Ive been having this problem with my 7mge lately, and i was wondering if i could get some input from you guys. Before my drive from California to Az (around 5-600 freeway miles maybe) i never had heard this noise before.
Sitting at idle, only sometimes, i will hear a randomly occurring, but with the rhythm of the engine, a clacking sound, coming from the bottom of the engine. It sounds almost as if there is a valve with excessive clearance and the cam is going around and tapping that bucket loudly, but it comes from the bottom end, and isn't entirely consistent.
When it clacks consistently, it goes at the pace of once every 2 revolutions of the crank. it will go sometime like clack..clack..clack........clack..clack........clack..clack..clack (it is a randomly occurring noise). I have been trying to find answers by the book, and the only thing that suited my problem was worn thrust bearings. I read that worn thrust bearings can cause a randomly occurring clack sound most noticeable at idle. Only thing is, when i press the clutch in, there is no change in the noise whatsoever, which makes me think it isn't thrust bearing related.
I have checked the crank pulley bolt, its torqued down. Timing is set to 14 degrees btdc with 91 octane fuel, idle speed is proper around 650-700 rpm, oil pressure is at or above spec always.
I have Mobil 1 0w-40 oil in the car right now, and is hardly 2000 miles old. Crankcase is 1 quart over full.
I have no acess to a lift, and i do not know anyone that does or anyone that has an experienced ear, and i highly doubt giving this car to a mechanic will give me any accurate results. This is a fairly faint clack and cannot be heard loudly unless you listen for it. Off idle, its basically not apparent at all.
This is the original motor with 87k miles, just changed the head gasket with a stock replacement, but the gasket had not blown into the crankcase by the time i caught it.
I just took the car to an autocross and abused it pretty good for a couple runs, and the noise is no worse or better than it was before. Sometimes, the noise isn't even there. I cannot seem to hear it when i open the hood and listen for it at the top of the engine, i can only hear it when i kneel down the front tire and listen from under the car.
This is usually only audible at warm idle, also. I have read the noise diagnosis threads and i feel that taking off drive belts wont help me much as this is so intermittent, and none of the descriptions fit my problem. I feel like i should ignore the problem as it doesn't seem to be anything major, but at the same time i want to know what is going on with the car, and i know this noise isnt normal.
I am just looking for some suggestions on what i can look for /test.
Sorry for the long ass post, but id rather provide more information to work off of than less. Thanks.
Sitting at idle, only sometimes, i will hear a randomly occurring, but with the rhythm of the engine, a clacking sound, coming from the bottom of the engine. It sounds almost as if there is a valve with excessive clearance and the cam is going around and tapping that bucket loudly, but it comes from the bottom end, and isn't entirely consistent.
When it clacks consistently, it goes at the pace of once every 2 revolutions of the crank. it will go sometime like clack..clack..clack........clack..clack........clack..clack..clack (it is a randomly occurring noise). I have been trying to find answers by the book, and the only thing that suited my problem was worn thrust bearings. I read that worn thrust bearings can cause a randomly occurring clack sound most noticeable at idle. Only thing is, when i press the clutch in, there is no change in the noise whatsoever, which makes me think it isn't thrust bearing related.
I have checked the crank pulley bolt, its torqued down. Timing is set to 14 degrees btdc with 91 octane fuel, idle speed is proper around 650-700 rpm, oil pressure is at or above spec always.
I have Mobil 1 0w-40 oil in the car right now, and is hardly 2000 miles old. Crankcase is 1 quart over full.
I have no acess to a lift, and i do not know anyone that does or anyone that has an experienced ear, and i highly doubt giving this car to a mechanic will give me any accurate results. This is a fairly faint clack and cannot be heard loudly unless you listen for it. Off idle, its basically not apparent at all.
This is the original motor with 87k miles, just changed the head gasket with a stock replacement, but the gasket had not blown into the crankcase by the time i caught it.
I just took the car to an autocross and abused it pretty good for a couple runs, and the noise is no worse or better than it was before. Sometimes, the noise isn't even there. I cannot seem to hear it when i open the hood and listen for it at the top of the engine, i can only hear it when i kneel down the front tire and listen from under the car.
This is usually only audible at warm idle, also. I have read the noise diagnosis threads and i feel that taking off drive belts wont help me much as this is so intermittent, and none of the descriptions fit my problem. I feel like i should ignore the problem as it doesn't seem to be anything major, but at the same time i want to know what is going on with the car, and i know this noise isnt normal.
I am just looking for some suggestions on what i can look for /test.
Sorry for the long ass post, but id rather provide more information to work off of than less. Thanks.
