed tightened sufficently.

5. Makes sure timing belt tensioner is installed correctly and tightened sufficiently.

That is not rod bearing noise either, so don't let these guys scare you. On a better note, glad to see you got the car running again.

Thanks, Dee, I was hoping you would see this and comment. Good to hear that I don't need yet another engine...

Thanks to all who helped.

[r34 gtr]

Yeah that definitely sounds like it is coming from the front of the engine and not the bottom. Bad news is you will have to pull off that timing cover. It sucks to do even if you have a lot of room to work with.

You may like this story, it happened to me the other day. It goes well with your "what noise is this" issue.

So I had been driving around for a while and my KA24DE had been making a lot of rattling noises. I just thought "uuugh timing chain being all loud" since this is my first timing chain engine. Then Monday night my alternator fell off when I was driving home. True story. Anyway it just goes to show that its probably not as bad as you think, and a little poking around and you will probably have it running like a top in no time.

Good luck!

[dhen]

I pried back the part of the timing cover that I thought was rubbing, and I think it sounds a little better but still there. As I said before, my ears aren't as trained as some of yours, so please let me know what you think.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0_gm36W5_M[/youtube]

Keeping my fingers crossed...

[dhen]

My newest video after it warmed up. My oil temp gauge is actually my water gauge. It's a long story. Anyway, please let me know what you think. I don't know if I'm just getting used to the way it sounds, but it sounds OK to me.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL3jpUDPbDU[/youtube]

Please be honest.

[sjbsuperman1425]

i can still hear something

[float_6969]

It REALLY sounds to me like the lower timing cover rubbing on the back of the crank pulley. Mine did the same thing at one point when my lower cover got bent w/o me knowing it. I didn't see it rubbing until I pulled the crank pulley and saw the mark on the cover. See if the sound changes when you push on the clutch. That makes the crankshaft move away from the timing cover just a little, and on mine, made the noise stop.

I had a friend w/an RB that had the same thing happen. It scared the hell out of him till I told him to push on the clutch and the sound changed.

[sjbsuperman1425]

It's funny. I too have a friend with an RB and I have to hold his hand through everything. :P

[dhen]

See if the sound changes when you push on the clutch. That makes the crankshaft move away from the timing cover just a little, and on mine, made the noise stop.

I had a friend w/an RB that had the same thing happen. It scared the hell out of him till I told him to push on the clutch and the sound changed.

Thanks a bunch. I will definitely check that out.

[boost_boy]

Bad news , I got a chance to listen over and over and over and over and am now leaning more towards the crank angle sensor. I only see one bolt in the sensor and if that's all you have, then there's your issue. The timing cover has two aligning dowel pins that perfect aligns the cover to properly align the crank angle sensor. There's no room for error with this set-up or the crank angle sensor will fail "Point Blank". It is very important that you check and re-check those dowl pins. Guess-work is "No-No". Check it out and let us know.

[cdkilla]

What if said dowel pins are missing? The reman head I got from Alabama Cylinder Heads didn't have the dowels in it and when I tried swapping them from my head it was like the hole was crooked in the head. Sorry for the thread jack, but this has been lurking in the back of my head since I got my car running.

[dhen]

Bad news , I got a chance to listen over and over and over and over and am now leaning more towards the crank angle sensor. I only see one bolt in the sensor and if that's all you have, then there's your issue. The timing cover has two aligning dowel pins that perfect aligns the cover to properly align the crank angle sensor. There's no room for error with this set-up or the crank angle sensor will fail "Point Blank". It is very important that you check and re-check those dowl pins. Guess-work is "No-No". Check it out and let us know.

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Well, I have good news and bad news. I tried Ryan's suggestion, and I don't hear any difference. Here's a video where I press the clutch halfway through.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATmiNORyapA[/youtube]

Dee, you're right about having one bolt. I was having trouble getting the engine started. (Oh fyck, not another head gasket I was thinking. Turned out I had fouled plugs from before.) Anyway, I loosened the CAS to play around with it and see if that helped. That's why I only had one bolt.

I pulled the timing cover off and put it back on. I was only able to put it on one way, so I think my dowels are OK.

I got the chance to flog it on the highway. It was kind of sluggish until I played with the CAS some more. Now it runs fine until I get to 5,000 RPM where it sometimes starts acting like it's running out of gas and even stalled once. Could this be the CAS, or do I maybe have a clogged fuel system? I have a Walbro 255 pump and fuel pressure is set at 38 psi without the engine running. (The fuel pressure goes down when the car is running. Is this normal?)

