ticking noise above 2500 or so rpm's

[kool-aid54]

My 89 SOHC 240 makes a ticking noise above 2500 rpm's all the way to redline. If I really get on it through the gears and take it up to 5500rpm's every gear usually in 3rd or 4th the car will just die on me and I'll loose power so I usually will just shift to kick the car back on because it just shuts off. Two things, does my car shut off because of the knock sensor because I was just driving along in fifth gear and got above 3500 and the car would shut off. I think that my ticking noise gets loud enough the car saves itself and just shuts off.

I would appreciate any help. I'm going to try the engine flush idea in case its an HLA problem, because I have a drift event coming up at the Tire Rack on the 24th.

Remember it doesn't tick at idle unless I haven't driven it in a while. If I haven't driven it in a while it ticks for a few seconds and then goes away until I hit 2500 or so. Please help I have a week to figure it out and I would hate to ruin my car at a drift event.

Chris Goshen IN

[NISTECH]

Does it do it if your just rev the engine in neutral? If so hook up a oil pressure gauge and see what the pressure is doing in that range.

[kool-aid54]

no, it does it whether I'm in neutral or driving along. And why does my car cut off when I take it to 5000 rpms when redline is 6000rpms, is it a cut-off?

Thanks for all the help so far, if I figure this out I will definately share the info. I'm going to put in a quart of that engine cleaning stuff called " Gunk motor flush" its suppose to flush and clean your motor in five minutes. I bought it from Autozone, the boss told me to use that stuff instead of transmission fluid. I might still later use transmission fluid. After I put in the "Gunk" and give my car an oil change I'm going to put in a quart of "Marvels Mystery Oil" along with with the new batch of motor oil. Hopefully that will create a little light at the end of the tunnel. If that doesn't work I'm going to take the valve cover off and check the rockers and valve clearance. I need to try to fix this before the 24th of July because there is a drift event in South Bend IN at the Tire Rack and I really would like to take my car and participate.

Thanks man I appreciate all the helpChris Goshen IN

[NISTECH]

I think your dealing with more then the internal engine noise, what ever is kiiling it is likely a connectivity issue with the wiring, when the engine torques it causes it to break contact and shut your car down. A few of the E motors had a condition with the ground splices in the harness running along the valve cover try moving that harness around while the cars idling and see if the idle gets all stupid. If so you need to rip the wiring loom open and find the group of spliced ground wires and resoldier them together.

Hard to say if the ticking is rod knock or lifter noise. rods usually come in at around 1500 rpms on light to moderate accel. lifters are pretty much constant at idle to all the way up just faster in repitition as engine rpm rises.

[kool-aid54]

I did notice yesterday that the wire bundle that runs along the valve cover between the valve cover and the fuel rail was very hard and brittle feeling. I will definately check that bundle and the grounds you mentioned. I really hope I don't have rod knock. But, I will check everything that I mentioned and keep you and everyone else posted.

Thanks