is this lifter noise? or timeing chain..or neither

[jas98]

Hey well the noise is hard to explain (car has had it since I brought it) as it’s a kind of tappy crunchy type noise . Now this noise is loudest at idle if and if I rev it just a little it gets louder but when driving as in accelerating it does it in 1st gear and just after it changes gears (auto) but only makes the noise if I accelerate smoothly lol, but if I accelerate fast its as quiet as anything (like new lol).

this noise that i am trying to describe is herd in a heap of vn's where i live so its a common noise with age i guessing

Now I DO know what a tappet noise sounds like as I had a massive tapping noise (which was one tappet) awhile back but it came good after I put some lifter free stuff in it but this sounds different.

now it does sound like its coming from under the manifold (inlet) and near the front of the engine but if I put me head under the driver side door area I it sounds noisy but im pretty sure it may be the lifters and or chain.

I have just replaced the harmonic balancer so that can be ruled out but if I move it side to side as in turning it, I can hear like a tappy noise in the engine near the front and when the engine is turned of it makes a loud tap/clunk noise from in the engine.

Please note that this noise is the noisiest when warm as in when engine is cold makes little (or no) noise what so ever, even the clunk noise isn’t there when turning off engine. But as it warms up that’s when it makes the noise

Car is vn commodore 1988 with 330 000 on the clock drives very well (like it’s never been thrashed), oil pressure is good
Oil I have in there at the moment is 25w60 (did have 20w50 and was noisier then now)

also can I take the rocker covers off and see if the tappets have much play in them to see if the lifters a stuffed??

Thanks for reading this as I know its long but I want to know what the noise is:thumbsup:

cheers

edit: it is a rattley crunchy noise

 

[Shortstuff]

The timing chain is noisy on my car. It's loudest on light acceleration and you can't hear it at idle. It's like a constant rattling when it happens though - you couldn't say it happens so many times a second.

 

[jas98]

hey thanks..yeh i can hera it at idle and under light acceleration but not fast acceleration

yeh went and listened to it again and it is a constant rattle /crunchy tappy noise. but its not effecting power or anything. so i will just leave it as it is for the time being and if i do get around to looking into it any further (ripping apart engine) ill post the out come

thanks again

 

[Shortstuff]

No worries. Apparently it's not too hard to change the timing chain and tensioner but you have to be careful not to damage the sump gasket when removing/reinstalling the front cover. I'm going to do mine soon to be safe!!

 

[jas98]

yeh im going to change the sump gasket soon as its leaking (i hope its the gasket and not the main seal as its leaking o from the bottom of the sump but the inspection cover is dry) i know the timeing chain and sprockets plus gaskets and tensioner is $160 all up at me local parts store so i think i will save a little and do that and then the sump gasket (drop crossmember) as im redoing the front suspension (bushes tie rod ends ball joints etc.... lol

going by the gregory's manual it doesnt seem too hard to chang it just says to make sure its all aligned propery and that the oil pump is position correctly on the crank and that the sump gasket is located correctly etc..... but it sure sounds easy and less expensive then the lifters as if the lifter are really stuff ...as in thrashing around then the crnk and tappets and rockers etc could and may be stufffed aswell ............fun fun fun lol

also could the timeing chain cause a clunk/tap noise when the car is tuned off when warm/hot? but cause no noise when turned off when car is cold???

and if that doesnt help with the noise then ill save and see if its worth doing the lifters................but atleast i know the timeing chain is all new lol hehe

cheers

als

 

[lazza44]

Could be the balance shaft bearing. Mine VN has very similar symptoms to yours and that is what it is.

 

[vn calais manual]

my mates has this same problem, id be interested to find out what it actually is, ive been told it could be balance shaft or timing chain.

 

[jas98]

thanks guys
its a pitty i can get a vid of the noise to compare it lol but me camera sucks lol

yeh i was thinking the balance sharf aswell but it does sound like a chainy type noise and tappy noise thats why i was thinking cahin and lifters.......well im hopeing it aint the balance sharft as u have to rip the engine and trans out to change both the bearings (needle roller bearings) and i dont want to do that lol

but im seeing if i have the funds to do the chain asss $$ is low atm=(, so when i do it (if i do) ill post the out come......it would never be a bad idea to change it as the car has done its k's (330 000)
and again thanks for all the heplp

 

[lazza44]

If it sounds loudest from under the guards then it probably is the balance shaft bearing. Mine is loudest in undercover car parks when you give it the a slight rev. I've decided to not bother repairing it. Mines had that noise for about 30-40k and the engine is still going

 

[jas98]

If it sounds loudest from under the guards then it probably is the balance shaft bearing. Mine is loudest in undercover car parks when you give it the a slight rev. I've decided to not bother repairing it. Mines had that noise for about 30-40k and the engine is still going

yeh its loudes from under the guards when at idle but when reveing its loudest from the top/front.also as u said when in confied areas it ecos and makes a racket lol

hmmm who could think those needle roller bearings could make such a racket lol ........oh well i may (if i get time) take it to a couple of well know mechanics aroud here and see if they can diagnos it (timeing chain, lifters or balance shartf) as like i said its in every vn around here BUT mine is a bit noiseyer then them lol

anyway what is the worst that can happen if i keep driveing it with this noise??

also i hear people getting rid of them when fitting double row chains......wouldnt this make it vibrate more as it is there to stop virbratione??

cheers all