I don't have a timing light, so I just set my CAS according to this guy's suggestion of using the mark on the cover.

post5410040.html#p5410040

I added a couple of bolts as well, I still don't think it sounds different.

On the plus side, I have good oil pressure - 20 psi at hot idle. I have no cooling problems. Best of all, though, I was cruising down the highway and I had 14.5 air/fuel ratio, which means the knock sensor isn't detecting knock. So hopefully it's nothing internal.

I admit I made a couple of mistakes, but please let me know how to fix it.

Thanks,

Darian

[float_6969]

As Dee said, the upper timing cover HAS to be perfectly aligned with the head and the cam gear or you'll damage the bearing in the CAS or the splines in the exhaust cam.

There are dowels in the head that the backing plate and upper timing cover sit on to align everything properly. If they're not present you WILL have issues. Also, you need to make sure you put ALL the bolts in the backing plate and upper timing cover. Once again, you'll have alignment problems and eventually a failure of the CAS or exhaust cam splines.

Fuel pressure should drop below 38psi it idle. That's normal. Fuel pressure varies based on manifold, hence the purpose of the FPR.

Are the timing belt tensioner and idler new? I have some noise from my idler now after the motor sat for a while between chassis that wasn't there before. I'm assuming the ball bearings rusted some and are now noisy. I'm going to replace them as I don't want one to seize up and burn up the belt.

[dhen]

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. I think I may bump up the fuel pressure a little and see if that solves my problem of high RPM performance. Do you think it could be the butterflies? Would a failed fuel pressure regulator behave this way?

I'm going to replace them as I don't want one to seize up and burn up the belt.

Speaking from first-hand experience, that is a good idea:

this-sucks-t468985.html#p5298540

Mine are almost new, but were sitting around for several months.

[s13drifter88]

I had a noise like this once. It was right after I finished my swap. The alternator had gotten loose from the tensioner and was tapping. I see you took the belt off tho so I would think that would eliminate that possibility but its something to check I guess.
(LOL my old cam is in that motor LOL)
Since you had the head apart and replaced a cam are you 100% positive everything is tight up top? Gears, caps ect. A loose cam gear makes a very scary noise.

Advice, get a timing on it and get it set. It will drive and perform better in all areas.
The running out of steam on top could be either fuel delivery or maf (maf technically causing fuel problems). What does the wideband say when it starts falling on its face. Is it leaning out or going rich.

[boost_boy]

Be very careful with that crank angle sensor and its settings. Just because the engine feels peppier could also be a recipe for disaster. Like Ryan said, you need to set the timing properly and put those screws back into their perspective locations. As much as I cheat with some parts on the CA, I've learned my lesson about the timing covers in the fact that they need all the screws. Again, if you over advance that crank angle sensor and then put boost/load on the engine, you may end up needing some new pistons and it doesn't take long at all.

[dhen]

Since you had the head apart and replaced a cam are you 100% positive everything is tight up top? Gears, caps ect. A loose cam gear makes a very scary noise.

I tell you man, I owe you a beer. Not only were you completely straight to deal with when I bought that exhaust cam, but I think you just saved me a potentially very expensive repair.

I took off the top timing cover to tighten the cam gear bolts. They were a little loose, but not really bad. I then looked down at the timing belt idler pulley, and it was wobbling around. I obviously forgot to tighten it properly and the only thing that kept the bolt that supposed to hold it down from flying off was the lower timing cover. I don't know if this solved my problem, but it certainly prevented a future problem...

Could this be related to my sputtering issue? I have VPC, so I don't have a MAF.

I'm going to look at the tensioner more closely this weekend when I have more light to work with, or should I just replace it to be safe?

Here's a quick video of the engine running with the belt to the water pump and alternator removed. (Before you ask, I ran it for about two minutes like this.) Please let me know what you think, and please be honest. I would rather have my pride hurt than need a new engine...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFMWFbvpp0E[/youtube]

Keeping my fingers crossed...

[s13drifter88]

Ohhhhhhh thats a good sounding CA sir, I hope mine sounds like that when I put it back in. Glad I could help man, I drink Budweiser by the way lol. Now of coarse, as my fee for my services, Ill need videos of it ripping on the streets haha.

[r34 gtr]

That is indeed a good sounding CA.