Ticking Noise While Driving 5ltr

[Nuskvlct]

Hey guys, I have a VR senator 185i, car has done about 190k and it has got an annoying ticking noise while I'm driving

- I can hear it inside the car with the windows up
- It starts around 1500rpm
- I cannot hear it when reving the car in neutral, (can only hear it when the car is under load (in gear))
- To me it does not sound like a knocking noise, more of a tick (I have spun a bearing in a vl before, this sounds lighter and ticky)
- Mechanics said the extractor bolts were loose so they tightened them during the service (Im thinking maybe the gasket is stuffed)
- When the car is in neutral and i'm under the bonnet i can hear the injectors tick and this sounds similar, (would these tick louder under load)?? cant test this by myself
- Mechanics said I have a coolant leak from the inlet manifold gasket, could there be air coming from this as well making a tick under load?
- Could be Lifters?? Do they tick or is it more of a knocking noise? would Lifter Free help?

anyone with any idea?

I tried to record the sound while driving, but i couldnt get a decent recording due to road noise etc, It doesn't sound like its gonna blow up or anything, but its very annoying Fast ticking noise, that speeds up and slows down with revs, but I can hear it inside the car while driving which is why its so annoying.

Any help would be great.

[Nuskvlct]

and another question, If it is injectors, and they need replacing, has anyone used the ones for sale on ebay? are they any good and are they direct replacement for the injectors that would be in a 185i HSV senator?

[50LTRv8]

Could be noisy lifters, you can get an additive for the oil which cleans gunk out of them, this worked for mine.

[phear11]

could be sticky lifters which my first suggestion would be get an addative like nulon Lifter Free & Tune-Up.. luqiu moly tapet stop noise etc, ide do this if not take it somewhere that deals with injectors and see if they can clean them. i know autocarbie services at marion have an ultrasonic cleaner there!

[304runner]

Yeah id say it the lifters, not really a big job in regards to difficulty just time consuming. You will pretty much replace the gaskets mentioned above in order to do it, win win really...

Before you go ahead and pull the valley cover off to get to the lifters, get under the car at night or in a dark garage and use a torch to illuminate any exhaust leaks, this could be the sound of the gasses passing by a blown out gasket while under load.

[SUSS8]

Your sure you don't have an exhaust leak? Extractor gaskets? Get under the car And look over the exhaust or take it to exhaust shop. Just a thought

[Nuskvlct]

I bought a length of fuel hose and put one end in my ear, and moved the other end around the extractors while the car was idleing, and there definitely a leak on the drivers hand side extractor gasket right at the front. Hopefully this is my ticking noise, I will get the mechanics to fix it when they do the inlet manifold gasket next week.

I did put a bottle of lifter free, and injector cleaner in aswell, just for the hell of it.

thanks for your help guys, will let ya know if its fixed after the gaskets or not.

[VrWagz1]

Sounds like a exhust gasket leak then, especially if they were loose. Replace them(easier said the done) and see how it is then.