Ticking all of a sudden

[Boostn6Potter]

Hi fellas, lots of good information and smart people here so i had no choice but to join .

I have a low km R32 RB20Det which has started to tick even when at operating temperature. The sound is coming from above the rocker covers so i'm thinking tappets (i don't mean the the injectors ticking).

Last night my oil gauge wouldn't budge much off 0, i checked the oil level but it looked right on the money. Engine was still running smooth on the way home and the gauge stayed at 0 but occasionally rising a little bit. I read in other forums that a seal is usally the culprit and the gauge is probably not reading properly.

Anyway some VX Calais pulled up at the lights and wanted a run so i thought bugger it, lights went green easily took him but wooot the guage went back to normal. The thing that still worries me is that tappet noise though.

When i did a service (4300kms ago) i couldn't get the oil filter off (I've never had this prob before with other cars) so i decided to leave it and just replace the oil. Car drove fine and no ticking was evident until the last few days.

Could this be the culprit? I used Penrite HPR 10 10W-50 Semi-Synth.

Thanks.

[xr8eater]

i am going say it even though people will dissagree who use that oil

dump it and get some turbo light

[marcus32]

does it happen all the time or only above a certain rpm?

also i agree u should use a turbolite oil pref MOTUL and always replace your filter when u do your oil, if it's stuck try a oil filter wrench there are many types.

[Boostn6Potter]

Thankyou for your suggestions, what i was thinking is since the filters probably had around 10,000+kms (guess) the filter might be restricting oil flow?

Before i did the service i had a leaking oil crank seal which i replaced along with both cam oil seals. Leaking was due to low oil and thrashing when i first got the car. Once fixed the car felt like a new again and no oil leaks!

I have 2 different oil filter wrenches, 1 chain and 1 strap type but both didn't want to budge it. I was going to just stick a long flat head screwdriver through the filter but wasn't brave enough.

I'm not going to go against your suggestion xr8eater but this oil doesn't seem too bad at all, when i checked the oil the colour and viscosity looked like i just filled up.

Although when i start the car when cold i hear a clacking sound for a second then the engine revs up and settles, the rocker rattle sounds more like a mis rather then a constant rattle.

I usually solve these types of problems in time, but thought someone has had a similar fault here and could save me a bit that time.

Thanks.

[Boostn6Potter]

does it happen all the time or only above a certain rpm?

I hear it at idle, can't hear it while driving. I'll see tomorrow if it goes away when i increase revs. Also may as well go to a mechanic and get them to change the filter for me, might do the trick.

[Boostn6Potter]

i am going say it even though people will dissagree who use that oil

dump it and get some turbo light

Just read a thread agianst Penrite oil on this forum and your right, but have I damaged my engine?

I'll get the new Motul oil and filter on tomorrow thanks m8.

[xr8eater]

i used that oil once and never again

it dident do any permanant damage but took almost two or three changes before it was running right. make sure you use the valvoline filters or standard nissan filters as they have the best filtering applications for skylines that won't brake the bank

If all else fails check your zorst manifold it may need tightening. just a thought

[WazR32GTSt]

i use that oil with no problems :confused:

as for the sound... maybe the lifters aren't getting oil into them (ie some sludge or something lodged)

try some "oil flush" on your next change

oh, and its been said buti have to say it too... change your filter with the oil!!

cheers,

Warren.

[Godzilla32]

I thought it was only necessary to change the filter every 10,000? Oil every 5,000...

[Bazelinez]

Are you sure its not just the injectors? Nissan motors especially the SR20DET have shockingly loud injectors. The RB20DET does as well, just not as loud. Stick your head down there to see its them pulsing....

If it is them, its normal...

[Kaz200]

Is it definately a clicking noise or a 'miss'? If its clicking I'd agree with Waz, if you change the filter tho and it's still clicking perhaps they need to be adjusted?

[Boostn6Potter]

Are you sure its not just the injectors? Nissan motors especially the SR20DET have shockingly loud injectors. The RB20DET does as well, just not as loud. Stick your head down there to see its them pulsing....

If it is them, its normal...

M8, it's not the injectors it's a light rattling sound coming from above the rocker covers. Injectors have a distinct sound and that sound isn't what i'm worried about.

