Valve Clacking Problem

[Camel]

The other day my KA24DE started making a clacking sound under the cam shaft cover. I pulled the cover to find that the timing chain guide was broken, so I pulled those parts out and replaced the cover. To my dismay, the sound was still there.

I have been told that it could be one of two things in the top end since i still have good compression and the car still runs fine.

1. A collapsed valve spring.2. A valve spring retainer has broken or come off.

Has anyone experienced the same problem I have? I have 159,107 miles on the factory motor and never have had any engine trouble in the past. I keep my oil changed about every 5K and don't drive the car extremely hard except on occasion.

Any help or resources would be appreciated greatly.

Camel

[SHIFTrl240]

I think i have the same problem as you.. can you only hear it at idle?

[stickgoat]

Interesting.

When I made the massive mistake of swapping my stock cams for the Altima/S13 upgrade, my car tapped like a mofo at idle, but above 2k it was fine.

Course, when the car died 25 miles down the road and my valves bent all to hell, it didn't run or crank up whatsoever.

I suggest you do not run the car until you get that problem taken care of.

Not unless you want to end up like me...with a dead S14 sitting in your yard while you're driving your friend's '95 automatic Saturn.

[SHIFTrl240]

hum.. its been making that noise ever since i bought it a month ago... i also found two metal pieces under the valve cover when i was changing the spark plugs and valve cover gasket... they were just layin in there near the timing chain.... i couldnt find anywhere where it might have broken off, but it kinda looked like it was melted off. ever since i took the pieces out it has been a little louder though....

[AunVoh]

yeah, mine makes that noise too, i'm unsure as to what it is... i'm bring it to work this week and going to take the valve cover off, and see if anything is off or loose, should be fun..

[C-Kwik]

check the valve lash. Was it your upper chain guide that was broken? If so, it isn't needed. A TSB actually says to yank it out.

[kansas240]

my 91 makes valve noise, and the upper guide broke off one day, so i removed it and used a magnet to get everything i could out, the noise is less audible now, just a happy clacking of 16 valves and four injectors.