[GSXRolla]

RRRRR!!! Ok, here's the deal. After a month of on again, off again work on my '95 GSX, I finally got the new engine in and running. HOWEVER, it sounds like crap. Ok, here's some background about the engine: It's also a '95 4G63 engine, from an AT car, and it has had it's balance shafts removed, 60k on this engine.

Anyhow, it sounds almost like a VERY VERY VERY LOUD lifter, only like metal hitting metal. It will stay running for probably 3-4 minutes at a time, but I won't even try to rev it or drive it. I'm just too damn scared of messing it up even further.

Here's what we have come to:

It sounds like the sound is coming from the head, but when we use a bar or screwdriver to listen, and try and localize the sound, it ranges anywhere from the top to the bottom of the head by the #1 piston. It doesn't really sound like it's coming from all 4 cylinders, but only from that one. Is it possible that the timing's a notch off or something, or does it sound like possible piston slap? When we completely pull all the plugs, and turn it over, we don't hear any contact being made, but as soon as we fire it up, there it is. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Boostin'X']

Check my post.
http://www.dsmtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=104786

Sounds similar, but mine does it at startup when it is cold, I believe it is the lifters, but not 100% sure.

 

[GSXRolla]

I don't think it's the lifters. It's EXTREMELY loud. Much louder than a lifter would normally be. I had a '95 TSI AWD a long time ago, and it had loud lifter noise, but nothing like this. This sounds like metal on metal.

Possible timing issue maybe? How would I check all the timing marks? Remove the lower belt cover? It's to my understanding that once the engine has had a rotation or two, the lower timing marks will no longer match which the upper marks... is that correct?

Also, the noise seems to be coming from the intake side of the engine (down by the intake manifold by the #1 piston...). If it was a broken or bad piston, wouldn't the noise be apparent from both the front and the back sides of the engine? And if it was bad timing, wouldn't I hear the noise on all 4 cylinders?

 

[Boostin'X']

Mine sounds like metal on metal, not lifter tick, more like lifter tap. Kind of like a clunking noise. To me it sounds like something metal it hitting the valve cover. But I would check timing on the cams, the white marks on the gears will match facing toward each other(TDC#1) and check the timing mark on the crank pully, there should be marks on the dampener to line it up with the marks on the cover. If everything was timed correctly, they should match on the crank and cams.

 

[GSXRolla]

I just checked the timing belt, and it looks like the exhaust cam is off one notch... Yeah, looks like I should have rotated the exhaust cam forward one notch. I took the timing belt off, and am ready to reinstall it, but just out of curiosity, should ONE notch have been responsible for all that head racket?

 

[Scott08]

probably not No

 

[rrk5485]

I would do I compression check to see if the valvles are fine. I would also take the valve cover off and make sure all of the roller rockers are tight. It sounds like one might have come loose somehow.

 

[GSXRolla]

Me and a neighbor noticed that one of the lifters had a very slight wiggle to it. Should they all be tight as hell, or do they bleed down and all get a little loose?

 

[GSXRolla]

Ok, just got some compression numbers. let me know what you think.

Cyl #1: 90psi
Cyl #2: 115psi
Cyl #3: 120psi
Cyl #4: 150psi

I don't have blue smoke coming out the tail pipe, and it doens't stall out, but man is there noise. Sounds like it's coming from the top of the engine, not the bottom. I realize SOMETHING's gonna have to be rebuilt, but what am I looking at... the head? Or the shortblock?

 

[Boostin'X']

From the rollers, it sounds like you bent some valves, and from the compression, sounds like your H/G is toast, could be your rings also, or a combination of things, but the rollers should remain in contact with the cams at all times. I would say start with the head.

It doesn't take much to bend a valve, until your try to recut your valves, even though they look fine to the eye.

I would say most likely you have a blown h/g and bent some valves.

 

[barney]

Have you been driving this car? It takes a while for air to work it way out of the lifters and usually it helps if the car is driven around a bit. The lifters can really hammer if there's air in them.

If the HG was bad I'd expect you to see coolant being expelled to the overflow tank as the engine warms. If valves were bent I'd expect you to find zero compression in one or more cylinders. The compression is unusually low but maybe it will improve when driven - maybe not, depending on the condition of the engine.

So, I'd suggest you get somebody professional to listen to it if possible. If they don't think the noise is a rod going out or something like that and maybe just valve noise, I'd drive it around and see if it goes away.

Also, look for the usual goofy stuff like loose flywheel/torque converter bolts or maybe a broken damper.