Engine Noise - Belt or Tappets

benm7 · Post by **benm7** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:26 am

Hi guys,

When I start my car up, there is a really annoying tapping noise coming from the left side of the engine itself. It gets louder when i apply pressure to the brakes, and also when i turn the lights on etc. I have just had my car serviced and the timing belt tightened so im unsure what it is. Any ideas?

It seems to die down a bit when i am driving, and only occurs at idle.

Cheers,

Ben

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 2:26 pm

Most likely your tappets/lifters.

Is it a mettalic tapping noise? Does it happen more when the engine is cold or when warm?

SchumieFan · Post by **SchumieFan** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 2:37 pm

on your next oil change go fully synthetic and see if that lessens the noise, then youll know its the tappets for sure

benm7 · Post by **benm7** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:34 pm

it seems to be a metal tapping noise, and only occurs when the engine is cold yes.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:50 pm

hmmmm tappet noise usually happen after your car is warm up. You should get a mechanic to check it out.

poster · Post by **poster** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:10 pm

and yes im not sure if i have got the same problem....
anyways i went to the SL motorsport which FTO338 introduced
they fix the tappet nosie tihng...
but Lee dont work there any more!! !??? ?

question for FTO338: do u think the other workers there are good with ftos ??

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:57 pm

nice1!

How much did SL Moto charge for that? Was thinking about taking mine down there for the same treatment..

KJ

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:00 am

FTO338 wrote:hmmmm tappet noise usually happen after your car is warm up. You should get a mechanic to check it out.

Hey FTO338 - Forgive me for being a noob - however having Fords for many years you tend to learn about tappets..when the car warms up and the oil thins out or heats up the noise will go away however its usually bad in the cold as there is no oil up there.

Anyway not like it matters - the noise sux and you need it fixed for peace of mind!!

KJ

Dr_Jones · Post by **Dr_Jones** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 3:54 am

If it get's louder when you turn the lights on I would doubt it's the tappets. It's hard to rule out the tappets as it's such an issue though.

However check the alternator belt, as you turn the lights on you put more of a load on the alt and your belt may be slipping ever so slightly causing the noise. It may settle down when it get's hot.

I get this on my car during wet weather but it goes away after I'm warmed up. To test the theory start your car with bonnet up and turn on everything you can find all lights high and low and air con and see what happens, if noise gets louder straight up I'd check your belt tension.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:28 am

Well sorry for the late reply, anyway the place you went to is MJ Jap Motor, is Lee's old business. Make sure you ask how much before you start the work.

My tappet only get noisy after the car is warm up, is a trademark for all mitsubishi motor.

Be warn, the noise will come back after 3-4mths.

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:14 pm

i reckon its your belts!

It is like a fluttering, tappyty type noise?

Check the tension of the belt, or replace.

Yeah just replaced my tappets its so much better now! Yeah mitsubishi lifters suck! Cars 20 years old dont even suffer tappet problems, cant believe mitsu cant get it right!

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:40 pm

Heya everyone...as my tappets are Hydrolic and cannot be adjusted I guess I will need new ones - ...has anyone had any work done to fix/adjust these at a reaosnable price - even if the noise does come back?? and what did it cost I was looking at $600 for all of them done!

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:56 pm

khunjeng wrote:Heya everyone...as my tappets are Hydrolic and cannot be adjusted I guess I will need new ones - ...has anyone had any work done to fix/adjust these at a reaosnable price - even if the noise does come back?? and what did it cost I was looking at $600 for all of them done!

So you have a GR khunjeng?

The best place to go is Kempys - they do an aftermarket ones for $240 a bank of cylinders (12) - ie 2 banks on FTO therefore $480 (24) for a full set + $12 bucks postage. Genuine mitsubishi ones are almost $40 bucks each

almost a grand for a set

I have used these aftermarket ones in my car with no problems at all - its quiet as a mouse. Fitting them is another story... took me over 4 hours, 1/2 a case of beer & a pack of smokes just to do the back set. You have to rip half the engine out to get to them. Recommmend a mechanic to do it... be f*cked if im doing it again

piper · Post by **piper** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 6:40 pm

Sorry to but in and change the subject, but can anyone tell me how to check for fault codes please ??

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:11 pm

ta Bennoz

No I got a GPX but it has hydrolic ones...I wasn't expecting that as I was of the understanding that the GPX ones were adjustable - must be my engine model I guess..

I checked those guys in NZ and they didn't seem to have ones for the MIVEC engine...however my guys said he could get me them for about 600 anyway which is around the same price.

Also how many Kms you done with your aftermarket ones??

minh · Post by **minh** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:24 am

Dr_Jones wrote:If it get's louder when you turn the lights on I would doubt it's the tappets. It's hard to rule out the tappets as it's such an issue though.

However check the alternator belt, as you turn the lights on you put more of a load on the alt and your belt may be slipping ever so slightly causing the noise. It may settle down when it get's hot.

I get this on my car during wet weather but it goes away after I'm warmed up. To test the theory start your car with bonnet up and turn on everything you can find all lights high and low and air con and see what happens, if noise gets louder straight up I'd check your belt tension.

He is on the ball here. I put my money on the alternator being faulty as it get smore load when lights or aircon is on or when you first start the car idles abit higher at the same revs as you would have when you turn on lights or alternator. Could be a loose pulley or slipping belt.