hey guyz,
My stock twin carb 2L type 4 engine has developed a slight ticking noise from the #1 cylinder head area. Im pretty sure its not valve ticking, sure doesnt sound like it. It sounds more like a real faint pinging noise, im guessing its an exhaust leak but what might be some other possibilities?

cheers

[ Edited on 6-5-2006 by 76camper ]

Hydraulic lifter??

nah no hydraulic lifters, i just went out and checked valves, all seems to be moving smoothly. Upon closer inspection i dont think its an exhaust leak, it sounds more like something metal tapping on the head.... any ideas?

loose head studs

I suspect that the entire motor is cactus. The only sane solution is to park the vehicle in a paddock and set fire to it. That will stop those pesky noises.

[ Edited on 20-4-2006 by Mike Hamper ]

rocker tapping the cover??

recessed valve??

just a suggestion to narrow down problem, remove plug lead to that cylinder & see if there is a difference in noise
I also wonder if it is possible that it may be fuel pump, which is very close to same area

bizarre can you tell me more about a recessed valve?

and kombi kim i didnt think bout the fuel pump, will look into it. keep the suggestions coming!! this noise is frustrating me!

just adjusted the valves... no difference. im pretty sure its not the fuel pump.
I disconnected the spark plug and no difference, just that the noise was less muffled... any ideas??? im gana pull the plug tomoro...

well valves havent been drastically out of adjustment when i have adjusted them so im guessing thats not the problem... it is a possibility tho that a valve seats have come loose and is rattling around a bit... the engine was rebuilt about 10 000k ago so i hope that this isnt the case.... had rebuilt heads put it with fresh valve seats!

Is there a way to check for loose valve seats?

thanks for the info guyz, keep it coming

you will know if a seat is loose or starting to recess by 1.lousy performance especially up hills, 2. constant readjustment of valve clearance i.e every 100klm or so 3. when it gets bad a poping sound out the exhaust 4. when it gets real bad a seized motor.
I've personally had a motor seize because an inlet valve seat came loose.
I've got a 2lt motor right now with a recessed inlet valve seat I have to adjust the clearance every 200ks with very ordinary performance.
My brother just installed 2 new AMC heads on his 1.8lt an inlet valve seat had recessed so much. The valve had pounded the seat up into the head reducing it to about half its original height it had lasted 5000ks he was adjusting the valve clearance every day.

If your performance isn't suffering in any way and there are no obvious mechanical changes that you have observed then I would say your o.k

i had a similar noise, turned out to be the thunderbird muffler. the end cap came loose.

[ Edited on 22-4-2006 by bus914 ]

thanks,

yea performance and everything hasnt been affected at all just this annoying freakin noise! it doesnt seem to be getting louder or anything just a constant 'clack/tick'.... im gana pull the plugs, see what there like and do a comp test also this arvo... hopefully reveals seats are fine, fingers crossed.... keep the ideas coming guyz! very useful for me

see my posts about a type IV engine that develped a tapping noise... apparently its pretty unusual though

Yea found it. Its not so much a bearing noise tho more a tapping around the head... i found this sound file http://home.arcor.de/silke.fokken/sounds/camnoise.wav 
which i think is making the noise. But im starting to get used to the noise and its getting harder to pin point lol which is frustrating.... Hope its not a rebuild job

[ Edited on 27-4-2006 by 76camper ]

Update:-

Used the screw driver stethoscope trick where u press one end of a screw driver to your ear and the other to the part your listening to while blocking your other ear. I touched the screw driver on the oil pump to see if maybe the cam gear may have been hitting it, but it sounded fine, could just hear the gears in the oil pump running.

touched it on the sump, sounded fine

touched it on the exhaust header of the #2 cylinder (??) (the rear rhs cylinder) and could hear the noise.

touched it on the exhaust header of oppsite cylinder and could not hear the noise.

touched it on the valve cover of the #1/2 cylinder head and could hear the noise

touched it on the opposite valve cover and could not.

This was after i tighten the rocker assembly's a little... made very little difference.

So im thinking maybe my rocker assembly is screwed, is this common? Is there anything i can check?