Slight knock/ping when cold

[Frankulie]

I have this 1990 240SX SE and it sounds like a delivery van until it warms up. Well, it's a SLIGHT 'pinging' noise but it's not ping, it sounds like tiny metal parts knocking. It increases in amplitude when i accelerate more (under more load), seems to fade away when i rev higher (its mostly around 1000-3000rpm that i hear it) and goes away completely (from what i can tell) once the engine reached operating temperature.

I'm just wondering if any of you ever had similar problems and what was the cause in your case. I just bought the car from my uncle for real cheap and i'm evaluating all the stuff it needs done before i REALLY like the car. It drives nicely, but if the engine blows up, it won't be nice after that now will it :rolleyes

For now, i just drive it slowly until it is really warmed up, needle pegged halfway in gauge.

[NISTECH]

could be chain noise tensioner weak or something along those lines if it had lifters that would be another guess.

[Frankulie]

Well, actually, it does it at any rev. I guessi just didn't rev it when i heard it, until it warmedup. That's why i wasn't sure about the tensioner,and also that it goes away completely when the engine has warmed up. I would think the chainwould be noisy even when the engine is warmed up.

As for lifters, i believe my engine, the KA24e, hashydraulic lifters. I could be mistaken here. This is whati think it is. The car got an oil change right before i got it, so i don't know wtf he put in there, but it's still a bit dark, not the nice brown NEW oil is in a new car...I'm gonna try and go to synthetic oil. I'm hoping it's a noisy lifter from poor lubrication

[quiksilvia]

poor lubing wouldnt really help the lifters, they get air in them and then click, u have to bleed them. talk to me on aim and i can send u the fsm page on how to bleed if want

[wangless]

i have the same problem with my ka24e. its so loud and annoying if nots warmed up. i usually sit in the car for 10 minutes in the morning... then drive off to school

[Frankulie]

Well, it really seems to be the lifter(s).Changed to Mobil1 5W30 synthetic ( i live in Montreal and winter arrived yesterday with a bang..) to see if it would lube the lifters earlierbut it still knocks until it<S properly warmed up.

Quiksilvia, how complicated is it to bleed them ?Maybe others might benefit also if you post in this thread Or maybe a link...I just got the carand i'm getting to know it slowly.

[skazzi]

I would love to see some tips on bleeding too please. Thanks

[wangless]

i second that...

[methodchris]

I have the same problem on my 97 , its like a rattle/ping noise when the rpms get past 3000 but it goes away and sounds alot better when car has fully warmed up. I also have a friend with a 92 that has the same problem

[quiksilvia]

ok ill get the pic up in a few minutes

[quiksilvia]

[wangless]

heres a dumb question... how do you get to step 2 ? =(

[skazzi]

That's a pretty darn good question.

The mechanic who had a look at the car I mentioned, diagnosed the problem it had as being the connection rod bearings. About a 2-4 hr job and $100 CAN part he said. Perhaps it's the same thing. ???