nasty rattle/tapping noise - Drifting forum

owent · 01-07-2008, 21:52

hey, my sr20det has just recentely developed a loud tapping noise, seems to be coming from the top half of the engine but cant be sure.

it has slight vvt rattle on startup, but once driven a couple of feet, this goes.
once the car is hot, or left ticking over for a while, i get a loud tapping noise coming from it.

doesnt seem to be there when driving above 2000 revs but hard to hear.

any help massively appreciated

oilrag22 · 02-07-2008, 21:41

how is the oil level and what brand and type oil are you using??

owent · 02-07-2008, 22:01

its good level, and its castrol edge 5w30 i think, fully synthetic?

oilrag22 · 02-07-2008, 22:11

Can you reproduce the sound @ 2000 revs, without driving?? Only tapping noise when hot?? Might be that there is a tappet that "leaks" oil when it gets too thin due to temperature. In other words it doesn't hold it's pressure, and it will sound like there is a valve with excessive lash on it.

owent · 02-07-2008, 22:15

hard to tell, but it sounds like it could be there very slightly at 2000. what thickness of oil should i be using? i just went by the handbook, and will that damage my engine?
not very clued up

oilrag22 · 02-07-2008, 22:26

Doesn't really hurt the engine, might cause one or several of the valves to open little less, but in any case this is better engine health wise than valves staying off the seat.
I'd say first try a semi-synthetic oil, with slightly higher viscosity, i.e. 5W-40. And see whether there is a change. No real need to change filter...

owent · 02-07-2008, 22:28

thanks for the help mate, ill give it a shot, and see what happens

owent · 09-09-2008, 00:35

my SR is still rattling quite a lot, and its odd.

when i let off the throttle, then put my foot down again gently, you can hear it rattle briefly, then stop until the next time i do the same??? any one any ideas or is this just classic vvt?

s12 silvia · 09-09-2008, 00:45

i belive if it makes the noise when holding the revs at 2k its the big ends, i have read this on sxoc quiet a fue times sorry dude

can you post a vid of it??

owent · 09-09-2008, 00:50

i could at some point, neighbours wont like it at this time of night tho lol. it doesnt do it when i hold the revs up, just until the full load is applied, ie 1 second

Gymbob · 09-09-2008, 00:50

do a compression test... thought if it was the big ends its the lower part of the engine?

s12 silvia · 09-09-2008, 00:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gymbob

do a compression test... thought if it was the big ends its the lower part of the engine?

it is but can be confusing and sound olike its high up

owent · 09-09-2008, 01:03

seems to do it more when idling hot, and when just setting off, under load no noise at all and seems to be running fine, no missing or anything. from what i have read probably vvt but wanted to make sure. im at pod on wednesday if anyone going would be able to take a listen for me that would be great

Gymbob · 09-09-2008, 01:43

mines like this... and ive had a comression test all fine timing checked all fine.. plugs changed all fine idle control valve changed... all else i can think of is a dodgey coilpack? afm needs a clean... spray bars need cleaning (oh yes my cams were fine) vvt is fked or tappets are iffy..

boo_kong · 09-09-2008, 01:57

I had the same thing with my gto' sounded like it was coming from inside the rocker cover.
Unbeknown to me it was the big ends. The knocking sound trvels up in the engine and makes it seem like its top end trouble.
The obvious thing i went for was lush ajusters/tappets Well' £200 latter and still the same thing,
30 miles after that i found out the real problem driving down the 25 when my car locked up lost half its engine not to metion all its oil down the road.
big end where shot.
my advice would be.... not to start the engine and have your big end done mate.

p.s the sound from mine was like wacking two big ass ball bearings together like short but fast sound. mine did it all the time tho' didnt stop under load like yours so you mite be ok.

good luck fella hope you get it sorted.

David Reid · 09-09-2008, 09:05

This is a second vote for probably big ends from the description and I wouldn't drive it till you had the engine apart.

Dont waste your time doing a compression test as it wont tell you anything unless your car is running on 3 cylinders.

Same as coilpack, AFM, ect wont make the engine rattle, if its a rattle its something mechanical. On the majority of Sr20's I have had experiance of this is either tappets or bigends. Your symptoms sound like big ends.

At this weekends EDC event the SVA car developed a light rattle on the saturday, I said to Jeffers at the time it sounded like bigends, then they ran it on sunday and it threw a rod. Dont make the same expensive mistake

van200sx · 11-09-2008, 23:59

hi all,
I've got the same thing with mine, bloody embarrasing. Surely its the VVT,as the rattling is coming from the top end and then dissappears when your driving.
I believe this is because the oil pressure increases and fills the vvt unit thus stopping it from rattling. When your driving slowly say in traffic can you still hear it? .

Apparently nissan can turn it off to see if it is the vvt or not however you loose alot of power low down. But at least it would diagnose it.
I've been told it doesn't do any harm to the engine if it is the vvt rattling.

alex_200sx · 12-09-2008, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by van200sx

hi all,
Apparently nissan can turn it off to see if it is the vvt or not however you loose alot of power low down. But at least it would diagnose it.
I've been told it doesn't do any harm to the engine if it is the vvt rattling.

I take it there's some sort of electronic control for the VVT then? To isolate it unplug it connector off the solenoid and see if the noise goes.
Btw, I dont know much about SR20's im just going off working on VTEC units which i know are different but I would have thought it would have been the same as a TT

**Mitch** · 12-09-2008, 21:09

Sounds like the big ends are on their way...

