3 days ago while idling in the driveway my car overheated for a short time (About 5-7 Min max)

I started it up today, not burning coolant, no water coming out of my exhaust. But now the engine has a tick to it. I was told to let it warm up because could be hearing a lifter that hasn't pumped up.

Well I let it warm up good, and the ticks still there. I stuck my head under the hood as far as possible, it seems like its coming from right under tuned port injection plate under the hood (Ya know those sliver tubes, and on top it says Tuned Port Injection)


Any suggestions whats up?

 

I would suspect a collapsed lifter or maybe an exhaust leak. Both will produce a ticking sound. If it's a lifter the car is drivable, but it's a good excuse for a cam change. If it's an exhaust leak, then you have excuse to get a Hooker cat-back , j/k.

 

And you know something, I must just get one if it is


If it is a lifter, will my car be ok? or will I have to fix it sometime? Will it hurt performance?

Why would start after it overheated?

If it was a exhaust leak, why would the tick be coming from the engine?


The tick cannot be heard if the hood is closed, only if it is open.


Sorry for the all questions. Thx for the reply!

 

Is it possible the tick was there before, but you never noticed because you never had to look under the hood?

I've never had a collapsed lifter, but Im guessing that it will hurt performance.. I'd also guess what you hear is the lifter flying up and hitting the pushrod, or the cam hitting the bottom of the lifter because it is not flush to the cam. In this case it could harm whatever lobe on the camshaft that corresponds with the cylinder the lifter has collapsed in, or maybe the pushrod(big deal).

I'd guess you combine an old lifter with bad oiling and it could collapse. Not sure if overheating could be attributed to its demise. I doubt that its an exhaust leak if you hear it under the tpi plate.

What you need to do is remove each valve cover and check each rocker arm for slack. That should show you what the culprit is.

 

Ok. Will do! Thank you very much for your suggestion! Have a hppy new year!

 

A misadjusted rocker arm??

 

From the fact that it's so quiet and also from where your head has to be positioned so closely,I'm thinking the tick you hear has always been there and is the usual fuel injector noise all of our TPI cars have. Could this be what you hear? In the past,whether I used a scope or not to isolate the noise,every exhaust leak or valve noise I've seen(even the quietest ones)were loud enough to hear clearly with the hood open,even closed,or many times inside the car with the radio off.

Hope it's nothing major,I'd use a scope to isolate it more precisely before tearing anything down. Just a few thoughts,good luck...post what you find.
Niko

 

IROC,

Nik-O beat me to it. I was thinking injectors as well. The easiest thing to do is to get an inexpensive mechanics' stethoscope and start probing around. Start with the rocker covers and injectors, fuel rails, and intake base. Once you find the place where the noise is clearest and most noticable, you'll have a good idea of the source.

BTW - If you've overheated the engine, the oil will certainly be starting to produce varnish and has probably suffered thermal breakdown. I'd change the oil and filter as soon as it is convenient. If you suspect the noise is a sticky lifter, it would be a very good excuse to change to synthetic (like anyone needs an excuse).

 

IROC,

Oops! I just noticed you are from Buffalo. In that case, you'd better pick up a stethoscope, some oil, a filter, and a shovel...

Sorry, dude. I had to. Are you dug out yet?

 

I heard it's bad to change to synthetic oil on a high mileage engine, and not recommended.

My father told me that because the oil is so much thinner, it will be able to leak by tighter gaps than conventional oil. Meaning the synthetic oil will start leaking by worn piston rings, and cause you to burn oil and it can also leak out of old worn gaskets. It makes sense to me...

So why do people say to switch? (not flaming anyone, seriously asking.)

 

Thx for the advice guys!

My car was all nice and cozzy stored in my garage for the winter. We are getting a wall cut down, and the dudes needed to get in the attic. I pull my car out, and we get blasted with 7 feet of snow Just my luck!


Brush it off, warm it up for a bit, pull it into the garage and my coolent is boiling, I flipped!

I still have no idea why it overheated! I let it idle for 30-45min the last two days and it was 100% fine! Never had a over heating problem before. And it looks like I dont anymore

The snow is pretty much cleared up, streets are cleared up. Snow banks are like 15ft high and you cant see cars when your turning out of anywhere.

Well Im all paranoid now since it over heated, and thats when I picked up on the ticking. My dad says it has did that from the day I got the car. I dont think it did. Its wierd, the tick is noticeable with the hood open, very noticeable! Yet with the hood closed, I can stick my head right over the hood and not hear it


I really hope its the fuel Injectors! Ive been using Mobil 1 Synthetic 10w 30 ever since I got the car.



I really appreciate your help guys!



ITS ALL BECAUSE OF THAT WALL! My car should have never been touched