I was driving home last night and noticed a tick tick tick coming from the engine. I recently installed a K&N and thought the filter was hitting the pulleys. That's what it sounded like initially. However, after pulling in my garage it sounded a heck of a lot worse. Here's video with sound of the noise. Please turn your speakers up. I have a sinking feeling about this...

<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://img.photobucket.com/player.sw...7/VID00001.flv">

The engine only has 69k miles on it. No fluids are leaking and no CEL's have been thrown. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

 

Is this sound after you installed the K&N intake?

 

MAN.......definatly mechanical and sure sounds like a rod.

As a DIY person.... the first thing I would do is drain the oil and check oil and filter for metal. With a sound like that I would send it to be sampled for bearing material.

You say it changed sound? Like it was something hitting a pully at first? So it was lighter then that? Then it got worst? How long did you drive it after hearing the inital sound?

Not good at all.....sorry.

 

yes, it's post K&N install but this has nothing to do with the K&N. Check out the video

 

I noticed a tick about 5 miles from home but it sounded like the K&N hitting the pully which has happened before so I wasn't too concerned. It got very very loud when I pulled into the driveway

 

What year do you have?

Check your antifreeeze and oil. My old car made a sound like this before she let go.

 

it's an 01.

I'm totally in a panic.

 

After hearing it, I think I know what it is. When I first installed the K&N intake I tested drive the car at WOT. Came back got the same similar sound that you have. I hope it is the same problem I had because it is a easy fix.

Have some one stand behind the car with engine lid open, look down closely at the back metal plate of the K&N against the engine pulley. You notice that there is a allen screw locate near the pulley on the K&N plate. What happened is that the designer of the K&N didn't see the screw location is too close to the pulley. Feel the allen screw for shaving. If the head screw was shave then you need to move the intake further out. There is not much room but it can be done.

 

Exactly what I thought last night. I pulled the filter box out and it still exists. It very very much sounds like it's coming from the crank case. It's a very very consistant tick...if you increase the idle the noise increases in kind. It's very rhythemic...the wierd thing is that there's no tick tick tick tick TOCK sound like a rod got thrown.

 

In that case, I would advise you to tow the car to a local indie. You don't want to risk the chance with major engine break down. Don't try to solve it when you are in the haze. GL!

 

GL-with your fix! 6-speeders you guys/gals are awesome when someone is in the need of help! It's a support group for people with the same common interest--Pcars!!

 

GL with this.... please keep us posted. TIA!

 

Update - the engine isn't dropped but stuff is getting pulled apart. At higher revs (when the pressure in the cyl is higher) the noise isn't as bad. I feel with a 90% chance that it's a collapsed lifter. Should have the valve cover off tomorrow and thus a high % diagnosis.

Thoughts with the new info? I can live with a lifter issue - the thought of a rod being in 3 pieces really makes pucker

Assuming this is a collapsed lifter is this a common/known problem?

 

Your really getting into the area of renntech.org now Loran and or toolpants there should be a great help. I have not looked there to see if you have posted.

 

yeah, i posted for him at renntech... not much response yet