So I start hearing this noise from my valve cover breather...I listen closer..sounds like detonation/knock/ping...so I made a video.

Maybe someone more experienced can chime in but to me it sounds like knock. In fact, so much so my video would probably be a perfect YouTube example of what knock sounds like..? I haven't found any as clear as this..Unless I'm wrong? I kind of hope I am but it sounds bang on for ping to me.

This is at idle, about 800rpm at about 13.7 AFR, stock ignition timing (about 16.5 degees), flicking to my primary map (secondary map is a bit richer in cruise for testing) idles at 14.6 to 14.7 AFR, but the noise doesnt change. If I rev it up, it goes away as you can hear. The engine had been running about 20 mins from cold start and was fully warmed up but not overheating. Never heard this until recently. What would cause this at idle? I could see hot carbon deposits maybe, if it was hotter or being boosted but this is at idle and I've Seafoam'd recently..I am burning a fair bit of oil..I'm pretty sure it's mostly through the valves..Happens if I idle too long or high rpm off throttle but pretty much never in boost. Got a new head on the way.

I was having some ignition problems (see my other thread) that were mostly solved (er, compensated for) by re-gapping my plugs. I've also been getting some CEL code 16 (fuel injector) lately when it's cold & cold started. Runs like **** a tiny but when it happens but goes away pretty quick once it warms. If I clear codes before it's warmed it tends to come back but if I clear when it's warmed it goes away until it's sat overnight again. Also got one CEL from CYP I think once or twice recently but I was working on ECU stuff so not sure it's actually relavent.

My injectors are 440cc raceteonix (saturated) and I've been seriously considering new ones. I got them used with really low milage and super clean but I know they're not the best, heck, I asked them for the battery dead time specs and they told me to **** off since I didn't buy them from them new..found them on an ls1 forum, thanks Google (3 hours of searching).

 

Holy hell that sounds absolutely horrible... Definitely isn't just valve tick or detonation/ping or anything like that... Doesn't sound at all like rod knock to me either though, plus it would get worse when you rev.

Either way I definitely think you're going to end up needing to pull the engine for this, that sounds like something pretty nasty is happening between the block and the head. Also a mod may end up moving this, not really related to FI questions.

Good luck, I hope you find a recovery. I'm really curious what that noise is.

 

Yeah to me it sounds pretty close to ping but at idle with proper to rich AFR (for idle).

I have a new head coming soon (with a broken block, dunno if it's repairable yet or not) .. still seems to run and boost hard. Not too worried about blowing it up except for having to tow it.

As for FI, well, never happened pre-turbo, thought maybe boost fucked something up.

I did my lash a few months ago (pre-boost) and I couldn't get a feeler in anywhere, there was no lash. Went to spec, was louder (ticking) but definitely didn't hear this nor did I til recently and it's noticeable enough coming out the breather that I wouldn't have missed it!

Hopefully more experienced ears can chime in. I'll do a cold start today and have a listen see if temp makes any difference (but as I said, wasnt hot)

Oh, and my my dizzy setting/crank/base timing matches ecu/stock proper..

 

I wonder if it is LMA related.

 

We'll know soon... picking up a blown b18b1 tomorrow with good head. Will rebuild that block too depending on how bad it is.

I was thinking of sticking my inspection camera down the cylinders but won't be able to see much.

 

Oh and.. B18B1, stock head...no vtec...no lma.