North American Turbocoupe Organization

Full Version: valve ticking
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my car has develloped a valve tick, or at least im pretty sure thats what it is. there is no drop off in performance. so my question is. is there any harmless valve ticking or is this just prelude to what could later be a larger problem. one of my friends has a car that has had a valve tick for 50,000 miles with no problems.
Kind of depends on what the actual cause is. might be a lifter that isn't pumping up all the way. Cleaning it may help, may not. A set of lifter's is relatively cheap and can be changed with the head in the car. Could possible be a broken valve spring. You can take a vacuum reading at idle and see what the gauge needle does. Or it may be that a cam lobe is wearing and th elifter can no longer compensate for the increased clearnances. If the lobe is worn, the follower is also wearing. It will get worse and when it's worn through the surface hardening it will wear real quick, and all those particles will end up in the oil pan and pump.

There are top end oils to help sticky lifters. you could try that and if the ticking doesn't go away, it might pay to pull the VC and check thing out visually.
I agree with what Pete has suggested.I would play it safe and pull the valve cover and check the cam for any signs of wear.
Are you sure it is cominf from the valve train? Does it get any louder while accelerating? Louder hot or cold motor? Reason I am asking is that an exhaust leak at the ex. man. - head surface can sound a lot like a ticking valve.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 21 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 02 Taurus Vulcan(wifes car)
Are you sure it's not just a loud injector? Mine are really loud at certain times.

I usually reach down and touch them with my finger to see if the sound matches the vibration.

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'88 TC 5sp, K&N cone, t3.60/.48, ported head, Felpro 1055, Walbro 255 hi pres.
it gets louder with acceleration, it could maybe be an exst leak, my car does surge a tiny bit, ive had that problem b4 but the surging was much more extreme, the ticking sounded more like a put put put, and i smelt exhaust.

if i dumped a can of sea foam in with the oil would that might help?
I get a "Put" "Put" sound also, and my boost maxes out at 6-7 psi so it was determined its an exaust gasket. so the best way to know that is: does it get louder when you accelerate, is there a strong smell of exaust. also have you noticed a loss of boost.
my boost maxes at 16 psi, and it still pulls strong (tiny bit of surge). that tiny bit of surge has allways been there a little bit. I'm really sure its not an exhst. leak, ive had that problem b4 and the car ran like sh1t becuase of it.
Mine developed after the timing jumped on me last summer. I might have broken a spring or bent the lip on the valve or something like that but the car runs absolutly perfect from a mechanical stand point, electrical is skechy at best.

Huey

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87 Turbo coupe, 5spd, full factory options, custom 3 inch exhaust