Is this ticking sound a cause for concern ?

[Alex_the_trex]

Hey guys I'm a total newbie, this is my first 30y old car and I'm wondering if the ticking sound I hear is a cause for concern. Basically the engine has a faint ticking which you can't hear when I'm reving the car but you can hear when idling. In the video you hear it best at the in the first 5 sec and at the end of the video. The car is also "smoking" when idling but not when driving, it could just be water vapor. I really like this car so I'm super paranoid about everything lol.

So is it a regular 30y old car ticking sound or is it something more serious. Thank you so much for the help!

https://imgur.com/a/UXPO3kZ

 

[shovel]

I'm not absolutely sure on what you're describing as a ticking sound, maybe my speakers aren't good enough it almost sounds like an exhaust leak or maybe like you have a plugged PCV that's rattling or something?

The smoking when idle is almost always valve guide seals, people seem allergic to changing those even though they're cheap and relatively easy and there's no such thing as a 30 year old valve guide seal that isn't blown out like a 90 year old escort. The reason the exhaust will smoke more at idle is because vacuum is highest and air flow is lowest. Burning oil will coat your cats and oxygen sensors, neither of which is ideal to be crusty so it's a good idea a few miles after you've replaced your valve guide seals to also replace your o2 sensors.

Also if the "ticking" you're hearing is from the PCV flapping around that's going to be enhanced by blown out exhaust valve stem seals.

If you had plans of installing high ratio roller rockers this would be a good time to do that since the rockers will be coming off anyway to replace the seals.

 

[Alex_the_trex]

I'm not absolutely sure on what you're describing as a ticking sound, maybe my speakers aren't good enough it almost sounds like an exhaust leak or maybe like you have a plugged PCV that's rattling or something?

The smoking when idle is almost always valve guide seals, people seem allergic to changing those even though they're cheap and relatively easy and there's no such thing as a 30 year old valve guide seal that isn't blown out like a 90 year old escort. The reason the exhaust will smoke more at idle is because vacuum is highest and air flow is lowest. Burning oil will coat your cats and oxygen sensors, neither of which is ideal to be crusty so it's a good idea a few miles after you've replaced your valve guide seals to also replace your o2 sensors.

Also if the "ticking" you're hearing is from the PCV flapping around that's going to be enhanced by blown out exhaust valve stem seals.

If you had plans of installing high ratio roller rockers this would be a good time to do that since the rockers will be coming off anyway to replace the seals.

Yeah Its a mix of ticking and "grumbling" I guess. I'll definitely check the PCV but It looks kind of new from the outside. I was indeed planning on changing those seals, do you know if you need a specialized tool specific to the engine to remove the springs or if the universal NAPA ones work ?

 

[shovel]

I was indeed planning on changing those seals, do you know if you need a specialized tool specific to the engine to remove the springs or if the universal NAPA ones work ?

I ended up using a sacrificial wrench which turned out reasonably well, the nice thing with a tool that threads in is you have all the time in the world to mess around with the retainers and not lose them down into the oil sump because you're in a hurry.

Here are a couple videos that cover the process

 

[cobrajeff96]

Ticking can also be chain slap usually caused by worn out tensioners, burning oil at idle could also mean a number of things. 30 yr old car, original engine, xxx number of miles.....you might as well refresh the whole engine or swap in something else.

 

[shovel]

Ticking can also be chain slap usually caused by worn out tensioners,

No tensioners on a pushrod engine and usually no slap on a pushrod engine that still runs reasonably (chain is too short to really slap unless it's insanely worn out) - but you could be right about a loose chain allowing the cam to flipflop a little bit when the harmonic of the chain tension and the tops of some lobes line up.

 

[RAU03MACH]

possible lifter or the timing chain

 

[RAU03MACH]

no guides just sprockets and chain

 

[Alex_the_trex]

possible lifter or the timing chain

I plan on doing the valve cover anyways, while I’m in there what should I look for with the lifters and know if they need replacement ? And I’m guessing for the chain you need to pull the pulleys and the front of the engine off ?

 

[shovel]

You can't really tell a ton with the lifters except if one has all the way collapsed then you'll have lash on one or more rockers. That means you look for the rockers that are on completely closed valves, jiggle them with your hand. Rotate the crank to put other valves in the fully closed position and jiggle their rockers. If they rock freely you have lash which could mean a couple things but a completely collapsed lifter is one of those things. Hydraulic lifters don't really die that often, it's more common for them to just get sticky or for the check valve to leak and both of those things are caused by someone who thinks engines don't need oil changes. You'll never see that happen on an engine that's been serviced responsibly.

If you don't have any lash then you can pretty safely assume the lifters are fine.

To inspect or replace the timing chain you have to remove the water pump and timing cover, by the time you do that you might as well already have a new timing assembly to install. If you ever had plans to install a performance camshaft this would also be the time to do that. Honestly though a pushrod motor that uses a cam position sensor you'd have a really annoying misfire on steady cruise if your timing assembly was that sloppy so if it cruises smoothly you're probably in the clear.

 

[RAU03MACH]

once your valve cover is off start it for a few seconds check for oil at top on rocker
the side making noise check each lifter under a load the engine will need to be turned in quarters by hand make sure its not bleeding off
lifter are cheap i would probably replace all call it done
about the same as the guy above is saying

 

[Alex_the_trex]

Thank you so much for the help everyone. I just checked under the car after driving it and the exhaust and the engine are vibrating a lot and that makes a loud "ticking/clanking" sound, maybe its the reason or related.

https://imgur.com/a/8PbZQD3

 

[RAU03MACH]

can you shake it by hand move it , just to see if its tight