Is it definately a clicking noise or a 'miss'? If its clicking I'd agree with Waz, if you change the filter tho and it's still clicking perhaps they need to be adjusted?

I left the old oil in and simply changed the filter yesterday. Within the next couple days i will change the filter again and fill with Motul Turbolite. The clicking or rattling sound is fairly light not that loud.

My oil gauge started playing up which then led me to check under the bonnet and hear the lifters. Today when i first started her up the gauge read just above 4 (i thought yippee), then gave it some stick and the gauge went back down to 0.

I'm thinking about using the engine flush with this old oil before refilling but not sure if it's a waste of money or if my oil pump is on it's way out.

This kind of thing shouldn't be happening to a car with under 100,000kms so i'm stumped.

[blind_elk]

Nulon make an additive that it claims can clear the lifters (presumably if you get them early enough).

So, try an oil AND filter change (it is possible to get the filter off with the strap type wrenches that have the screw down the middle). Even leave it draining overnight to get as much as possible of the old oil out. Add some good quality 10-30 synthetic and the Nulon (it's called something like "Lifter Clean" - very imaginative!)

[Bazelinez]

It may be nothing to do with the lifters.

When I had a SR20DET Silvia, I used Magnatec once cause I was poor one oil change. The engine made a racket, sounded like a timing chain rattle, never actually found out what it was but it sounded seedy.

I dumped it, went back to mobil 1 and it was fine. Bizarre.

[readyGO]

last service i did oil 8100 and oil filter and iridium tip sparkies

[Boostn6Potter]

Will be doing the oil and filter change tomorrow but one thing which i'm not sure about is the oil gauge.

When the cars cold the gauge reads 4, but once warm and after a bit of driving it drops right down. Why is it doing this?

[Bobjones]

All this torque of injectors blah blah...

Have you checked the oil sender unit as this seems to be part of the problems. As for the rattling it could by the hydraulic lifters. Use caution when using an oil flush as I have seen some cause oil starvation and piston rings collapsing.

Run a full sythetic, Motul Turbolight is a semi, I would recommend using this for the flush only, then go for something like the Pennzoil Full Synthetic or Mobil 1 or even Shell Helix. Also after the flush run another lot of oil through it before putting the final through. Sounds pedantic but may save a rebuild.

The only reason for the gauge not ready when warm may be that when the oil warms up it gets thinner and for some reason the pressure sensor is not reading properly. this is a common problem I would be getting an after market gauge preferably mechanical to test the actual pressure, not these these are dangerous and should not be installed in cabin and thus only be used under the bonnet in the garage or where ever you are working.

[Boostn6Potter]

All this torque of injectors blah blah...

Have you checked the oil sender unit as this seems to be part of the problems.  As for the rattling it could by the hydraulic lifters.  Use caution when using an oil flush as I have seen some cause oil starvation and piston rings collapsing.

Run a full sythetic, Motul Turbolight is a semi, I would recommend using this for the flush only, then go for something like the Pennzoil Full Synthetic or Mobil 1 or even Shell Helix. Also after the flush run another lot of oil through it before putting the final through.  Sounds pedantic but may save a rebuild.

Ok the sound is not that loud though and the engine is low km so it shouldn't need a rebuild anytime soon.

The noise is a light tapping sound which it didn't do before and at the same time my oil gauge is acting up so i thought the old oil filter is blocked. I've changed the filter that i couldn't get off with a new one and have run 50km using the old oil. I won't be using the engine flush, i'll just purchase another oil filter and either Shell Helix or Motul Turbolite.

It was suggested to me in a private message that i should change the oil and just replace the filter 4-5 times using the same oil, then changing the oil and filter again the last time.

What i'll do though is change the oil and filter tomorrow and if the tapping goes away i'll leave it at that and change the filter again after another 500kms.

[SirSkyline]

mine does that its just a noisy tappet so I was told

[Boostn6Potter]

mine does that its just a noisy tappet so I was told

How loud is it? My tappet noise is about half softer then the injector noise so i suspect it just needs some good oil and the filter replaced but i'll see what happens tomorrow.