VX Supercharged Engine Ticking/Tapping

[Turnerj]

Hey guys,

Just recently started having an odd noise coming from the engine. Starting around 1700rpm and onwards (in any gear), the engine starts ticking/tapping (it's hard to explain, also hard to record while driving as it doesn't occur in idle or by revving in park - yep, auto). The ticking/tapping occurs 6-7 times per second however does not seem to get faster with increased RPM, just louder. It doesn't seem to be tied to a particular speed or temperature either. It's more noticeable in the morning however it is also more quiet (no traffic around) in the morning.

I've done some researching myself which came up saying anything from faulty transmission (mine was serviced and upgraded in July), centre bearing (which mine is known to be bad which is getting replaced in the next week and a half), roller rocker issues to complete dying of the engine (let's hope not!). Another place suggested that there was a lack of oil so I checked and I have plenty in my car.

I mentioned about the centre bearing however this noise seems to have come out of the blue in the last week or so (and the centre bearing issue was mentioned to me back in July - though was mentioned that it isn't urgent) and it seems to come more the engine bay than not. It has been getting a bit worse/louder each day which is a little worrying. I found some information on what someone else had with their VT here which they do say their problem was from the centre bearing.

Any other information or suggestions on what could be going wrong? Anyone experienced similar issues?

Thanks

 

[hq-racing]

If it's coming from motor my 1st guess would be lifter...

 

[Brett_jjj]

What oil has it got in it?

 

[Turnerj]

Cheers guys,

I'll look into the lifters and see if they are the issue. I don't know the specific type of oil that was put in since my last service off the top of my head but I do know I have plenty of it. The symptoms have slightly changed now as it is audible in idle (just) and it has overall got louder.

As it got worse driving home yesterday, I booked in my car for a mechanic who thinks it might be an exhaust manifold leak. It doesn't make that much sense to me why that would be creating this ticking/tapping sound though. He did mention that the fuel economy can be worse now as air is going into the exhaust before the O2 sensor. If this is all it is, I will be very glad as some posts that I read made it sound like I would need a new engine :/

Thanks again guys, will let you know what happens.

 

[Nut Kracker]

I booked in my car for a mechanic who thinks it might be an exhaust manifold leak. It doesn't make that much sense to me why that would be creating this ticking/tapping sound though. He did mention that the fuel economy can be worse now as air is going into the exhaust before the O2 sensor. If this is all it is, I will be very glad as some posts that I read made it sound like I would need a new engine :/

Thanks again guys, will let you know what happens.

I doubt very much that you will need a new engine just because of a ticking noise.
But your mechanic could be right.
A leaking exhaust manifold, especially if it has a very small hole in it, can sound exactly the same as a noisy lifter.
I had a very annoying ticking sound in an EF Falcon I once owned.
It sounded like a noisy lifter to every one who heard it, even my mechanic, until he realised it was a very small hole in the exhaust manifold.

 

[Nut Kracker]

Try this......
Start the car, get a length of hose. A foot or so will do.
Place one end on the rocker cover/s and the other end in your ear.
Move the hose around the rocker cover to try and pick up the noise.
If there is a noisy lifter, you will be able to here it through the hose.

 

[Brett_jjj]

I don't know the specific type of oil that was put in since my last service off the top of my head but I do know I have plenty of it. The symptoms have slightly changed now as it is audible in idle (just) and it has overall got louder.

Its probably a good idea to get some proper spec oil and a new oil filter and change it .. I had bad problems with my ecotec ticking/tapping/rapping badly at idle, It was penrite oil causing it, I switched to using mobil 1 brand oil, and a year or two later, the engine still idles quiet, not a tick, tap or wrap to be heard.

 

[brooom]

I think your mechanic is right. If there's a leak in the manifold than it will be screwing around with the O2 readings and your ECU will try and compensate, causing detonation every now and then, hence the tapping. Also explains why it only happens when the car is in motion - when the engine is under load there's greater vacuum in the exhaust and therefore air is more likely to move in or out of the leak. It's probably a tiny little hole or crack that can be fixed with a mig tack.

If this were an older engine without an ECU you wouldn't have this problem per-se - your engine would just finally go "boom" one day.

 

[Turnerj]

I doubt very much that you will need a new engine just because of a ticking noise.
But your mechanic could be right.
A leaking exhaust manifold, especially if it has a very small hole in it, can sound exactly the same as a noisy lifter.
I had a very annoying ticking sound in an EF Falcon I once owned.
It sounded like a noisy lifter to every one who heard it, even my mechanic, until he realised it was a very small hole in the exhaust manifold.

I only got the idea that it might be something worse with posts like these. It's hard because so many things can make a particular sound and describing it people use different words etc so people think other things.


Cheers everyone else for the more information, will look into what each one of you mention and get back to you.

 

[mpower]

exhaust/manifold noises are more of a popping than a ticking sound.