Valve tapit noises - CEG Archives

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I have a 98 Contour, 98,000 mi. In the morning I hear a bit of tapit noise until the car is warm. The noise will be gone all day but returns when the vehicle sits for 12 or so hours. Is there an adjustment for this?

-sp

Mine did it when I needed to change the oil.

not sure if post-98 zetecs have hydralic or mechanical lifters, but in pre-98s that ticking is usually the lifters.

Originally posted by ZetecGL:
not sure if post-98 zetecs have hydralic or mechanical lifters, but in pre-98s that ticking is usually the lifters.

I always had some ticking (whether it was lifters or injectors) on my 00.

yea mine tick's at idle and ticks at anything below 4k untill it's warmed up. Injector tick shouldn't be so loud you can hear it over the motor. you can barely hear mine when you touch a screwdriver to them and listen.

Originally posted by sprindl:
I have a 98 Contour, 98,000 mi. In the morning I hear a bit of tapit noise until the car is warm. The noise will be gone all day but returns when the vehicle sits for 12 or so hours. Is there an adjustment for this?

-sp

You should also look for a small exhaust leak if it sounds more like a tick rather than a tap. Exhaust leaks do sound like tick, tick, tick, tick... and it does go away when warmed up. Places to check would be flanges and gaskets.

Originally posted by ZetecGL:
yea mine tick's at idle and ticks at anything below 4k untill it's warmed up. Injector tick shouldn't be so loud you can hear it over the motor. you can barely hear mine when you touch a screwdriver to them and listen.

Correct.

Check to be sure the plugs are securly installed. You don't want one of those popping loose.

Also check the wires & make sure they are installed securly & are in good shape with no scuffs, nicks, cuts, or cracks. The arc across an open gap (either to the plug or from a break in wire to the head/block) will sound like a tick if it's small, a pop or snap if the gap is larger.

Probably not the problem since the sound goes away after warmup. More likely an exhaust leak.

I'll check for those things this weekend.

Thanks -sp