01-07-2008, 21:52	#1 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	nasty rattle/tapping noise hey, my sr20det has just recentely developed a loud tapping noise, seems to be coming from the top half of the engine but cant be sure. it has slight vvt rattle on startup, but once driven a couple of feet, this goes. once the car is hot, or left ticking over for a while, i get a loud tapping noise coming from it. doesnt seem to be there when driving above 2000 revs but hard to hear. any help massively appreciated

09-09-2008, 01:57	#15 (permalink)
boo_kong dorifto kingu! Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: dartford Posts: 937	I had the same thing with my gto' sounded like it was coming from inside the rocker cover. Unbeknown to me it was the big ends. The knocking sound trvels up in the engine and makes it seem like its top end trouble. The obvious thing i went for was lush ajusters/tappets Well' £200 latter and still the same thing, 30 miles after that i found out the real problem driving down the 25 when my car locked up lost half its engine not to metion all its oil down the road. big end where shot. my advice would be.... not to start the engine and have your big end done mate. p.s the sound from mine was like wacking two big ass ball bearings together like short but fast sound. mine did it all the time tho' didnt stop under load like yours so you mite be ok. good luck fella hope you get it sorted. Last edited by boo_kong : 09-09-2008 at 02:01.

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02-07-2008, 21:41	#2 (permalink)
oilrag22 Drift, you will... Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 363	how is the oil level and what brand and type oil are you using??

02-07-2008, 22:01	#3 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	its good level, and its castrol edge 5w30 i think, fully synthetic?

02-07-2008, 22:11	#4 (permalink)
oilrag22 Drift, you will... Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 363	Can you reproduce the sound @ 2000 revs, without driving?? Only tapping noise when hot?? Might be that there is a tappet that "leaks" oil when it gets too thin due to temperature. In other words it doesn't hold it's pressure, and it will sound like there is a valve with excessive lash on it.

02-07-2008, 22:15	#5 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	hard to tell, but it sounds like it could be there very slightly at 2000. what thickness of oil should i be using? i just went by the handbook, and will that damage my engine? not very clued up

02-07-2008, 22:26	#6 (permalink)
oilrag22 Drift, you will... Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 363	Doesn't really hurt the engine, might cause one or several of the valves to open little less, but in any case this is better engine health wise than valves staying off the seat. I'd say first try a semi-synthetic oil, with slightly higher viscosity, i.e. 5W-40. And see whether there is a change. No real need to change filter...

02-07-2008, 22:28	#7 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	thanks for the help mate, ill give it a shot, and see what happens

09-09-2008, 00:35	#8 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	my SR is still rattling quite a lot, and its odd. when i let off the throttle, then put my foot down again gently, you can hear it rattle briefly, then stop until the next time i do the same??? any one any ideas or is this just classic vvt?

09-09-2008, 00:45	#9 (permalink)
s12 silvia dorifto kingu! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: north wales Posts: 578	i belive if it makes the noise when holding the revs at 2k its the big ends, i have read this on sxoc quiet a fue times sorry dude can you post a vid of it??

09-09-2008, 00:50	#10 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	i could at some point, neighbours wont like it at this time of night tho lol. it doesnt do it when i hold the revs up, just until the full load is applied, ie 1 second

09-09-2008, 00:50	#11 (permalink)
Gymbob tail slider Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cheshire Posts: 112	do a compression test... thought if it was the big ends its the lower part of the engine?

09-09-2008, 01:03	#13 (permalink)
owent touge runner Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ulverston, cumbria Posts: 183	seems to do it more when idling hot, and when just setting off, under load no noise at all and seems to be running fine, no missing or anything. from what i have read probably vvt but wanted to make sure. im at pod on wednesday if anyone going would be able to take a listen for me that would be great

09-09-2008, 01:43	#14 (permalink)
Gymbob tail slider Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cheshire Posts: 112	mines like this... and ive had a comression test all fine timing checked all fine.. plugs changed all fine idle control valve changed... all else i can think of is a dodgey coilpack? afm needs a clean... spray bars need cleaning (oh yes my cams were fine) vvt is fked or tappets are iffy..

09-09-2008, 09:05	#16 (permalink)
David Reid touge runner Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 199	This is a second vote for probably big ends from the description and I wouldn't drive it till you had the engine apart. Dont waste your time doing a compression test as it wont tell you anything unless your car is running on 3 cylinders. Same as coilpack, AFM, ect wont make the engine rattle, if its a rattle its something mechanical. On the majority of Sr20's I have had experiance of this is either tappets or bigends. Your symptoms sound like big ends. At this weekends EDC event the SVA car developed a light rattle on the saturday, I said to Jeffers at the time it sounded like bigends, then they ran it on sunday and it threw a rod. Dont make the same expensive mistake

11-09-2008, 23:59	#17 (permalink)
van200sx gripper Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: heathfield east sussex Posts: 5	hi all, I've got the same thing with mine, bloody embarrasing. Surely its the VVT,as the rattling is coming from the top end and then dissappears when your driving. I believe this is because the oil pressure increases and fills the vvt unit thus stopping it from rattling. When your driving slowly say in traffic can you still hear it? . Apparently nissan can turn it off to see if it is the vvt or not however you loose alot of power low down. But at least it would diagnose it. I've been told it doesn't do any harm to the engine if it is the vvt rattling.

12-09-2008, 21:09	#19 (permalink)
Mitch Driftgarage Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Derby fulltime Posts: 10,453	Sounds like the big ends are on their way...