I mean know disrespect. I have no idea what the inside of my engine looks like. So I humbley bow down to a Ford engineer.

I will keep my ear on it. But I won't worry about it now. They did not do anything really. The only special tools I have to diagnose that noise would be my long screw driver. I will check it out. I did not hear anything this morning. But, I also was not looking for it.

I apreciate everyones advice of course. This forum is a hoot. Have to stop looking too closely at it. IE: Someone writes " I have a noise in my rear end, so I run around the car looking for a noise in my cars rear end. (Should seek pro help for this)

However, when at the dealer. The service manager sat in the car with me with just the R/S front speaker on loud, playing Metalica. No distortion. I say o.k. Shake his hand and leave. This mornings drive. The radio not too loud. The damn distortion comes back. Now I know didly about speakers. Is it possible that they heat up and then distort. This is a question for all.

 

Was the engine running when the Service Mgr was in it? That could be the difference right there.

 

Yeah. He took it from the parking lot and drove it around the dealership. Left it running. That's when we started messing around with the speaker. Now, of course, when I walked by the car it sounded fine. He was supposed to out with his tech first thing in the morning and pop the hood and listen to the area on the valve cover that I pointed out the night before. Whether he did that, I don't know. They were stressed yesterday, but he's a nice enough guy. I personally think the tech jumped in the car, drove it into the bay, then popped the hood. Well, the oil would have gone thru by then. It would have quieted down. I hate leaving the car overnight. Cause then I have to commute with my wife and her 2001 Suzuki Esteem Wagaon with no air.......[:'(]

 

Dude!!!! I DO prime the filter! I have in my old honda and I have in this...I hear this ALL the time in my moms 2002 accord dads 2004 Avalanche bros 02 civc my old 95 intrepid...You don't think i hear this noise in ALL of these vehicales foreign and domestic and think that i might wrongfully priming the oil filter. Seriously, think abou it. You must be having a bad day/week/month/year whatever, cuz honestly, not that this has to do with anything -virgin- but i've notice you've been ripping on peoples threads more so that dishing out informative information. sorry.

 

I would hate to drag this in again. That valve tap on cold start up is getting worse. I guess cause it's getting colder out.

This is a question for the Engineer. Is is possible, with 4000kms that the valve lash is out.

How difficult is adjusting the valve lash on the 2.0 engines.

I say this because my "engine guy" here at the Volvo truck dealership I work at, says it might be this. He has a Mazda 3 2.3 as well. I can't let him listen to it, cause I end up driving the car into work.

Before I leave it overnight at the dealer. And show up the next morning to make sure they hear what I hear, I might just video tape it with my camara. It does not do it every morning. I think it has a lot to do with it sitting for more than 12 hours.

Is there a way I can post this video file to this forum so others can hear it.

Thanks.

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I was wrong on the hydarulically actuated lifters. I did a little more research for you. Looks like there are shims which set the valve clearance. Here are the valve clearances at cold

Intake: 0.22-0.28mm
Exhaust: 0.27-0.33mm

It's unlikely that these have worn, but it is possible. To check this you need tomeasure each cylinder individually, with the piston at TDCand both Intake/Exhaust sitting on the basecircle of the cam lobe (not on the peak)It's a pretty big teardown to replace the shims on the tappets.

 

Sounds like a big job. Thanks for the reply.

So it's not just a matter of removing the valve cover and tightening something up. I just find it odd that for the first 2 or 3000 kms (new car) the tapping noise was not present. Sounds like something that runs with the cams, loosened a bit and is just tapping when the cams are moving. Tapping noise sounds like it's coming from the l/s top of engine area. Weird.

But, if it is what you say. I don't think the dealer wants to get into it.

Service Manager says it's normal. [>:]

Car has about 4200 kms on it now. Not sure if I should mess around with it. Might void the warranty.

 

I'm real particular about my cars too, so sometimes I trip myself out hearing a noise that may have been there all along (I just wasn't picking it up or alerted to it.)

Do other 3's you listen too make the same noise? If so, then it is probably just typical OHC valvetrain noise and you shouldn't worry about it(they do tend to be noisy....manually adjusted valvetrains tend to be noiser than hydraulic ones as well.)

 

I appreciate you taking the time to find out the info.

I don't want to believe it's all in my head. I just went out to get a coffee and that tap noise was real dominent. Now, FYI, the car has sat for 5 hours. No where near the overnight time it usually requires.
Mind you, the temp where I am is 16' Celcius. So, it is cool out. This is where I start wondering if it is normal. Cause my 99 Grand Am with the 3.4 had some ticking noise on cold days. They said it was normal for that engine. Somthing about the pistons expanding or something to that effect.

Damn weird. I am going to record it with my camara tomorrow morning.

I will maybe email or post it so you can hear.

(If I ever figure out how to do that [8D])

I wish my car was more like my computer and just restart it to make the problem go away.
Maybe it needs a new driver or something to that effect.

Oh. I should go and make them start up one of the 3's they have at the dealership. No doubt they sit there for ahwile. But, I am cofident, no tapping noises will be heard.

 

I don't know if you meant that statement as a joke or not, Sith, but either way, it's REALLY FUNNY!!!
BTW: Most dealers haveppl (we used to call ours "lot boys") that keep the cars cleaned and started on some kind of a regular basis, if they start each andevery car on a daily basis (some do, some don't,) you might not getthe accurate infoyou are looking for.