Oh dear! HELP!

[MedwayMonaro]

Hate to ask the obvious but is oil level ok?

[robbyd]

Failed lifter? That's what happened to mine. Loud tapping. I wouldn't drive it anywhere if you can help it....

Edited by robbyd on Thursday 15th June 20:27

[stevieturbo]

Without hearing it, totally impossible to even guess.

[TonyTwoTribes]

try posting the question on the v8/hsv facebook page. Lots of people only on there now and not here anymore..

[stevieturbo]

VXR_Daz said:

Indeed, that's why I was really looking for a place that I could take it to, but would like to take it somewhere recommended, that seems sensible?

I could do a short video clip, would that actually be worth it? I mean it could be 1,000,001 different things still?

Sorry, I am a bit dumb when it comes to this.....

A video of the noise would be helpful.

[Xpuffin]

Hi Daz
Long time no see, last time if I remember correctly was when I ran you to SRR in Mental Betty.
Can pop up and take a gander this weekend if you like, if you still have my no text me if not drop me a PM.

Cheers


Jez

[Boosted LS1]

OP, presumably you have forged pistons and not the cast items? A Halfords compression tester will let you know if you have a cracked piston (very common with cast items), not likely with forged pistons.

If the compression readings are good then a cam bearing or rod bearing could be the culprit but I'd expect to see oil pressure flickering or falling.

A hosepipe stuck to your ear may help locate the area the noise is coming from. Are the spark plugs all the same colour? I'd start with the plugs and a compression reading. Then I'd use a vacuum gauge, sometimes those can be found at Halfords as a tuning aid. The instructions are actually quite helpful and pretty easy to follow. :-)

[Boosted LS1]

Check the compression but first check the exhaust gasket by putting your fingers around the ports or borrow a mate while you work the throttle :-)

Your plugs may have a tale to tell if it's not the exhaust gasket. It doesn't sound like cam or bottom end issue to me. It sounds up top.

[snowwolf]

Is it any different when engine is started cold ? Could be like others have mentioned an exhaust gasket or even a fracture in the header somewhere

[ARAF]

That does sound like it's doing damage.

Sounds like the old chipped cams on Pinto engines used to. As these cams seem to not have problems like that I wonder if it is a follower, as there have been previous times that these have failed.

[stevieturbo]

That aint an exhuast leak lol

That is something that will require a fair amount of engine strip down, and it could well be a busted piston.

Although pistons dont break just driving easy...ie as you stop at lights.

Unless that was preceded by raking the dung out of it ??
Some background would be helpful on that one.

It sounds a little too frequent for it to be a lifter or rocker related problem, but it's easy to pull the covers off and check.

[H5V VE]

If you are in Essex, wasn't there a guy who used to post on here that a lot of people have used - Neil someone? in that neck of the woods?

The people over on Facebook may be able to give you some more info on that.

[stevieturbo]

VXR_Daz said:

So, today I did two things - I got the AA to look at it.

He was a very nice man but tbh he seemed to change his mind as to what it is every minute. He started off saying it was bottom end and now top end..

I then did what might be the best thing or the worst thing - Took it to a local garage less than a mile away and he is going to take a closer look, again he *thinks* it might be top end. I know the guys there having had some work done there on other cars so I do tend to trust them.

Thanks for all your input guys - It really, really is appreaciated. I'll let you know if I find out more.

Jez - Chat soon mate, will be great to catch up!

You're wasting your time with most "mechanics"...as most are simply monkeys who throw parts at cars and hope for the best, and that's being nice to a lot of them.

It seems people with real experience to diagnose...and then fix such things are a very very rare species these days.

Pulling the rocker covers off takes only a few minutes, and would allow the "top end" for want of a better description to be ruled in or out. But the frequency of the noise almost rules it out for me

Given it is boosted and a standard engine...it is a matter of time before a piston does let go. But generally this will be during, or almost immediately after some hard usage. You dont seem to suggest that is the case here.

A quick look at the plugs could reveal some info, and likewise as mentioned a compression and/or leakdown test. But it is very unlikely the problem will be remedied with the engine still in the car.

As for anywhere local....that's a bit harder.

Craig at Dynotorque in Birmingham would be a good shout, but not exactly local.

http://www.dynotorque.co.uk/

Walkinshaw ?

http://www.walkinshawperformance.co.uk/wp/uk/

Monkfish ?

http://www.monkfishperformance.co.uk/

Gary ?

http://www.lsxv8.co.uk/contact-us/

Knight ?

http://www.knightracingservices.co.uk/about.html


Local, TDI ?

http://www.tdi-plc.com/about-us/facilities/

[ARAF]

H5V VE said:

If you are in Essex, wasn't there a guy who used to post on here that a lot of people have used - Neil someone? in that neck of the woods?

Neil Johnson. NWJ Autocare in Chatham.

[snowwolf]

Yes Neil has worked on a lot of these cars