'95 ATX Valve Cover Noise

[Jascar60]

I changed the oil in my '95 ATX yesterday, and when I started it up after I was done I noticed a tapping noise coming from/around the front valve cover. I recorded the noise & put it on youtube.

[YOUTUBE]http://youtu.be/KEl3dmVvmOQ[/YOUTUBE]
http://youtu.be/KEl3dmVvmOQ

So, what do yall think it is?

 

[19sho90]

Hopefully Not a rod bearing. Can you get a better video that wasn't recorded with a toothbrush?

 

[Jascar60]

Yeah, I was just in a rush and only had my phone on me. It was at night too. The phone I recorded it from was about an inch away from the valve cover though. The noise isn't coming from the bottom of the engine.

 

[tommyturbo]

on my 95 atx, I had a noise from under the front cover, near the chain drive for the cams. Turned out my tensioners were very worn. no more noise on mine after doing the valve adjustment and replacing the tensioners.

 

[Mike Spataro]

Tommy,

I had a noise coming from my 3.2 a few years back and turnout to be the timing belt tensioner was dead. The noise was traveling in the valve cover. I suggest to take off the top timing belt cover and inspect the belt. Rev it a few times and you may be surprised. If I remember correctly the timing belt was jumping all over at idle and smoothed out after a higher RPM of 2000.

Could be a simple fix with a new or rebuilt timing belt tensioner.

Good luck, Mike

 

[tommyturbo]

I'll take a look when the front 60K gets done. The noise I had is gone after replacing the tensioners for the cam chains. One the plastic was loose and fell off during removal, the other could be wiggled around when rotated and the plastic was really worn down. In my case it sounded like the chain was hitting the valve cover, although it wasn't actually hitting it. It's really quiet and smooth now, just have to figure out this weird dead spot but thats in another post.

Tommy,

I had a noise coming from my 3.2 a few years back and turnout to be the timing belt tensioner was dead. The noise was traveling in the valve cover. I suggest to take off the top timing belt cover and inspect the belt. Rev it a few times and you may be surprised. If I remember correctly the timing belt was jumping all over at idle and smoothed out after a higher RPM of 2000.

Could be a simple fix with a new or rebuilt timing belt tensioner.

Good luck, Mike

 

[Jascar60]

I took the timing belt cover over the summer, & the tensioner seemed fine then. So unless it's gone bad since then, that's not the problem for me. If it really needed a valve adjustment, could it make that tapping noise? I know very little about solid lifters, and have yet to take the valve covers off to see.

 

[tommyturbo]

My 95 ATX was in need of the valve adjustment, as I have no idea if it was ever done, and many of the clearances were out of spec and the car has 150K. I don't think the valves or shims will make that much noise. I'm going to guess your tensioners are worn like mine.

 

[SeanMc]

I have a slight tap noise between 2k-3k rpm, it's the tensioners. Doesn't hurt anything to drive with them, but just plan on replacing them when you get a chance.

 

[Jascar60]

Ok thanks everyone. I'll try to assess it some more this weekend when I'll actually have the time & the daylight.