JDWalton

So while I have good power, I was hoping I had an exhaust leak, I just replaced the header gasket. Pretty sure this isn't exhaust.

Leaves me thinking I have a bent valve or something?

One other thought. I had a leaky valve cover, I saw some of the oil up top as I was replacing it. It was very dirty and had some water droplets. Is it possible my tick is a head gasket on the way out?

I get the feeling I am ordering a head change kit and pulling the heads to find out, thoughts?

Car in sig.

JDWalton

I should add... At startup it is worse. After a while you can barely hear it at idle, or cruising around light throttle. Under a good load, like half throttle or up a steep hill, tick tick tick tick tick.

Simon1

That sounds more like a lifter but idk...

I think I have a head gasket going out also. I put a mark on my coolant tank to see if it goes down this weekend while racing.

JDWalton

I don't have much experience over on the valve-train, so please, whats your idea about a lifter? How would you proceed?

Simon1

I wouldn't have any idea really.

Techs use a stethoscope with a metal rod on the end to place it directly onto parts to isolate noise. I imagine they would put it on each coil, injector, exhaust on the manifold etc unhook they heyat something.

Lifters in our cars are hydraulic and work off of oil pressure. So it's not uncommon in a lot of cars with these lifters to make noise on start up and then go away as the lifter is pressurized and the oil gets hot.

I really have no idea what the sound really is. Until the noise is isolate you will bee just guessing. A talented mechanic could probably tell you.

JDWalton

Thanks man. I looked up some info and educated myself in the mean time.

Did the chemical clean route, same sound.

The way it changes with temp and load, lifter sounds plausible.

I have this turbo kit waiting to go on so I am stuck between:

1. Live with it, run it till she blows.

2. Order a head change kits, header gaskets, go exploring, possibly fix. $100 + what I find

3. Order the lifter and rocker kit $400 and though not bad to replace on this 100k motor, might not need.

4. 2 and 3

5. Order some longblock if I can find the money. like $14k for that b326 stage 3 longblock.

hammeron

hey JD my old friend, where are we at with this? what's the plan.....

can you post a vid of the engine idling, so we can hear the noise....maybe have someone rev it up a little every now and then.

JDWalton

Hey Hammer,
Nice to see ya. Currently the plan is I am going to replace the gasket one more time. These BBK gaskets are squishy and I got a lot of turn out of the bolts the next day. In the mean time, also looking at rebuild / motor options.

I also have to figure out tuning options as American Muscle is not tuning turbo cars and never gave me a tune....

hammeron

if it were an exhaust leak before the oxygen sensor, i wonder if that would affect the short term fuel trim value for that bank. if you were able to monitor both banks and there was a significant difference between the two, that might confirm a leak.

with my aeroforce gauge, i could monitor stft for both banks.

i am hoping it is something easy to fix, keep us updated.

SCCAGT

Im gonna go with it being an exhaust leak. Just because it changes after it warms up. This could easily be parts expanding due to heat and sealing up better than when cold. Ticking sound will come from the gasket area, or manifold/header to pipe joint. Any other place will just make for a louder sounding exhaust.