tapping sound?

[karioth]

I have a very annoying rattling sound coming from my engine bay. My dad says it doesn't sound like engine knock, and engine performs as well as a stock engine should. Any ideas on this? my dad suspects one of the belts is maybe causing the sound but i dunno. here's a list of symptoms so maybe someone can share some ideas:

1. Engine "rattling" noise2. not audible in driver's seat, at least not at first3. gets slightly louder as engine warms up, then is audible outside engine bay.4. blue smoke after engine is revved up (sometimes, seems to not happen as much after oil change.)5. sound does not get louder as engine is revved6. sound does not change when using different octane level fuel7. car is slowly but surely burning oil, about a quart every 2-3 weeks.

ANY help is appreciated.:help

[240SXedUp]

The blue smoke is most likely caused by oil getting into your Fuel/Air mixture. The noise may be due to improper timing.

Edit: Its hard to tell what somethingi s because you have to hear it for yourself. A rattle can also be translated as a tap or knock. Could be alot of things. Could be hyrdaulic lift, bad timing, or wear to your bearing. Probably not even one of those. But maybe

[karioth]

i know blue smoke means you are burning oil but im more worried about the tapping sound, the smoke might just be a bad gasket or something. I can't help but think that the two problems are related or caused by the same thing.

[nissanrcer240]

i got a rattling noise to my car to, it almost sounds like a bird chirping realy fast, and it doesnt get louder when i rev on the gas it usauly stops when i push on the gas, and it only does it when im sitting still with the car running and not giving it any gas...does that sound like yours?

[karioth]

all except the cird chirping part, mine sounds like a tapping not a screeching, although they could both be the same problem, who knows, let me know if you figure out what it is. Although sometimes if I floor it and the A/C or even just the air is on I hear one of the belts slip...

[p00t]

if your burning oil do a compression check, see if its your rings, maybe even find out which one(s) causing it.

how many miles are on your engine? when u get near 120k miles you should have the timing chain and guides changed since they begin to deteriorate and fall apart about then.

[karioth]

85,000, which is why im pissed the only problem is with the engine, engines shouldnt start going bad that early. Last owner lived in arlington so its not like it was inner city miles....

[stickgoat]

The tapping is probably your lifters. Try flushing out your engine and putting in a good motor oil... Vavoline Max Life is good, or Mobil 1 synthetic if you want to spring for that.

I'd also do a compression test. My '96 KA has 130,000 miles on it, and I just did a comp test last week. I had perfect 195psi straight across the board. Standard is 179.

[karioth]

actually the first thing i did when i got this car was change the oil, it didnt have an effect on the sound. I didnt get any expensive oil or anything because i was told the marginal gains from using more expensive oils were very small.

[240SXedUp]

Just ask your mechanic. Its hard to do a diagnosis when you are 1000 miles from the car

[karioth]

my mechanic doesnt exist . we are poor and we try to fix our own stuff.

[240SXedUp]

dont know any mechanic friends?

[Touring240]

its the timing chain hitting the valve cover

[s14200]

Hey, are you running an SR or a KA? I have an SR and mine was rattling too. Apparently when my car got serviced they used an oil that was too thick. DAMN... I had to change the variable valve actuator. This might be your problem, maybe not...

[KSee777]

the chirping i think, is the belts. Get some belt dressing and spray some while the engine is running.

[rousie13]

Whats a rough estimate on having the timing chain and guides replaced in an S13 KA?

[krazy skwerel]

a guy paid around 700 for the timing chain replacement at the dealer around here. It was in the truck but i figure its about the same for the 240sx. I paid about 100 dollars for the timing kit at autozone.

[574-240sx]

It sounds like you have a bad tensioner like I do. I bought the complete advacedauto kit and put it in 3000 miles ago and I have that sound now. Its the timing chain rattling on the valve cover. Just take off your valve cover if you have fresh wear marks on under the valve cover the timing chain is rattling against it. Nick