Advice needed.Engine clatter.

[BLUETHUNDER]

My Cerbera is fitted with Tuscan race cams.Now i know they are like a bag of old bolts cold and quieten down a lot when warm.But ever since i have had the car,which is coming up around 3 1/2 years now,i have had a distinctive intermittant clatter at idle rpm.The clatter dissapears under acceleration.It sounds like its coming from around the timing cover.So my thoughts have been towards slack chain or tensioner.On refelction i would have thought that after some spirited driving along motorways,A and B roads a few track days and FT last year,then some thing would have given up the ghost by now,and i would be looking at a top end rebuild.New valves etc.I havent listened to any other 4.2,s so dont know if what i have is normal.B.T.W it was serviced by an Indy and nothing was reported back.Any thoughts..........

[Extra 300 Driver]

My old car used to get a 'ticking' from the top end after a hard drive. LEt the engine cool and it was all ok again, except the usual clatter from the cams on start up.

I was told, that it was fine and she always sailed through servicings, I didnt touch anything to do with the engine. The same as you, I thought if it was gonna go it would have gone in th time I had her.

The engine was also rebuilt by an indy, and the ticking was still there!

Very odd, dont worry about

[BLUETHUNDER]

Extra 300 Driver said:

My old car used to get a 'ticking' from the top end after a hard drive. LEt the engine cool and it was all ok again, except the usual clatter from the cams on start up.

I was told, that it was fine and she always sailed through servicings, I didnt touch anything to do with the engine. The same as you, I thought if it was gonna go it would have gone in th time I had her.

The engine was also rebuilt by an indy, and the ticking was still there!

Very odd, dont worry about

.I was waiting for you to post.The noise i have is there all the time,and is definatley coming from around the timing cover area.It ony dissapears when revved.The clatter is intermittant,and can miss a few revolutions before clattering again.

[Extra 300 Driver]

BLUETHUNDER said:

Extra 300 Driver said:

My old car used to get a 'ticking' from the top end after a hard drive. LEt the engine cool and it was all ok again, except the usual clatter from the cams on start up.

I was told, that it was fine and she always sailed through servicings, I didnt touch anything to do with the engine. The same as you, I thought if it was gonna go it would have gone in th time I had her.

The engine was also rebuilt by an indy, and the ticking was still there!

Very odd, dont worry about

.I was waiting for you to post.The noise i have is there all the time,and is definatley coming from around the timing cover area.It ony dissapears when revved.The clatter is intermittant,and can miss a few revolutions before clattering again.

Timing chain, I bet!

[BLUETHUNDER]

I need to listen to a few 4.2,s.I was waiting for a(They all do that sir)

[edhorne]

My 4.2 does that a bit too.

It got worse after I had the tappets done and timing chain adjusted!

Try not to listen too much! I know its hard.

Cheers

Ed

[BLUETHUNDER]

Thanks for the reply.I can rest a bit easy now.I've been uneasy like this for 3 1/2 years.

[AlVal]

the lobes on my cams were badly worn, after both cams replacement, timing setup etc, 12k service, the clatteriness is all but gone, maybe a little bit on a cold day startup, but definitely nothing like it used to be, mines a 4.2 also

[BLUETHUNDER]

AlVal said:

the lobes on my cams were badly worn, after both cams replacement, timing setup etc, 12k service, the clatteriness is all but gone, maybe a little bit on a cold day startup, but definitely nothing like it used to be, mines a 4.2 also

The cars done 36,000mls
Tuscan Race cams fitted at 29,000mls
New engine fitted at 10,000mls.

[Extra 300 Driver]

BLUETHUNDER said:

AlVal said:

the lobes on my cams were badly worn, after both cams replacement, timing setup etc, 12k service, the clatteriness is all but gone, maybe a little bit on a cold day startup, but definitely nothing like it used to be, mines a 4.2 also

The cars done 36,000mls
Tuscan Race cams fitted at 29,000mls
New engine fitted at 10,000mls.

I understand clatter cams, and race cams, clatter like a copper bucket full of spanners being rolled down a cobble street.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Extra 300 Driver said:

BLUETHUNDER said:

AlVal said:

the lobes on my cams were badly worn, after both cams replacement, timing setup etc, 12k service, the clatteriness is all but gone, maybe a little bit on a cold day startup, but definitely nothing like it used to be, mines a 4.2 also

The cars done 36,000mls
Tuscan Race cams fitted at 29,000mls
New engine fitted at 10,000mls.

I understand clatter cams, and race cams, clatter like a copper bucket full of spanners being rolled down a cobble street.

They are dreadful cold.You wouldnt believe the amount of people that ask is my engine about to fall apart.

[HarryW]

Mines clattery when cold, almost embarassingly so, but it does go away when warm, I don't have the full race cams in but the next 'size' down.

[marcus1970]

I get this on my 4.5 and it's f*****g annoying.

It's like a ticking noise that I used to get on my Grifter if I had a something stuck in my spokes.

Try this just to see if it's the same.

Sit in car in quiet place after having driven somewhere to warm her up. Lightly (I mean very lightly) tap the accelerator and see if you can here it more whilst sat in the car. I can and it grates.

I've always asked at services etc, and the mechanic usually can't hear anything.

However, I can and it gets on my tits. First off I thought it was something catching on something else making a tinkly/ticking noise.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

Let me know if you ever find out.

MB