Tapping noise driving me crazy
 

I have a 04 GT and it has a light tapping noise that sounds like it is coming from either the passenger side head or from the timing cover. It starts as soon as I turn on the car and the tapping increases when I give the car gas, driving or in neutral. The compression is pretty much the same on all cylinders as well and other than the tapping the car runs perfect. I think that it might be a bad lifter/roller arm or maybe a chain tensioner going out and the chain hitting the guard. I am going to take off my timing and valve covers off this weekend and start the car to try and pinpoint what it is.
Any help or info would be appreciated.

You just described a sound that I have had since I bought the car. Let me know what it is if you find out. It drives me crazy too!

Same thing happened to me with my first motor it was the timing chain guides they brake alot due to being made of cheap plastic lol

get a stethoscope and check it out....start off easy, pull the passenger valve cover and fire it up...if you grab the noise right there, then you just saved time pulling the cover

These cars all have that tapping noise. Something else to check is the gasket on the passenger side of the exhaust. That gasket might not be sealing anymore and might be something worth checking since its coming from that side of the motor. Also might just be a noisy lash adjuster. But do the simple stuff before you start taking off timing covers and valve covers and stuff.

Ok I pulled the valve cover off and ran the car and one of the roller arms was really loose. When the cam would roll around it would give the roller arm a little slack and when it rolled back on it would the roller would slap down making the tapping. I replaced all the lash adjusters on that side and the roller arms. No more tapping.

This is why I have not only stopped using used lash adjusters, I am having some new custom ones made that perform better than the stock ones.

Mine doesn't. :confused:

Then you are very fortunate my friend. lol