I NEED CAR HELP

I have a 97 Grand Am 2.4 Liter Twikn Cam. Its making a noise and it sounds like lifter noise. Does anyone have any info on this? Anyone had the same problem. Please only post if you know something. Thank you.



Nightwalker

Hi Nightwalker,

Well, I have no experience with that particular engine, but I am assuming you mean "no experience at all". So I hope it is okay I'm responding.

You may have a valve sticking.

Can you give any more symptoms? How its running, etc.

Is it REAL loud? Or just a clickity clickity clickity like an old sewing machine (of course, I'm assuming you have heard an old sewing machine )

Yes I have heard old sewing machines and yes its loud. Not too loud though. I can drown it out with music but its still there. The car still runs and runs great. Are you familiar with any Twin Cam engines?? thier fairly odd.


Nightwalker

Hmmm...I know absolutely zero about the Grand Am...as they are a car we don't get here in New Zealand...however I am rather familiar with twin-cam motors, particularily performance 4-cylinder multi-valved (16v) and specifically most Japanese inj turbocharged motors...which occupys most of my free-time spent modifying the beejebus outa them.

Most twin-cams are prone to rocker noise, especially once they get a bit of mileage on...heck, I've heard modern twin-cams with as low as 30,000kms emitting annoyingly audible rocker noise. Now I am not saying "Yes, its definitely rocker noise", for I haven't heard it...and as I said am unfamiliar with the Grand Am twin-cams...but that rapid clickety-click sound is a indication of likely too much rocker/valve clearance...which is remedied either with fitment of new shims or (if needs be in some motors) fitment of new valves and or rockers/actuators. It may also be a noisy injector, but as you indicate the power has not decreased and the noise is loud, so its less likely to be that. I'm also picking its likely not a piston ring problem for, again, you say the power has not noticeably decreased.

Advice...simply...take it to someone who knows. Or, if you are keen on finding some mechanical advice on the net, then check out some form of Discussion Board on these vehicles...there is bound to be one somewhere.


Peace,
ALIEN

[Edited on 3-7-2003 by alien]

That Quad-4 engine is notorious for blowing gaskets, check your oil , also is there water mixed in with your oil in abundant amounts?

If so, you are in serious trouble.


Please advise

Great on-line help

www.allexperts.com

go to a mechanic. I assume they wouldnt charge you if they just checked out a noise.

twin-cams are not that rare outside the US and I'd follow Alien's advice: if there's no decrease in power, rockers are the first possibility.
But to be honest, it could be entirely unrelated to the camshafts or the engine. I'm not bad if I can see the car, but at a distance, you can only get good guesses: take it to a mechanic because one thing you can be sure of is that it can only get worse if left untreated.

It could be as simple as a sticky lifter, which is easy to fix, or as bad as a spun bearing on the crank. I would have to hear it to diagnosis it. Is it a low tone knock?

Twin Cam by nature uses the cam lobe to direct drive/push the valve cup to open the valves. Noise most often are due to the exessive clearance between the cam lobe (at full valve close position) and the cup. For the ones utilizing the rocker arm there usually is an adjustment screw (with lock-nut) to adjust the clearance. Some of the modern engine use a hydralic device to automatically adjust the clearance and if your engine is one of those you probably have a sticky hydralic valve lash adjuster.

If you have a machincally adjustable rocker version it is a simple matter of adjusting the clearance. If you have a direct contact type, you will have to have both cams come off (with clearance measured beforehand) and change the shims to achieve the proper clearance - a major job. With the hydralic lash adjuster (sticky) you are probably # out of luck and will need to change the sticky one, no alternative.

One of the usual cause of the sticky adjuster is fail to change oil regularly and the sludge from old (thickened) oil got into the lash adjuster and plugged the tiny drain hole.

One other cause for the noise is a burnt valve, but if your car is running great, that should not be the issue here.