Head ticking: Bad rocker arms?

[Hayden_Fourroux]

Hayden_Fourroux's AvatarHayden_Fourroux , 11-21-2016 03:40 PM
Whats up guys. I have a 96 GSR only has exhaust and CAI and its been making a loud ticking noise coming from the head its more noticable when im driving not so much at idle . Thought the valves needed adjusted went through and checked and they were all within spec did i compression check and that checked out too. So I'm now thinking rocker arm but I dont want to just throw parts at it so is there a way you can diagnose a bad rocker arm? Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[MACE]

what I do is run the vehicle with the valve cover off and deal with the oil until i find the source of the noise.
but thats some old schools s**t
nomsayin/4 should be able to hear where the problem is ud

 

[HeX]

To be clear, you have a '97 Civic with a '96 Integra GSR engine? If so was the swap done recently or a while ago and this issue occurred recently? Whats the mileage on the engine? What type of oil and viscosity are you using?

 

[Hayden_Fourroux]

To be clear, you have a '97 Civic with a '96 Integra GSR engine? If so was the swap done recently or a while ago and this issue occurred recently? Whats the mileage on the engine? What type of oil and viscosity are you using?

Yes. Swap done at the begining of the year. The noise just started recently. Got the motor from HMO i havent even put 10k on. Running mobil 1 5w30

 

[Hayden_Fourroux]

Low on oil?

No. Check and top off my oil every week

 

[HeX]

I assume you meant that the engine had less than 10k miles since a rebuilt and not since installation. What is leaking that you need to top off the oil weekly.

 

[daperez13]

Sometimes the injectors can be mistaken for valve noise. Take a hose and listen at different parts of the engine.

Does it still sound like bad rockers? Have you checked timing? Did you perform a full tune-up on the engine after the swap?

The intake manifold will make a high pitched noise because it's sucking air in. Have you changed anything after the swap?

 

[Hayden_Fourroux]

I assume you meant that the engine had less than 10k miles since a rebuilt and not since installation. What is leaking that you need to top off the oil weekly.

Nothing is leaking. What i mean was i check every week and top off every month or so.
And less than 10k since install

Sometimes the injectors can be mistaken for valve noise. Take a hose and listen at different parts of the engine.

Does it still sound like bad rockers? Have you checked timing? Did you perform a full tune-up on the engine after the swap?

The intake manifold will make a high pitched noise because it's sucking air in. Have you changed anything after the swap?

Timing is spot on. Replaced plug wires plugs a d cap and rotor when i did the swap. Maybe use a stethoscope and listen to the injectors?

 

[Hayden_Fourroux]

Bump

 

[MotorMo]

You can use a stethoscope or a long screw driver to listen to the injectors. If you can hear the noise in the car while driving, then its gota be kinda loud.
Could be many things- hard to say with out listening to it. Most head noises happen at idle if its a oil pressure related issue. Some times the lost motion "lifters" get stuck, especially with imported engines...and those can make alot of ruckus.
When is it loudest? When the engine is Cold, or hot?-What RPM's are the loudest?- is it more noticeable on deceleration or acceleration?-

 

[Hayden_Fourroux]

You can use a stethoscope or a long screw driver to listen to the injectors. If you can hear the noise in the car while driving, then its gota be kinda loud.


Could be many things- hard to say with out listening to it. Most head noises happen at idle if its a oil pressure related issue. Some times the lost motion "lifters" get stuck, especially with imported engines...and those can make alot of ruckus.
When is it loudest? When the engine is Cold, or hot?-What RPM's are the loudest?- is it more noticeable on deceleration or acceleration?-

I used a stethoscope and listened to everything with the valve cover off seems the noise is the lost motion assemblies. Gonna go through and replace. Thanks for the input guys

 

[MotorMo]

Nice- hope that cures it. just a side note, I swapped out my lost motion "bucket and shim" set up for a set up simular to the S2000 set up. This was a few years ago, but I loved it. I think it came from a Prelude engine? If you poke around the internet, you may find some more info.

Here's a photo of the "older style" on the left, and one of the "updated version" on the right-