While the car is at idle I think it sounds like a diesel engine. I say I think because my wife listened and said it sounded like a perfectly normal engine. Her listening to it and saying it sounded fine rules out the "Your car sounds like crap. How much is this going to cost us?" So this whole thing may stem from me being overly paranoid since i didn't build any of this car myself.

When I listen to the front of the engine I hear what appears to be a heavy lifter knock. Too light to be a rod knocking, but not too light that it couldn't be a bearing going. It sounds like it's coming from just behind the water pump or crank pulley. I haven't had a loss of power or any indication other than suddenly noticing this noise.

What could it be? bearing, water pump, oil pressure too low (20 psi at idle), me being crazy? If you want sound clip let me know

 

Does it go away when you push in the clutch, or rev the engine? It could just be the normal transmission backlash noise. I wondered WTF the first time I heard it but it is nothing.

 

sound clip would probably be helpful...it could be a lot of things

 

could be a simple exhaust leak, they often sound like a clicking noise. I know this because I have one right now I'm going to fix once it stops raining.

 

my car sounds like death when my a/c is on. my clutch/tranny noise makes it worse. However, since I cleaned my lifters, they are silent

 

It could be in your head......:stonedeyes:

I did ye ole twisty flush the week I got the car and my HLA noise went away. Not sure if thats what your dealing with or not. I second a sound clip.

 

The first video is kind useless. I did experienced the lash that was referred. The second video is much better. The camera is pointed at valve cover becase speaker is on left side of camera. I tried to get it as close to noise as possible. Afterward I realized i forgot to rev the engine while recording. I'll check that tomorrow on my way to work. I'm going to change oil and filter this weekend. See if I notice a oil pressure change. I have a feeling that the rotella syn. cleaned out a lot of gunk and now its clogging up the filter. Thanks for the responses guys

 

I don't hear anything abnormal in either of those two videos.

 

Yeah it sounds OK to me too. Hard to say for sure with the sound quality (video camera mic, compression, lap top computer speakers on my end) but it seems OK.

 

You didn't answer the Q of what happens when you step on the clutch.

 

he did in the first video.

 

djp, check your crank pulley. injectors also make noise if you aren't used to larger ones yet.

 

in this video you will listen closely at the :05 mark. I release the clutch and then step back on it.



does yours make that same noise?

 

Check your power steering pump. I've gone through two, and they both started to make really strange rotating noise. I thought it was the motor for quite a while before I discovered it was the power steering pump.

 

Mine does make a little noise when the clutch is out. Kind of like a metallic rattle. I'll check the bolts on the crank pulley. I'll also listen to power steering pump.

It may just be that I'm paranoid since i've been tuning and increasing ignition advance. Now I'm hearing things that were already there.

I have been able to increase my timing to 19.5 without detonation at 180 kpa. This has resulted in an amazing pull while in boost on 93 octane.

Just a quick note for those running someone elses spark table and not tuning to your own setup.
Unless you know exactly where your base timing is, and how accurate and precise your computer holds spark at any given rpm. You may be +- any number of degrees from the spark table you are using. I just recently put a timing light on my car and found out that my base timing was retarded by 7.5 degrees. Plus side is that it was like getting free power when fixed. Moral of story. Tune your ****

 

"""I have been able to increase my timing to 19.5 without detonation at 180 kpa. This has resulted in an amazing pull while in boost on 93 octane."""



19.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

As in: That's a lot of timing. OR You're a big *****??????

Anyway, I noticed a big difference in pull. This could go back to my previous post. My 19.5 might be your 18. I know, I know, 19.5 should be 19.5 for everyone, but I don't think the LINK is the best at holding advance steady. My base seemed to fluctuate between 9 and 10 degrees.

 

16 is high, 19.5 is stupid, hence urgayuknowit's plethora of "!"

 

That's ridiculous timing. My buddies turbo 92 miata with EMS is only running about 8 degrees of timing in full boost (13 lbs)... Down low it's a lot more, and out of boost, but can't imagine how much timing you'd have up top with a base of 19.5

 

lol

I've smoothed it out since.