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lifter knock

yomanwill

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 24, 2005
Messages
32
I'm in a shop class at my school and I have a few weeks to do some "freelance" work. Ever since I was given the car it has had the dreaded "lifter knock". I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with it or has any tips.


1995 contour 2.0L ATX
Running 5w-30 (synthetic)
 
Does it sound kinda like a sewing machine?

If so, thats normal. The valve springs in the early Zetecs are hydralic(I think) and thats the sound they make. Later mechanical valve springs don't experience this.

Mine does the same thing. They are a bit louder when its cold also.
 
sewing machine....hmmm there's that nosie too...but this nosie is a bit more, prenounced? Seems to coming from top left side of the engine block but i have never really cared to break out the stethoscope, it could be one of the accessories....

my plan of action would be

probe with stethoscope and get a baseline
Take belt off...see if err, listen for a change
 
My guess is the timing belt. I thought the same thing (lifters), and it was actually a bad pulley on the timing belt.
 
Does it sound kinda like a sewing machine?

If so, thats normal. The valve springs in the early Zetecs are hydralic(I think) and thats the sound they make. Later mechanical valve springs don't experience this.

Mine does the same thing. They are a bit louder when its cold also.


close ... the springs are not hydralic its the lifters ... you ether have solid lifters which give you a tapping sound when properly adjusted or hydraulic lifters which are quiet since they are self adjusting from the oil flow threw them, the valve spring is just a metel spring ...

as they get older the hydaulic lifter can leak down over night and be noisy on startup and possible at other time ...
 
another possibility is your fuel injectors. mine are extremely loud. they're so loud that people have pulled up next me and said that it sounds like i have rod knock.
 
another possibility is your fuel injectors. mine are extremely loud. they're so loud that people have pulled up next me and said that it sounds like i have rod knock.

I too have found that the injectors on this car are extremely loud. Someone came to buy it from me and told me it needed a lifter adjustment because they were so loud. Little did he know the head had just been rebuilt. ;)
 
My guess is the timing belt. I thought the same thing (lifters), and it was actually a bad pulley on the timing belt.

When my time belt was going it made more of a whapping sound...was replace at 95,000 miles

had a shop put in all new timing components...

I guess I'll just let it ride....because it has seemed to stay the same for the past 10,000+ miles. Though now that I have relpaced the exast manifold gasket the 'tapping nosie' has taken a front seat in the annoying nosies department.

I too have found that the injectors on this car are extremely loud

now that i think of it the noise could be coming from the injector, but it goes away once the car is warmed up
 
I know what it is like. I bought mine used w/72K miles. The engine needed a drive belt tensioner and waterpump. Then a new timing belt was a big improvement. I still hear a taping or light knocking but it isn't always noticeable. Many of my Fords have had lifter noise. I change my oil regularly and use synthetic. I was told that a lifter tick doesn't mean it's a bad engine.

'98ZetecSE
 
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