VT Ecotec Clicking/Ticking Noise during idle

[edals]

Thank you edals

Scratch that. Mace bolts say torque to 23ft/32nm. Those are the bolts I used.

http://www.maceengineering.com.au/Comp-Cam-Re-Usable-Rocker-Bolts

 

[Holdengurl88]

Ok cheers I'll see if I can get some today

 

[NeddyBear]

Before we fitted a 130,000 klm engine we to had the tick and folks here said to use a lighter oil and with the lifter tune product it seemed to work for a while and then at the next oil change we went back to using the 20W 50 along with a new belt tensioner and the tick went away completely.

 

[wod300]

Blue racers are really good. They are only 200 and free postage off eBay.

Thanks for that. Have you used them?

 

[wod300]

Still in there, still goes. But I found its actually cam chain slack in the end. It helped some of the ticking though.
Best thing I found to easily find out if it's the chain is to have load on the engine, lift off the throttle and see if it rattles, if it does its the chain. 296k with the rattle for at 100k. Doesent seem any worse than it was. I'll drive it till it dies. My VX is starting to make the same noise. story short don't think the lifters helped much. If it's running just keep managing it.

Oh, ok, yeah thanks. Are you talking about the timing chain that's slack?

 

[wrx884]

Still in there, still goes. But I found its actually cam chain slack in the end. It helped some of the ticking though.
Best thing I found to easily find out if it's the chain is to have load on the engine, lift off the throttle and see if it rattles, if it does its the chain. 296k with the rattle for at 100k. Doesent seem any worse than it was. I'll drive it till it dies. My VX is starting to make the same noise. story short don't think the lifters helped much. If it's running just keep managing it.

Funny I just had a few noises develop a few months ago but it wasn't happening until I needed to change the manifold gasket strangely enough. I don't think its related at all just bad timing but I was getting the ticking on start up and it went away after a few mins in which u can clearly hear the differences between the 2.

The start up ticking was happening before I found my inlet manifold had finally eating itself away after 280K kms but I also noticed at the bottom of my sump was thick sludge and I now know this is caused from not draining the oil properly I think (yes I change my oil every 5000kms so its not from abusing the oil changes). The sump plug sits about 10mm roughly from the bottom so unless u lift the car on a funny angle u never really flush out the old oil properly and this I'm pretty sure was blocking my pick up enough to starve the rockers from getting instant oil on start up creating the tick tick tick (sometimes sounded bad). This is easily heard coming from the sides of the motor.

After cleaning out the sludge crap by hand (not an easy task with sump still on) and a couple engine flushes, 3 weeks went buy and I noticed the ticking disappeared completely. each week it was getting less and less, oh and I use just the Ryco oil filters too always have so I think that info is a myth at least these are doing the job its supposed to.

another month went by and the ticking came back well I thought it did but listening more closely it was different to the start up tick but more of a tap tap tap and was clearly in the dead centre of the motor. I could notice this more around the 1500-2000RPM range but was more noticeable on de-acceleration. After pulling the manifold off we found the balance shaft bearing at the front had failed and became loose so the chain was creating the tap tap tap sounds. apparently this is called the death rattle? but its easy enough to replace as long as the rear sleeve at the back where the balance shaft sits into is still good.

So if anyone is hearing these noises make sure u find where they are coming from and u can work it out from there and check the very bottom of ur sump, ive seen a fair few ecotec have this sludge at the bottom since I found it so mayb its more common than what I thought?