Strange ticking noise ???

[Spastic]

On start up till the engine fully warms i get a ticking noise from the engine
it is not constant. It goes for like 5 secs then stops for 15 secs then starts
again and this goes on for about 5 mins till sh is warm. It does not sound
like tapets. Anyone got any ideas ???

[AussieHolden]

It can be A tappet sticking or a injector do you know roughly were the noise on the engine is sounding from might help us a bit more.

[V8 walky]

could also be a faulty fuel pressure regulator

[muffman001]

tonight or at night pop the bonnet and look for sparking at the leads my mates vr did the same was only faulty leads arceing out on the block

[craigvl038]

hey ive been told from alot of holden mechenics that when that tappin noise starts on the vl combined with loss of water that u cant find that most of the time the heads will be cracked.

[VL Berlina 5speed]

mine dose this on start up dose it for 3 seconds max then stops, i was also wondering wat it dose and if its bad

[Mad Dog]

It's from the hydraulic lifters, the VL engine is getting on and as a result this tapping sound is just from worn lifters. It's not a major problem as long as the sound is not extremely loud and constant. You can buy a lifter quietening additive to add to the engine oil that will coat the lifters in a fine polymer that should stop this problem, or at least help it. Nulon make it, it's called "Lifter Free" or "Lifter Quietener".

- Mick

[HDT_aero]

It's from the hydraulic lifters, the VL engine is getting on and as a result this tapping sound is just from worn lifters. It's not a major problem as long as the sound is not extremely loud and constant. You can buy a lifter quietening additive to add to the engine oil that will coat the lifters in a fine polymer that should stop this problem, or at least help it. Nulon make it, it's called "Lifter Free" or "Lifter Quietener".

- Mick

I second that its definatley the lifters what happens is they are a bit sitcky and when your engine heats up and the oil thins out a bit then the oil gets into the lifters and stops them ticking

from what you say with it stopping and starting sounds like your oil pressure is surging get a guage on it quik and make sure it isnt

[albino1986]

yeh definalty go get yourself a bottle or 2 of "lifter free", had the same problem with my car stuck acouple of bottles and within a very short amount of time the noise just dissapears, it may reappear after a while n if it does just pop another bottle in

[VL Berlina 5speed]

yeh definalty go get yourself a bottle or 2 of "lifter free", had the same problem with my car stuck acouple of bottles and within a very short amount of time the noise just dissapears, it may reappear after a while n if it does just pop another bottle in

do u have to add a bottle every oil change or will it disseper by the time the next change is due,

got 2 change mine soon coz my sump has a big dent in it and im sketchn its got not enuf room to store oil for the motor

[Steve-0]

ya meant to put in in with fresh oil, then everytime the oil's changed. if its just gunk built up the noise will go away, if not it will still be there, just quieter or not at all for a while and will eventually come back

[seventh path]

you can also put a hevier weight oil in and that helps the lifters too.....but if you have a gregory's manual and a bit of time they are pretty easy to replace!!

[HDT_aero]

you can also put a hevier weight oil in and that helps the lifters too.....but if you have a gregory's manual and a bit of time they are pretty easy to replace!!

yes its a pretty easy job but a damn expensive one each lifter costs $25 now you have 12 lifters so 25x12 is $300 ouch id rather pay $15 for a bottle of lifter free if its not that badly ticking

[seventh path]

yeah thats true.......if you could be bothered you can take the rocker cover off, put some cardboard around the engine and run it...then you can hear which one/s are ticking....but as HDT_aero said if it isn't that bad then put some lifter free is or a heavier weight oil in!

[ucwepn]

There is some stuff you are supposed to put in before you change the oil(could be lifter free or oil cleaner or something), just let it idle for 30 mins DO NOT DRIVE IT, and don't put it in with new oil because you will kill something.

[Stewart1000]

so you run the engine without oil?????? it better be good stuff to stop it seizing up

edit: i woudl defenitally say its the lifters tho 99% and that other 1% would be the injectors or misc.

just take the above advise and add the lifter stuff into the oil and see if ti fixes it

[ucwepn]

so you run the engine without oil?????? it better be good stuff to stop it seizing up

edit: i woudl defenitally say its the lifters tho 99% and that other 1% would be the injectors or misc.

just take the above advise and add the lifter stuff into the oil and see if ti fixes it

No nononono you put it in with the old oil before you empty the motor of oil, let it idle for 30 mins, let it cool down a little and then change the oil.


The injectors is a very slight tick tick noise and you will barely hear it with the bonnet closed, it is definately the lifters mine does this and I have a whole low k's spare head to go on soon with cam and everything on it, I want to get it ported and get the head shaved to raise the compression.

[megee83]

mine has had the same lifter noise problem for a while now, the additive works a treat but was wonderin what if any other probls im inviting by not fixin it? been one of those jobs that i keep meanin to get around to but never found the time when home to fix it...

[Spastic]

Will be taking this advice and trying the lifter free. Also agree with the motor getting on now. May be time to get some decent work done. Thanks everyone for chipping in!

[BigDaz]

There is some stuff you are supposed to put in before you change the oil(could be lifter free or oil cleaner or something), just let it idle for 30 mins DO NOT DRIVE IT, and don't put it in with new oil because you will kill something.

30 mins? lol my car would get pretty hot sittin still running for 30 mins

[ucwepn]

Yeah prolly not a good idea for Vl's aye LOL other cars would idle fine for 30 mins. We'll change it to 15mins for VL's ok haha

[HDT_aero]

There is some stuff you are supposed to put in before you change the oil(could be lifter free or oil cleaner or something), just let it idle for 30 mins DO NOT DRIVE IT, and don't put it in with new oil because you will kill something.

i beleive your talking about slick 50 when you use that your car is ment to be able to run without causing damage with no oil

[VL Berlina 5speed]

just changed my oil then and added some "NULON' lifter free & tune up" says itll take 14 days or 500k's to take full effect but if its still there then ur lifters are ###d.... got my fingers crossed now