tappety tap tap from cam?

[240sxtkog]

Okay it's a ka24de..... so I have this tappety tap tap coming from the front of the engine. It sounds like it's either coming from the two intake cam lobes or the timing chain. I checked the clearances on the lobes to followers and they are at about .012 inches which is right around specs and I can't see anything wrong with the timing chain or tensioners?......... Does anybody know what else the problem could be. I'd appreciate any tips thanks

[bj180sx]

did you check the lifters?? Sticky lifters are usually the problem.

[stutt944]

say it was sticky lifters...what is the next step in maintenance? it seems that all the cars my broke-a$$ has owned in the past have had some sort of lifter noise or another. i realize that this is really not a good thing, but what are the remedies, and how costly are they?

[Mayhem_J30]

I would start with getting the gunk out of your engine. You can start with doing the ATF trick right before and oil change to really break up some of the oil left overs. What kind of oil have you been running? I suggest moving over to a Valvoline to help clean up the mess a bit. If the inside of your motor is spotless there may be no fix except for replacing lifters.

[240sxtkog]

okay..... so in my engine there are no lifters. it's a 91 240 w/ twin camshaft. The engine only has around 15k miles on it. So it isn't that dirty. The camshaft rides right above the follower(lifter?). If that is what you are talking about please specify. My only guesses of what the noise could be would have to be the cam hitting the follower wrong, but I don't know how that could happen or possibly the timing chain, but the noise just seems to rythmic to be the timing chain