jord18

Alright guys, i've searched but the problem was that most ppl didn't know what the heck a valve adjustment was. Not in my case, i do mine 2 times per summer to be safe. So I just finished installing my AEBS mani on my b16 and while im waiting for the thermo to open to let the bubbles out, the engine out of nowhere starts ticking!!!! From the #4 cylinder intake side. I know nothing fell in because we covered the ports as soon as we pulled the stock mani and ive been in the combustion chamber with a boroscope 3 times since the sound started.

I know its not injectors becuase i pulled each inidividually and ran the car and the sound doesnt change. I did the reverse spark plug test and that was fine so its not a bearing. I changed the dizzy with another i had didnt change anything. Ive taken the head apart 4 times down to pulling the rockers. Checked cam gear bolts, both tight. Bought prelude lma's and did the 1mm shim trick.


I used a stethoscope and the sound is coming from #4 intake side for sure, I even checked the oil pressure to make sure the pump wasn't failing and i was getting 34 psi at idle and 70 psi at 3000 rpm. I pulled the valve springs off on #4 thinking maybe the inner one was cracked but nope. Since ive taken apart the head 4 times i know its not valve lash since when you pull the cams you are supposed to back off all the valve adjustment nuts all the way so u need to re lash every time u put it back together and im lashing at .007 intake and .008 exhaust. I did a comp test and all the cylinders are within 10 psi of each other.

Any ideas??? only thing i can think of is that its coming another part of the head and the sound is traveling down the cam but its intake side for sure and if it was a bent valve i would have found it in the comp test. could carbon build up on the valves make a random *** loud ticking?? kind of sounds like no oil metal on metal but if i run the car, then turn it off and pull the cover everything is well lubricated.

Thanks guys

obuhmyuh

bent/burnt valve?

or you're #4 rod might be going. this happened to me due to oil starvation, it ticked quiet and then progressed and ticked very LOUDLY until it evetually spun a bearing and took a ****. ( I hope this isn't the case)

jord18

thanks for your reply man but no its not a rod or bearing. There was never a quiet tick it just start while the car was idling and it cant be oil starvation im getting perfect oil pressure. Its definatly head related.

anyone?

-Gambit-

bent or burnt valve, or if your lucky you just need a valve adjustment

jord18

wow people dont read, i have adjusted the valves 4 times because i pulled the head apart 4 times

obuhmyuh

are you sure everything was torqued down properly when installed your head?

jord18

yaa man 86 inch lbs for the 6mm bolts and 20 ft lbs for the 8mm bolts. im gonna pull all the valve springs tonight and if none are broken im gonna pull the head